Stories of philanthropy ANNUAL REPORT 2016 Working together change lives. Our community has limitless potential. Every day, our neighbors strive and sweat, imagine and innovate, working to build a world-class metropolitan region. A just and inclusive society. A high quality of life, in every neighborhood, for everyone. A better future. We know that the challenges to achieving true inclusion and prosperity for all are complex —so we think beyond limits. We work across boundaries. We invite everyone to the table to create solutions that unify us today, and set us up for inclusive growth tomorrow. INSPIRE PHILANTHROPY Overview . 6 Year in Review .........................................8 Baird & Warner Good Will Network . 10 African American Legacy .................................13 The Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust . 14 Benefit Chicago........................................19 ENGAGE RESIDENTS Overview . 20 Year in Review .........................................22 America’s Original Sin. 24 On The Table ..........................................26 Acting Up Awards. 30 LEAD CHANGE Overview . 32 Year in Review .........................................34 GO Grants ............................................38 Our Great Rivers .......................................42 Chicago Fund for Safe and Peaceful Communities . 44 In Memoriam ..........................................46 Executive Committee . 50 Trustees Committee and Banks ............................ 51 The Chicago Community Trust Staff. 52 Trust at a Glance .......................................54 THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY TRUST Dear Friends, In 2016, we welcomed the start of a new century for The Chicago Community Trust. During our centennial milestone, we celebrated the spirit of Chicago by inspiring our fellow residents and community organizations to strive every day to make metropolitan Chicago a prosperous, inclusive region where everyone has the opportunity to achieve his or her dreams. 2016 A N N U A L R E P O R T 3 Five photographers beautifully rendered our magnificent diversity and passionate embrace of community in the photography collection, We Are, the Trust’s tribute to the people and place we love. Going forward, we build on a foundation one hundred years in the making, leading with a bold plan–created by our Executive Committee, with the vital input of thousands of Chicagoans through our On the Table community conversations–that offers a new expression of the Trust’s commitment to the communities we serve: Inspiring Philanthropy – Celebrating the spirit of giving by joining together to become the country’s most philanthropic region Engaging Residents – Generating new models of collaboration with one another for the common good Leading Change – Working with others to solve the most pressing issues and responding to the big opportunities within our communities At the heart of the Trust is our commitment to service: service to those whose generosity benefits current and future generations, and service to those who make good use of those funds to transform lives and neighborhoods. For example, through the Executive Committee’s new vision, we transformed the Trust’s regular discretionary grant making into general operating grants. GO Grants simplify the business of grant seeking so that nonprofits can spend more of their time doing the work that matters most: providing essential services to our region. 4 THE C H I C AG O C O M MUNIT Y T R U S T In partnership with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Calvert Foundation, we launched Benefit Chicago–a new investment vehicle that helps donors turn their dollars into social impact while generating a financial return. We also added a bit of rocket fuel to On the Table with the Acting Up Awards–small grants that help On the Table participants turn their ideas into action. And, in collaboration with our fellow foundations, we responded rapidly to the escalation of violence with the Chicago Fund for Safe and Peaceful Communities. These are just a few examples of how the Trust continues to innovate and find better ways of serving our donors and community. We do so while never wavering from our enduring promise to deliver exceptional stewardship with steadfast integrity. We hope you enjoy this collection of stories that reflect the generosity of our donors and the ingenuity of our nonprofits that inspired us to chart this bold new course. Terry Mazany President and Chief Executive Officer Michael W. Ferro, Jr. Chairman of the Executive Committee 2016 A N N U A L R E P O R T 5 inspire philanthropy. By amplifying the power of collective giving, the Trust encourages everyone to join together and expand the community of generosity. Our goal is to create the country’s most philanthropic region, inspiring more people to give more of their time, skills and resources to enrich the quality of life throughout our region. The Trust seeks to co-invest with individuals and organizations–leveraging our scale and capacity so that by giving together, the impact of each investment is multiplied. We serve those who dream of a brighter future. Right: At Deneen School of Excellence, volunteers taking part in Chicago Cares’ citywide day of service paint a map of the world. Photo by Erik Unger. 