Building philanthropic literacy for young professionals in Chicago through community, skill-building, and collective action.

  • Apply

    Individuals (ages 22-35) apply to join Emerging Donor Alliance each fall, and commit to give $500 (as a lump sum donation or over 5 months) to a pooled fund based on shared interests and tied to local needs. For the 2025-2026 program year in Chicago, applications will open on Friday, August 15th and close on Sunday, September 7th.

  • Explore

    Upon acceptance, members take part in exclusive programming, first focused on setting philanthropic goals and connecting members’ values to community needs. Emerging Donor Alliance will source an initial group of 20 community-based nonprofits, disaggregated by member interests, as a starting point for philanthropic due diligence.

  • Engage

    Emerging Donor Alliance hosts five signature in-person learning and speaker events. Our signature event dates for 2025-2026 will be hosted on October 6, December 11, February 9, April 9, and June 8, with additional volunteering events and webinars hosted throughout the year.

  • Act

    Each Emerging Donor Alliance member will join a pooled fund (or giving circle) based on their stated interests. Each pooled fund will learn about grantmaking best practices from experts, and make an annual grant to a local community nonprofit in May 2026.