The Northern Trust Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations that support low-income youth ages 16-24 on Chicago’s South and West Sides. The foundation aims to improve access to essential human needs, helping young people achieve financial stability and long-term success. Funding is provided for general operating support and program-specific grants in four priority areas: food security, affordable housing, educational excellence, and accessible healthcare.
Food security grants support programs that increase access to free food distribution, raise awareness of nutrition assistance programs (such as SNAP and WIC), and improve access to affordable, nutritious food, particularly in food deserts. Affordable housing grants assist youth experiencing homelessness by helping them access permanent housing, providing case management services, and supporting foster care youth and LGBTQ+ youth in unstable living conditions.
Educational excellence funding is directed toward programs that help low-income youth complete high school, enroll in post-secondary education (including trade schools), and persist through college. Programs may focus on academic readiness, financial aid access, and support services that ensure students complete their education. Accessible healthcare grants prioritize programs that provide free or sliding-scale healthcare services, remove barriers to medical care through telehealth or after-hours appointments, and assist young people in enrolling in Medicaid.
To qualify for funding, organizations must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt and provide direct services to youth ages 16-24 in Chicago’s South and West Sides. Organizations may receive funding for up to three consecutive years but must wait one year before reapplying. The foundation does not fund organizations less than three years old, multi-year funding requests, capital campaigns, event sponsorships, political or advocacy groups, individual K-12 schools, or religious organizations for sectarian purposes.
Applications begin with a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) during the foundation’s designated grant cycles. The foundation reviews submissions based on alignment with funding priorities, organizational capacity, and potential impact on youth in the target communities. Organizations that meet eligibility criteria and demonstrate strong program effectiveness may be invited to submit a full grant application.
For further details or to begin the application process, interested organizations can visit the Northern Trust Foundation’s website. Additional inquiries can be directed to Northern Trust’s corporate philanthropy team.