6 THE C H I C AG O C O M MUNIT Y T R U S T 2016 A N N U A L R E P O R T 7 INSPIRING PHILANTHROPY YEAR IN REVIEW October 1, 2015 – The Trust’s LGBT Community Fund awards its first round of community grants—the culmination of five years of work to raise funds and research the needs that Chicago’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans community members identify as most urgent. Funding was awarded to 14 nonprofits, with a special focus on projects serving youth and seniors. October 19, 2015 – Unity Fund 2016 launches with the goal of providing donors a simple way to sustain critical human services. Through their generosity, the effort raises more than $560,000 that helps 19 nonprofits ensure that families throughout our region can find the support they need to survive—and thrive. October 20, 2015 – An aging population, increasing diversity, and poverty rates beginning to surpass those of Chicago. At the first of six October 7, 2015 – At the annual State of the Community address, president and CEO community conversations hosted by The Lake Terry Mazany unveils the Trust’s new strategic plan. The plan organizes the Trust’s work County Community Foundation, residents around three pillars—inspiring philanthropy, engaging residents and leading change. explore these local trends with demographer Rob Paral, then begin a conversation about how the philanthropic and service sectors can best adapt and respond. October 28, 2015 – African American Legacy hosts a conference for nonprofits working to reduce violence in Chicago’s African-American neighborhoods. The intensive daylong conference features workshops on topics from grant writing to program evaluation, designed to strengthen nonprofits’ operations—and ultimately their impact October 19, 2015 – Nuestro Futuro celebrates its 10th anniversary with a lunchtime in the community. (See more: page 13) conversation on philanthropy and the Latino experience in our region. The identity-focused fund has raised more than $5 million to date, and granted $2 million to the community, making it one of the largest Latino endowments in the nation. 8 THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY TRUST YEAR IN REVIEW January 27, 2016 – Chicago’s local food champions gather for the launch of the Food to Market Challenge, an innovative competition offering a $500,000 award for the most innovative solution to expand the local food market. The Challenge is a project of Food:Land:Opportunity, a multi- year initiative funded through the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust. (See more: page 16) April 25, 2016 – Benefit Chicago, a new social impact fund, launches with a goal of making $100 million in low-cost capital available to the region’s social enterprises and nonprofits. This partnership among The Chicago Community Trust, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Calvert Foundation aims to bridge the gap between the May 5, 2016 – Young performers from En Las Tablas, a dance studio in Chicago’s Hermosa neighborhood, need for capital in Chicago’s social light up a sunset cocktail reception celebrating the Young Leaders Fund’s 10 grant recipients. sector, and individuals looking to invest Since its launch in 1994, YLF has awarded more than $1 million to nearly 200 organizations with budgets for impact. (See more: page 19) less than $250,000—often, like En Las Tablas, receiving their very first grant. May 6, 2016 – At its annual luncheon, the Association of Fundraising Professionals—Chicago Chapter honors the Trust with its highest recognition, the Founders Award. Accepting with gratitude, the Trust announces a new commitment to the field of nonprofit development: Inspiring Philanthropy grants, to help organizations increase their capacity for fundraising. September 29, 2016 – The Springboard Foundation, a supporting organization of the Trust, hosts its annual dinner to celebrate its new grant recipients—seven outstanding afterschool and supplemental education programs working at a grassroots level to prepare kids for personal growth and success. September 14, 2016 – On an afternoon cruise, members of the Trust’s 1915 Society enjoy a sunlit view and an engaging conversation about the opportunities to put Our Great Rivers—Chicago’s first-ever comprehensive plan to reimagine all 150 miles of our rivers and riverfronts—into action. 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 9 OUR COMMUNITY BAIRD & WARNER GOOD WILL NETWORK It’s no surprise that a real estate company with a With a constant flow of small donations from history of fighting racially discriminatory home multiple offices, it’s a complex program—so Baird & sale laws during the Civil Rights era would embrace Warner partners with the Trust to manage the philanthropy as a corporate value. program. The Trust handles financial administration, while the firm focuses on its mission of giving And as the region’s largest locally owned residential away millions to great causes.