Join Us at the 41st Annual Luncheon!
We are already counting down the days until the 41st Annual Luncheon on October 20, 2026, at the Hilton Chicago. We will gather at our annual fundraising event to honor the people and partnerships that brought us here and fuel what comes next for gender equity in Chicago.
More than 1,000 people gathered at our 40th Anniversary Luncheon to celebrate community, progress, and purpose. Together, we raised over $1 million to advance equity, opportunity, and safety for women, girls, and gender-expansive people across Chicago through our grantmaking and programs. These funds are hard at work, fueling our Rapid Response Fund and preparing for our upcoming grantmaking cycle. We cannot wait to keep the momentum going at the 41st Annual Luncheon.
Sponsorship and host committee opportunities are available now.
Investing in Community. Advancing Equity.
Since 1985, Chicago Foundation for Women has built a powerful network of funders and frontline leaders to drive community-led change. We invest in grassroots organizations, foster collaboration, and fuel long-term impact, so everyone in our region has the opportunity to live in a safe, just, and equitable community.
Our Approach
We amplify every dollar we raise, ensuring grassroots organizations receive the strategic, sustained support they need to thrive. By bridging funders and frontline organizations, we create a strong network that strengthens movements, advances equity, and drives real impact.
Our Focus Areas
Expanding Economic
Security and Mobility
We seek to expand economic security so all women, girls, and gender-expansive people can care for themselves and their families in all stages of life.
Advancing
Freedom from Violence
We work to ensure women, girls, and gender-expansive people are free from violence, including abuse, assault, harassment, trafficking, and more.
Improving Access to Health and Wellness
We work to expand access to quality mental, physical, preventive, and reproductive health services for women, girls, and gender-expansive people.
Advancing
Reproductive Justice
We champion reproductive freedom and fund local efforts that protect care, expand access, and defend the right to make decisions about one’s body.
Explore what is new at CFW
Register for Upcoming Events
Chicago Foundation for Women has an exciting calendar of upcoming events, including the Spring Giving Circles and Councils Event in May and the 41st Annual Luncheon in October. Learn about upcoming events and get involved.
Join the CFW Team
Chicago Foundation for Women is hiring a Database and Development Coordinator. The Database and Development Coordinator supports the fundraising and donor engagement efforts of the Foundation by managing the donor database, ensuring data accuracy, and providing high-quality reporting and administrative support. Applications for this hybrid position are open and reviewed on a rolling basis.
Mobilize Support for
Communities with Urgency
As crises deepen and the need for rapid support grows, we are centering communities and responding with urgency. Standing in solidarity with immigrant communities in Minnesota, we issued a $5,000 grant to the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota to support its Immigrant Rapid Response Fund. To address urgent challenges in the Chicago region, we reopened our Rapid Response Fund to support grassroots organizations. Applications for the Rapid Respond Fund are now closed.
Join the 4 for 40 Challenge
At a moment of growing needs and shrinking resources, grassroots organizations are carrying more than ever. That is why we launched the 4 for 40 Challenge to expand our annual giving and increase investments in community-led change. Make a monthly gift, a one-time contribution, or a four-year pledge to move resources to where they are needed the most.
Share your CFW story with us!
Whether you are a donor, volunteer, grantee, or longtime supporter, your unique story is part of Chicago Foundation for Women’s legacy and 40th Anniversary celebration! Help us reflect on the past four decades, celebrate, and shape what comes next by sharing your CFW story.