2008 ANNUAL REPORT To lead and inspire philanthropic efforts that measurably improve the quality of life and the prosperity of our region. OUR VALUES Five values define our promise to the individuals and communities we serve: INTEGRITY Our responsibility, first and foremost, is to uphold the public trust placed in us and to ensure that we emulate the highest ethical standards, honor our commitments, remain objective and transparent and respect all of our stakeholders. STEWARDSHIP & SERVICE We endeavor to provide the highest level of service and due diligence to our donors and grant recipients and to safeguard donor intent in perpetuity. DIVERSITY & INCLUSION Our strength is found in our differences and we strive to integrate diversity in all that we do. COLLABORATION We value the transformative power of partnerships based on mutual interests, trust and respect and we work in concert with those who are similarly dedicated to improving our community. INNOVATION We seek and stimulate new approaches to address what matters most to the people and we serve, as well as support, others who do likewise in our shared commitment to improve metropolitan Chicago. OUR VISION The Chicago Community Trust is committed to: • Maximizing our community and donor impact through strategic grant making and bold leadership; • Accelerating our asset growth by attracting new donors and creating a closer relationship with existing donors; • Delivering operational excellence to our donors, grant recipients and staff members. In 2008, The Chicago Community Trust addressed the foreclosure crisis by spearheading an action plan with over 100 experts from 70 nonprofit, private and public organizations. See more about our Community Development initiatives on page 10. The Chicago Community Trust together with the Searle Funds supported the improvement of teaching and learning in more than 230 Chicago schools in 2008. Learn about our Education grant making strategies on page 16. In 2008, 20,000 people explored new options for improving their health through programs funded by The Chicago Community Trust. Read about our Health initiatives on page 20. In 2008, The Chicago Community Trust supported 140 arts organizations that provided diverse, affordable, accessible and enriching cultural experiences for all area residents. Discover more about our Arts & Culture programs on page 24. More than 15,000 people were able to sleep on a bed and not on the street because The Chicago Community Trust supported the homeless shelter system in 2008. Read about our Basic Human Needs efforts on page28 . OUR BOLD MISSION Dear Friends, Ordinarily this letter would be a thoughtful reflection about the Trust’s performance in 2008 and a chronicle of the highlights of the past year. The fact that so much has changed since September 30th when our fiscal year ended to the publication of this report highlights the breathtaking pace of change we have experienced over the past few months. The election of President Barack Obama signaled a dramatic shift in national policy that is already having direct relevance to our work. And while the deepening recession has led to a reprioritizing of our grant making strategy to increase support for basic human needs, we also see great opportunities to fully realize our investments in education improvement, regional planning and community building. Viewed through the rearview mirror, 2008 was a very good year for the Trust. The strength and stability we have built together with our donors is proving its worth as a remarkable safety net for our communities in these most challenging times. By design or happenstance, our 2008 forward-looking investments in new strategies across our funding areas have achieved new prominence. Our efforts to combat homelessness, improve math and science education, create a regional collaborative to prevent foreclosures, increase jobs programs for ex-offenders, stimulate the creation of green jobs and systems for locally grown foods, and invest in regional planning that builds on the legacy of Daniel Burnham’s 1909 Plan of Chicago — are all centerpieces of national, state and local responses to the economic recession. This strategic grant making has been possible only because our donors have made generous, unrestricted gifts to our endowment. Through wise stewardship of these resources, the Trust has stepped up during these trying economic times not only to pursue long-term support of key Chicago area nonprofits, but also to make an additional $1 million in recent grants for basic human needs as the severe impact of the recession became clear. We are mindful of our responsibility to ensure that the resources of the Trust, in partnership with our donors, are serving the contemporary needs of the community — and doing so in ways that are innovative and bring about positive change for all residents. We are, at once, an expression of the bedrock values that shape Chicago as the quintessential American city and the fearless energy to tackle together the most vexing problems of our times. While we cannot know the specific nature or timing of our economic