The Chicago Fire Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life throughout Chicagoland by leveraging its resources and expertise in the area of soccer to provide sports-based youth development and direct-service programs to underserved communities.
Chicago Fire Foundation’s grantmaking is built around soccer-based youth development in Chicagoland, and one of its clearest patterns is sustained support for a neighborhood community center: North Austin Community Center received $500,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025. That repeated commitment sits alongside a broader mix of program support, scholarship funding, event sponsorship, and in-kind donations tied to team resources. The foundation also backs organized youth sports access through groups such as United Elite S C Nfp, which received $140,000 for program support, and Indiana Fire Juniors, which received $45,000 for scholarship funding. Across the organization’s active programs and recent grants, the common thread is using soccer as a vehicle for direct service, youth participation, and community engagement in Chicago and surrounding Illinois communities. Recent support also reached Chicago Park District and All Kids Play, showing that the foundation funds both public-facing local partnerships and nonprofit sports access work. Its giving is regional, with most grants staying in Illinois and many centered in Chicago.
Youth development is the foundation’s core lens. Through the P.L.A.Y.S. Program, it delivers a soccer-based sports and social-emotional learning curriculum for elementary students in partnership with Chicago Public Schools, linking structured play to academic performance and SEL skills. Community-based sports access appears in its support for Chicago Park District, which received $100,000 in 2025 for program support. The foundation also invests in equipment and participation through the Passback Program and Kicks for Kids, both of which provide soccer gear or complimentary match tickets to youth in Chicagoland. Beyond youth programming, it has supported food access through the Greater Chicago Food Depository with a $17,000 program-support grant tied to Free Kicks for Meals, connecting a sports event to meal distribution.
Typical grant size is $11,750 at the 25th percentile, $37,500 at the median, and $130,000 at the 75th percentile, which points to a mix of modest grants and larger anchor commitments. The recent record also shows repeated awards to the same recipient across multiple years, especially the three-year sequence to North Austin Community Center. The foundation appears to combine monetary grants, event sponsorships, scholarship funding, and in-kind donation programs. It also accepts unsolicited online requests for memorabilia and merchandise donations through its Donation Requests program, while monetary and sponsorship requests are not considered in that channel.
$640K
$4.1M
$795K
$1.3M
Most grants fall between $12K and $130K, with a median of $38K.
25th Percentile
$12K
Median
$38K
75th Percentile
$130K
About 64% of grants go to recipients in IL.
JESSICA YAVITZ
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Grantmaking is concentrated in Illinois, which accounts for 64% of recipients in the foundation’s home state of grant activity. Chicago is the main city in the recent record, with major support going to North Austin Community Center, Chicago Park District, Greater Chicago Food Depository, and One Chicago Fund. Outside Illinois, recent grants reached Plainfield, Westfield, Washington, Brooklyn, Braintree, and Oak Park. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 14 grants in the United States.
It funds both programs and direct access. Recent examples include $100,000 to Chicago Park District for program support, $45,000 to Indiana Fire Juniors for scholarship funding, and in-kind programs like Passback and Kicks for Kids, which donate soccer equipment and complimentary tickets to youth organizations in Chicagoland.
Its listed focus areas are youth development, soccer and sports programming, education with academic and SEL elements, community development, and health and wellness. Those themes appear in programs such as P.L.A.Y.S., which serves elementary students, and in grants tied to food access and neighborhood-based sports participation.
Yes, for its donation-request channels and program-based in-kind support. The foundation accepts online requests for memorabilia and merchandise donations, and its Passback Program and Kicks for Kids are also listed as accepting unsolicited requests.
Its typical grant size is $11,750 at the 25th percentile, $37,500 at the median, and $130,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes larger anchor commitments, such as $500,000 awards to North Austin Community Center across multiple years.
Most grants go to Illinois recipients, which make up 64% of grants in the recent record. Chicago is the most common city in the grant list, but the foundation also supports organizations in Plainfield, Northbrook, Oak Park, Westfield, Washington, Brooklyn, and Braintree.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Chicago Fire Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Not structured as a grant — open to individuals or groups wishing to donate new or gently used soccer equipment for distribution to youth soccer programs.
Deadline: No deadlines listed; program accepts donations (ongoing).
Who can apply: Applicant organization must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the Chicagoland area. Priority to organizations serving economically disadvantaged or otherwise challenged youth. Tickets must be used for youth (limited adult supervision tickets allowed). Applications lacking 501(c)(3) documentation will not be considered.
Deadline: No specific deadlines listed; ticket requests are tied to match dates. Organizations must give one week's notice if unable to use confirmed tickets to permit reallocation.
Who can apply: Priority is given to organizations in the Chicagoland area and based in Illinois. Requests must be submitted at least six weeks before the event date, include a Tax ID number, and organizations are limited to one request per calendar year. Donation requests are for charitable purposes only.
Deadline: Submit at least 6 weeks in advance of the event date.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORTH AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $500,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ALL KIDS PLAY | NORTHBROOK, IL | $30,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GOOD SPORTS INC | BRAINTREE, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | EVENT SPONSORSHIP |
| NORTH AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $500,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GOOD SPORTS INC | BRAINTREE, MA | $10,000 | 2024 | EVENT SPONSORSHIP |
| CENTER FOR HEALING AND JUSTICE THROUGH SPORT | OAK PARK, IL | $5,000 | 2024 | SPONSORSHIP |
| NORTH AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $500,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNITED ELITE S C NFP | PLAINFIELD, IL | $140,000 | 2023 | PROGRGAM SUPPORT |
| US SOCCER FEDERATION FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| INDIANA FIRE JUNIORS | WESTFIELD, IN | $45,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT - SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING |
| COMMON GOAL USA | BROOKLYN, NY | $17,750 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT - PLAY PROUD CONTRIBUTION |
| GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY | CHICAGO, IL | $17,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT - FREE KICKS FOR MEALS |
| ONE CHICAGO FUND | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT - TITLE IX ANNIVERSARY EVENT |
NORTH AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER
$500,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT
$100,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
ALL KIDS PLAY
$30,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
GOOD SPORTS INC
$10,000EVENT SPONSORSHIP
NORTH AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER
$500,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
GOOD SPORTS INC
$10,000EVENT SPONSORSHIP
CENTER FOR HEALING AND JUSTICE THROUGH SPORT
SPONSORSHIP
NORTH AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER
$500,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
UNITED ELITE S C NFP
$140,000PROGRGAM SUPPORT
US SOCCER FEDERATION FOUNDATION
$50,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
INDIANA FIRE JUNIORS
$45,000PROGRAM SUPPORT - SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING
COMMON GOAL USA
$17,750PROGRAM SUPPORT - PLAY PROUD CONTRIBUTION
GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY
$17,000PROGRAM SUPPORT - FREE KICKS FOR MEALS
ONE CHICAGO FUND
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT - TITLE IX ANNIVERSARY EVENT
