The Chicago Area chapter typically provides four events per year in downtown Chicago that include networking and professional development. Our chapter meetings follow a set agenda:

10:00 – Board Meeting

11:00 – Registration and Networking

11:30 – Lunch

12:15 – Program

1:45 – Committee Meetings (optional)

Click here to read our cancellation policy.

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Upcoming Events

August 16, 2019 Chapter Event

“The Art of Storytelling: A Powerful Tool to Engage Funders” with Pon Angara of Barkada Circle Storytelling Studio, Crystal Robinson of Siragusa Family Foundation and Emily Dreke of Chicago Foundation for Women.

Location: Macy’s on State Street
Time: 11:00-11:30am (registration and networking); 11:30-12:15pm (lunch); 12:15-1:45pm (program)

This program is worth 1.5 CEUs toward the GPC and CFRE credentials (application pending).

GPC Competencies covered: #4 (craft, construct and submit an effective grant application) and #8 (relationship building)

Registration will open in July 2019.

Meeting sponsor:

October 18, 2019 Chapter Event

“Advocating for Grants in Your Development Program”

Location: Macy’s on State Street
Time: 11:00-11:30am (registration and networking); 11:30-12:15pm (lunch); 12:15-1:45pm (program)

Past Events

May 17, 2019 Chapter Conference

Registration now open.

Keynote speaker: Author Beth Buelow on “How to Communicate Across the Personality Divide”

The program will also include a funder panel and break-out sessions for beginners, advanced grant practitioners, and consultants. Click here for more detail.

Location: Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Center, 400 S. State St. (Lower Level), Chicago IL
Time: 9:00am-4:00pm

Happy Hour (4:00-5:00pm) at Plymouth Rooftop Bar & Grill, 327 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago

Sponsors:

February 15, 2019 Chapter Event: National Conference Round Up

Chicago chapter members provided summaries of some of the hottest topics from the national GPA conference and lead discussions on lessons learned.

2018 Events

We make every effort to plan our events around holidays and special events. Fridays are the best day for most attendees. Our events are held at Macy’s on State Street in the Culinary Studio on the 7th floor, adjacent to the Walnut Room. Click here to read our cancellation policy.

January 15 Chicago Chapter Board Retreat

March 9 National Conference Round Up

March 9 International Grant Professionals Day

May 18

Changing the Conversation:

Race and Equity in Grantmaking

A Donor Panel

Race and equity issues are increasingly prominent in our local, regional, and national conversations. This donor panel discussion will explore how local foundations are developing and expanding initiatives to reflect issues of race and equity in the Chicago area. Panel participants include Arianna Cisneros, Program Officer at the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, Heather Smith, Senior Program Officer at The Field Foundation of Illinois, and Janine Hill, President of Soar Strategies. The panel will be moderated by Kimberly Casey, Director of Member Services at Forefront. Click here for more information.

Register at this link.

August 17

Networking for Introverts

Elizabeth Kilbourne from Career Strategies will lead participants through a fun and successful approach to networking that draws on the individual strengths of introverts. After this interactive workshop, you will walk away with useful strategies, tools, and insights to help you network with ease, including: