Chicago

The venture philanthropy movement has been around for a while now, but newcomers keep coming to the scene, including many funds with a local focus. A case in point: the New Coast Foundation in Chicago.

At the end of last year, the Chicago-based Joyce Foundation adopted a stronger focus on equity. We look at how this is playing out in recent grantmaking.

While mega-donors seem to be providing more large general support gifts to nonprofits lately, we still don’t often see such gifts flowing to universities and museums. Here’s a $50 million exception.

Giving circles are a big part of the philanthropy scene in Chicago, and there are quite a few of them around town. We look at a new giving circle on the local scene and what sets it apart from the others.

Hedge funder Ken Griffin has teamed up with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to back next-gen data analysis to improve policing. It's yet another example of philanthropy supporting innovative civic projects.

A Chicago native, Mandera created his own transportation business at the age of 23 and he founded The Custom Companies in Northlake, Illinois. Here's a look at his philanthropy.

The art world has long been dominated by institutions and thought leaders on the coasts. The Terra Foundation for American Art tells us how it's working to change all that.

Three couples with strong Chicago connections were recently listed among the most generous philanthropists in America. We take a closer look at their giving. 

The Chicago Foundation for Women puts a big emphasis on helping women become financially independent. We look at CFW's latest grants and it's partnerships with other funders around town.

The promising niche of sports-related youth development continues to attract new funder attention. The latest convert: Ken Griffin, one of Chicago's most active mega-givers.

Don't worry, grantees, Joyce is not engaging in a dramatic shift away from past priorities. Rather, it's amplifying its longstanding focus on equity, with a keener eye on challenging racial exclusion. 

The Chicago Community Trust is tuned into the criminal justice and mental health aspects of homelessness, with an eye on the promise of permanent supportive housing.

In discussions of putting money towards principal quality to improve public schools the Windy City, one foundation’s name always comes up: the Chicago Public Education Fund. What's it doing? 

The Terra Foundation for American Art is a unique funder known for bringing visual arts from U.S. artists to national and international audiences. But what about Terra’s hometown of Chicago? 

The nation's top donor-advised fund, which made a staggering 849,000 grants in 2016, has crunched its data to analyze what giving looks like in different regions of the U.S. It's worth paying attention.  

The giant bank has become a surprising leader in philanthropy's push for inclusive economic growth. We take a deep dive into the backstory—and what JPMorgan brings to the table that's new. 

The Field Foundation is certainly not the largest funder in the city, but it’s a very locally focused one, and it's lately made some big changes. Here's a look. 

The Graham Foundation is known around the world for redefining architecture and supporting architecture projects as works of art. But plenty of grants land locally, too. 
 

Recent new efforts to support immigrant rights in Chicago and Washington, D.C., show how a growing array of funders are pushing back against Trump policies. 

With an epidemic of gun violence creating a sense of crisis in Chicago and other cities, some funders are stepping up with new grantmaking efforts, including Google.org and MacArthur. 

The Chicago Foundation for Women recently announced a total of 68 new grants, mostly in support of access to women’s healthcare and freedom from violence. We take a closer look. 

A newcomer to venture philanthropy, Chicago Beyond is worth keeping an eye on as it embarks on a second year of grantmaking and dangles the possibility of jumbo size grants to local groups. 

Joseph Pedott is the advertising legend behind two pop culture icons, the Chia Pet and the Clapper. Now, he's putting his wealth to use for kids in Chicago and San Francisco. 

For film fans around the world, Roger Ebert is forever famous for the trademarked phrase “Two thumbs up.” But for many nonprofits in Chicago, the local legend also represents new opportunities.

Impressed by the Getty Foundation-funded Pacific Standard Time, two funders are backing a similar exhibition in Chicago. What's Art Design Chicago all about?