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Chicago Community Trust
The Chicago Community Trust was established in 1915 by Norman Wait Harris and Albert Wadsworth Harris, whose banking wealth seeded the original endowment.
Chicago Community Trust
The Chicago Community Trust was established in 1915 by Norman Wait Harris and Albert Wadsworth Harris, whose banking wealth seeded the original endowment. It functions as a grantmaking and impact platform that aggregates contributions from individuals and families into targeted local programs. Deployment spans impact investments, real estate grants, and public equity holdings. Asset classes include mixed-use development through the Neighborhood Capital Fund, pre-development financing, and positions in AAPL, MSFT, and NVDA. The Trust operates Benefit Chicago alongside the MacArthur Foundation and commits capital to Chicago Community Loan Fund and IFF. Activity centers on Chicago and adjacent Midwest counties. The organization employs 149 professionals and maintains one headquarters. It runs four affiliate foundations and participates in the Council on Foundations and Mission Investors Exchange. May 2024: Sponsored the Beyond Philanthropy event focused on neighborhood investment data. The Trust maintains a hybrid grant-and-investment mandate that separates donor-advised funds from its own impact platform, allowing direct ownership stakes in operating businesses such as AutonomyWorks and Garfield Produce Company through Benefit Chicago.
General information
Firm type
Community Foundation
Year founded
1915
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Chicago
Corporate office
33 S State St Suite 750, Chicago, IL 60603, United States
Principals
Andrea Sáenz
President and CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Chicago Community Trust?
Andrea Sáenz serves as President and CEO. Investment oversight includes an Executive Committee with members from Leo Burnett, Kinship Capital, and ComEd.
Does Chicago Community Trust participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The Trust runs direct real estate grants via the Neighborhood Capital Fund and holds limited partner positions in vehicles such as Chicago Community Loan Fund and IFF.
What investment stages does Chicago Community Trust typically target?
Activity covers early-stage impact companies through Benefit Chicago and late-stage real estate projects in underinvested Chicago neighborhoods.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The original endowment traces to Norman Wait Harris and Albert Wadsworth Harris from their banking activities.
How is Chicago Community Trust related to Benefit Chicago?
The Trust co-founded Benefit Chicago with the MacArthur Foundation and holds ownership through ARC Chicago, LLC.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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