The Field Foundation proudly announces its Winter 2021 grantees. In this grant cycle we awarded more than $700,000 to 28 organizations—new and returning grantee partners—that are located in and/or focused on communities highlighted in Field’s heat map. As always, the majority of our dollars are given to BIPOC visionaries that are working to change systems, narratives, policies and creative enterprise.

Congratulations to all of our Winter 2021 grantees. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our city and, in particular, Chicago’s communities of color, we are inspired by their commitment, vision and deeply connected work.

Justice

Art 

Media & Storytelling 

In Memoriam: Field Life Director Philip W. Hummer

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Field Life Director Philip W. Hummer. He passed away peacefully at his home on December 18, 2020 following a brief illness.

Philip provided the Field Foundation with dedicated and strong leadership. He was a member of the Field Board of Directors for more than 28 years and a longtime member of the Investment Committee. He served as Board Chairman from 1996 to 2004, and became a Life Trustee in 2015.

Phillip was fiercely kind, endlessly curious and pushed himself to learn more, give more, do more. His generosity, leadership and dedicated service to the Field Foundation and many other organizations will be deeply missed. Our civic giant, our most dapper trustee, rest well.

To learn more about Philip’s life and legacy, and to leave a remembrance to be shared with the Field community and his family, please visit his Memorial Page here.

A program of Field Foundation
supported by the MacArthur Foundation

When we build out the Leaders for a New Chicago Award each year we ask: “What does leadership mean? What kinds of models are working to create a more equitable Chicago? How does leadership manifest in traditional and non-traditional ways? How do we uplift both individual and collective leadership?” We seek out, listen to, and document feedback from leaders across Chicago that are doing work from grassroots organizations, collectives, co-ops, traditional as well as non-traditional nonprofits.

Since 2019, individuals from the two Leaders cohorts have been embedded in their communities and worked diligently to meet the community needs. Awardees represent diversity of religion, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age and expertise, and those from different geographies and income levels. Some are organizers, some are co-founders, some are part of collectives or shared leadership models. All of them work within the Field Foundation’s program areas of Justice, Art and Media & Storytelling.

Help us build the next cohort by learning more about the award, important dates, requirements and more by visiting the Leaders for a New Chicago portal on our website, attending an informational webinar from 10:30 am to Noon, Tuesday, January 12, or by contacting us.

The nomination portal opens on February 1^st.

Hilesh Patel
Leadership Investment Program Officer