Economy

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A Year of Transformation

This is a year of transition and transformation for Grand Victoria Foundation. We completed our first ever strategic plan, which outlines our theory of action and strategic priorities that are rooted in racial justice. Our strategic plan is an important milestone on our journey towards centering racial equity and racial justice that began in 2017, when we surveyed our grantees and they articulated they would like to see the Foundation be more explicit about race. We look forward to sharing our strategic plan with current and future foundation and grantee partners next year. 

In preparation for the launch of our strategic plan in 2023, the Foundation is prioritizing aligning our grantmaking and operations to fully support our new strategic direction. For us to approach this work thoughtfully and with intention, we are not accepting unsolicited requests for funding this year, including letters of inquiry. Renewal grant requests from current grantees will be reviewed during our quarterly grant cycles. For current grantees, if you have questions, please contact your program officer. For non-grantees, if you have questions about our funding priorities and/or eligibility, we encourage you to sign up for our newsletter to learn about our new strategic direction next year.


All Illinois residents should participate in the economy by pursuing work and opportunities that align with their interests and goals. This can lead to greater happiness and peace of mind. Advancing economic progress takes deliberate, creative solutions that put perspectives of adults seeking to work and learn at the center of change.

Our Vision: Participants in the economy, including workers, learners and communities, are supported to make economic opportunities, experiences, and outcomes stronger and more equitable.

Who Should Apply

This grantmaking program will support organizations that:

  • design solutions that create sensible protections for low and middle-income families working hard to make ends meet
  • support workers and communities who wish to pursue entrepreneurship as a means for securing their economic futures
  • pursue partnerships that allow communities and workers to benefit from economic growth in new and existing industries
  • significantly improve access to creative, high-quality adult education opportunities for adults with limited literacy and numeracy skills

Meet the Team

Please contact us at (312) 609-0200 or info@grandvictoriafdn.org if you have questions about our Economy program.

To learn more about the application process, please visit our How to Apply page. To begin your application, please visit our Grant Portal to submit your Letter of Inquiry. Please create an account or login using your existing username and password. 

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