About Us

The Chicago chapter of the Awesome Foundation has been funding awesomeness in Chicagoland since the summer of 2011. We've funded everything from little free libraries and puppet shows to electron microscopes and a temporary mini golf course on Milwaukee Avenue with no-strings-attached $1,000 grants. See a map of the projects we have funded over the years. We are proudly and excitedly connected to the wider Awesome Foundation network.

What's your awesome idea? Do you have an awesome idea that would make your Chicagoland-based community awesome? Of course you do. Apply today for a $1,000 no-strings-attached grant to make your awesome idea a reality. Our short grant application is available here. The trustees review period is from the 15th to the 14th overlapping months. We evaluate each month’s applications on the fourth Tuesday of the following month (2025 expected dates: 28th January, 25th February, 25th March, 22nd April, 27th May, 24th June, 22nd July, 26th August, 23rd September, 28th October, 25th November, 23rd December) If you are unsure if your idea matches the types of project we fund, please review our past award winners listed above.

Join us! If you'd like to play a direct role in deciding what we fund next, become a trustee! Our group is comprised of community members who commit to the following:

• Financial Contribution: Commit $100 per month in the interest of Awesome in Chicago for at least 6 months. This contribution goes towards the $1,000 award we grant each month. Reach out if this is a barrier to joining
  
• Participation: Play an active role in accepting and reviewing applications, and in deciding with the other trustees by consensus who will receive the grant.
  
• New Projects: With no specific leadership roles, every trustee is a leader in their own right. We like trustees to come up with new project ideas for the chapter to do, and help organize the group into getting it done.

Trustees serve until they resign. If you're interested in joining us as a trustee, we invite you to complete our rolling application, and we'll try to get back to you shortly.

Keep in touch! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and sign up for our newsletter.