FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The Chicago Community Trust’s work is made possible through the generosity of our donors. As of Sept. 30, 2019, the Trust’s consolidated assets totaled more than $3.3 billion. In addition, during the fiscal year, the Trust received new gifts totaling $472 million and made combined grant commitments totaling $369.7 million.

FUND TYPES

Donors may work with the Trust to create and contribute to one or more types of funds. Donors can shape charitable gift funds to meet their specific interests and objectives by using one or all of the basic fund types as building blocks.

ADVISED FUNDS

An advised fund may be established with a gift of $10,000 or more. It provides donors the opportunity to remain actively engaged in the grant making process. Advised funds are efficient alternatives to private foundations, may involve successor generations and may be endowed for perpetual giving.

 

DESIGNATED FUNDS

At the time a designated fund is established, the donor designates specific charitable organizations as the perpetual recipients of the income from the fund. The Trust ensures the designated recipients receive support as long as they remain in existence and continue to fulfill their intended charitable purpose.

 

SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS

A growing number of donors with significant charitable assets and a desire to have a more formal giving structure are establishing supporting organizations. As with advised funds, a supporting organization is an attractive alternative to a private foundation, providing significant tax benefits and grant making support through the Trust.

COMPETITIVE FUNDS

The Trust’s competitive funds are available to nonprofit organizations in metropolitan Chicago that serve the residents of the region. Competitive funds include the following:

  • Field of Interest Funds: Individuals and organizations may pool their charitable gifts of any size into a common fund that addresses an issue of importance to them and to the community. Income from these funds is distributed by the Trust in accordance with each fund’s specific purpose.
  • Restricted Funds: A donor may establish a fund dedicated to an area of concern to the community. These funds enable the Trust to respond to ongoing needs in specific areas.
  • Unrestricted Funds: Through unrestricted funds, donors enable the Trust to respond to the community’s most pressing challenges in creative and flexible ways. These funds provide some of the Trust’s most important resources capable of addressing the ever-changing needs of the community.

GROWTH

The following charts compare the total assets, contributions and combined grant commitments of the past five years for The Chicago Community Trust and Affiliates for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019.

CONSOLIDATED ASSETS

CONSOLIDATED CONTRIBUTIONS

COMBINED GRANT COMMITMENTS

CONTRIBUTIONS

During fiscal year 2019, The Chicago Community Trust and Affiliates received contributions of $472,135,565. The following is an analysis of these contributions by fund type.

2019 CONTRIBUTIONS BY FUND TYPE

EXPENSES

Board and management work closely to ensure charitable dollars given through The Chicago Community Trust and Affiliates are used for their intended purposes. Mindful of the cost associated with fulfilling the mission of the Trust, expenses are carefully monitored. During fiscal year 2019, total consolidated operating expenses exclusive of grants and program-related expenses were $23,669,440 (administrative expenses of $18,776,082 and investment management and custodian fees of $4,893,358), representing 0.71 percent of total assets.

GRANT COMMITMENTS*

FISCAL YEAR 2019 CONTRIBUTIONS BY FUND TYPE

GRANT COMMITMENTS BY FUNDING SOURCE

Competitive Grant Making

Other Grants

investment performance

The growth of The Chicago Community Trust and Affiliates is achieved through a combination of new contributions received and investment performance. The Trust’s Investment Committee, with the assistance of professional investment consultants, is responsible for establishing investment policy and the continual monitoring of individual managers and their investment performance. The following are charts that summarize the asset allocation target for the Trust, the investment performance and relevant performance benchmarks.

Asset allocation target as of september 30, 2019

investment performance PERIODS
ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2019