recovery, we can predict with certainty that the strengths of our city, best expressed by Daniel Burnham as “the spirit of Chicago,” will prevail and together we will emerge stronger. Terry Mazany John A. Canning President and Chief Executive Officer Chairman of the Executive Committee P.S. Debuting with the 2008 Annual Report we introduce a refreshed look and feel for our print and electronic publications. Our updated logo and color palette incorporate visual allusions to venerable Chicago institutions (the Chicago Theater) and powerful new expressions (Chicago 2016), as well as a reflection of the wellspring of Chicago’s geographic identity in the deep blue of Lake Michigan. This visual reimagining reflects our commitment and responsibility to maintain the contemporary relevance of this iconic institution. 6 2008 Annual Report: Bold Mission. Meaningful Impact. OUR MEANINGFUL IMPACT WHY OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS AN ENDOWED COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Virtually every one of the nine million residents of metropolitan Chicago is touched by the work of The Chicago Community Trust. Whether you or someone you know works or volunteers for a local nonprofit organization, has received treatment at a clinic, visited a museum or attended a dance performance — there is a good chance the Trust was involved. You may have even been personally touched by the Trust and haven’t even realized it. As our region’s community foundation, the Trust’s mission is to improve the quality of life for all residents. Have you ever turned on your television to WTTW/Channel 11? In 1955 the Trust embraced new technology by supporting WTTW, Chicago’s fledgling educational television station. Over 50 years later, the Trust funds the nation’s longest running multimedia informational series, Chicago Matters, that includes not only public television but also Chicago Public Radio, the Chicago Public Library and The Chicago Reporter. Have you heard about the improvement in the quality of education in Chicago schools? The Trust in 2008 launched its second $50 million, five-year initiative to develop high-performing schools by strengthening instruction. Venerable Chicago area institutions like the Donors Forum of Chicago, Executive Service Corps, Illinois Facilities Fund, Leadership Greater Chicago, Operation ABLE (National ABLE Network) and Voices for Illinois Children were all incubated and launched by the Trust. The Trust is one of over 700 community foundations in the United States, a model so successful it’s being adopted around the world. The Trust, unlike private foundations created by such business leaders as Henry Ford and Bill Gates, is made possible by many individual donors who invest in the future of our region by making gifts to the Trust’s endowment and program area funds. Our endowment is the foundation of our competitive grant program; these permanent gifts enable us to apply our expertise and invest in the organizations that have the greatest impact on our region. The Trust is home to nearly 1,000 funds and over 1,450 individual donors who in 2008 were part of this family. In turn, the Trust serves as an enduring resource for donors by providing insight into our region’s needs, opportunities to make significant impact by leveraging other resources and expertise in effective grant making. These examples are glimpses into the work of The Chicago Community Trust. This ambitious venture was fueled by the bold ideas of individuals who shared an optimistic vision of the future of the Chicago region and the common goal to improve the lives of its residents. The following pages will give you new insights into how this important work is being accomplished. Learn more about the Trust at www.cct.org 7 STRATEGIC GranT MAKING To deliver on the promise of our bold mission — and to continue making meaningful impact —The Chicago Community Trust and its donors provided over $100 million in grants in 2008. Of this, $38 million supported the Trust’s competitive grant program that provided funding for more than 500 organizations in the Chicago region. Most competitive grants are organized under five Working with CMAP, we will identify vital indicators of established program areas: Community Development, progress to achieve our shared vision for a better region. Education, Health, Arts and Culture and Basic Human (For example, if the vision identifies clean air as important, Needs (see pages 10–33). a statistical indicator to measure air quality will be developed.) The indicators and supporting data will be Beyond these, the Trust recognizes opportunities and made public for use by any individual or organization. challenges in building a strong and healthy community that need special strategic initiatives which cross multiple To ensure this plan provides us with a bold vision, the Trust program areas. Here are a few of those initiatives: is also funding thirteen lead agencies to convene regional leaders in education, health, workforce development, public safety, human relations, food and emergency THE BURNHAM PLAN CENTENNIAL response.