We began our philanthropic journey back in 1998, with the launch of the IMC Weekend School in Amsterdam. The success of this school, which provides opportunities for more than 1,000 students across the Netherlands, has been an inspiration for our charitable efforts in Chicago.
With IMC’s expansion to Chicago in 2008, we founded the IMC Chicago Charitable Foundation. Since then, we’ve been focused on enhancing educational opportunities within the public school system to help students thrive.
Our funding strategy has three main approaches:
In our founding year, we develop our first school partnership in Chicago with Daniel Corkery Elementary.
We partner with an additional school, George Washington Elementary, to fund after-school programmes and classroom technology. We also launch a scholarship programme for select students who wish to attend a tuition-based college preparatory high school. This programme closes in 2018 with a total of 14 students, all of whom graduated from high school and planned to continue their studies.
We partner with Urban Prep Academies Bronzeville Campus and launch a maths tutoring programme, where IMC employees visit the campus to work one-on-one with students.
The Foundation identifies Sports-Based Youth Development as a funding priority and makes its first grant to Urban Initiatives.
Our first Trading for Charity Day: all global proceeds from the day’s trading go to a Save the Children literacy project in Haiti. The following year, seven of our employees visit Haiti to support the initiative.
The Dutch Royal Couple pay a visit to Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy High School, one of our partner schools in Chicago.
In partnership with the Johann Cruyff Foundation, the Chicago Park District, and Urban Initiatives, we fund the construction of Cruyff Court soccer field at Chicago’s Rainey Park.
IMC establishes a partnership with Room to Read. Employees select a new focus for Trading for Charity Day: a literacy programme in Tanzania.
IMC employees visit Room to Read literacy projects in Tanzania, witnessing the project’s impact first-hand.
As part of our three-year grant commitment to Northwestern Settlement, we give students the opportunity to visit a rural setting in Wisconsin where they learn camping skills while expanding their scientific knowledge.
IMC makes a four-year grant commitment to fund Embarc’s experiential learning programmes for the inaugural four classes of students at Englewood STEM High School.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, IMC donates $10 million beyond its regular grantmaking to support local and international relief efforts.
We support the University of Chicago’s Urban Labs as they offer training to community violence intervention professionals who are embedded in areas where gun violence is prevalent.
Lisa has led the Foundation since its inception in 2010. She focuses on setting priorities for grantmaking and identifying and connecting with community partners. She embraces the range of activities that have been unique to IMC's giving since 2010, a range that has included digging dirt for a playground renovation, attending a scholarship student's soccer game, serving on the Board of a teacher leadership organisation, and welcoming a King and Queen to a CPS school. Prior to this role, Lisa was the Director of Partnerships at the Chicago Public Schools, and previously in Corporate Development at the Tribune Company.
Adam began his career as a project manager for Chicago Public Schools before teaching English on a Fulbright grant in Russia and then working on new digital strategies at Rotary International. He’s been supporting education and youth development across the Chicago area as our Programme Officer since 2016.
Andrea connects IMC Chicago employees to local non-profits through giving and volunteer opportunities. Before joining the IMC Foundation, she spent almost ten years in the non-profit industry supporting youth programming, particularly social and emotional learning for elementary school students and post-secondary success for high school students.
See a list of grantees and eligibility criteria (pdf)
See a list of grantees and eligibility criteria (pdf)
See a list of grantees and eligibility criteria (pdf)
See a list of grantees and eligibility criteria (pdf)
IMCers care about the communities where they live and work: they help out by running races for charity, hosting student groups at our offices, participating on nonprofit boards, and donating generously to the causes they care about.
We’re proud to make space for our people to make a difference. Here’s how we maximise their generosity:
