A collaboration between
the Field Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation
The Leaders for a New Chicago Award celebrated its sixth year in 2024. This unique initiative provides a $25,000 no-strings-attached award for individual leaders and, if eligible, a $25,000 general operating grant for their affiliated not-for-profit organizations. The award is given to 10 individuals each year, promoting a range of leaders whose influence will inform decision making across Chicago.
About the Leaders for a New Chicago Award
The Field Foundation is committed to recognizing, honoring, and supporting the deep bench of visionary leaders across Chicago. Working in partnership with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, we designed the Leaders for a New Chicago Award to celebrate and uplift the contributions of leaders outside of the city’s power structure. Our goal is to learn from them, and to incorporate insights about their experiences to better understand and support future leaders. By creating a network, we aim to act as a connector, supporter, and investor in leaders who have the potential to transform Chicago.
The Leaders for a New Chicago initiative seeks to build a more inclusive Chicago. It recognizes leaders who are designing new and impactful approaches to civic discourse and action and bringing transformative change to their communities. Recipients may use their award as they see fit, including supporting work, reflection, and professional development. They also receive ongoing optional network programming and other opportunities.
Meet the Leaders
Collectively the 65 recipients of the Leaders for a New Chicago Award represent a broad array of Chicago residents and include a diversity of age, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, and sexual orientation. Coming from different geographic backgrounds and income levels, the awardees are artists, advocates, co-founders, educators, executive directors, organizers, social change agents, storytellers, and members of collectives or shared leadership models. Meet the leaders from our six cohorts below.
Eligibility
Eligible nominees for the Leaders for a New Chicago Award must be:
From existing grantee organizations within the past two years of the Field Foundation OR a) are a current direct grantee in the MacArthur Foundation’s Chicago Commitment or Chicago-based Journalism & Media portfolio; b) received an Expedited Grant “X Grant” in the past three years from the MacArthur Foundation’s Chicago Commitment and Chicago-based Journalism & Media portfolio.
Living in Chicago, Cook County, or the five collar counties at the time of the nomination.
Working in the fields of Art, Journalism & Storytelling, or Justice.
Maintaining a strong working relationship with the affiliated organization for at least one year at the time of the nomination.
Award Selection
A selection committee comprised of previous awardees and facilitated by Field and MacArthur staff members, catalyzes the selection process, using a rubric to review nominations and recommend the next recipients of the Leaders for a New Chicago Award. The nomination process results in an award presented annually.
