CFF Sponsor-a-School Program

Engaging Partners. Building Relationships. Maximizing Impact.

The CFF Sponsor-a-School program provides a unique, customizable opportunity for companies, foundations, individuals and groups to build meaningful long-term relationships with individual CPS schools. Sponsor-a-School is a response to our philanthropic community’s interest in and positive experiences closely supporting Chicago Public Schools.

Sponsor-a-School creates mutually-beneficial partnerships built on aligned visions among schools and their sponsors. Join us as a sponsor to engage with a CPS school, experience their culture and strengths, and help address their unique needs.

Get Involved

Why organizations join our Sponsor-a-School program

Local Impact

You and your organization get to experience firsthand how your support benefits Chicago’s students.

Sustainable Engagement

Tangible opportunity to contribute to positive outcomes within the nation’s fourth-largest public school system

Lasting Relationships

Build meaningful, enduring relationships designed to benefit everyone involved

Get involved advancing equity in Chicago schools

The ongoing involvement of community and philanthropic partners through programs like Sponsor-a-School plays a vital role in supporting Chicago Public Schools and their students. Join us as we work with CPS to address learning gaps and promote safe, equitable learning environments for all.

CFF connects sponsors with CPS schools based on the sponsor’s interests and expertise and the schools’ specific needs. Schools led by experienced administrators who have a deep understanding of those needs and strong community backing are prioritized for sponsorship. This approach ensures that all funding is leveraged strategically to maximize the impact of each partnership. Ninety-five percent of students attending sponsored schools come from low-income backgrounds.

Customized School Sponsorships

CFF works with potential sponsors to match them with schools that align with their goals and have a demonstrated need for extra support. Each partnership is developed through close collaboration between school leadership and their sponsor. This ensures that sponsorships help meet the most pressing needs in a given school community – and that you see the greatest impact from your support.

All sponsorships are designed to include the elements described below, including a three-year minimum financial commitment.

Connect with CFF about Sponsoring a School

1:1

Relationship between a sponsor and a CPS school

$25K

Minimum annual contribution

3

Year commitment
(with option for renewal)

Featured Partnerships

Friends of Coonley and Henry H. Nash Elementary

As a result of Nash’s sponsorship by Friends of Coonley, Nash was able to open a new library space in the fall of 2024. The partnership has also fostered relationship-building between Coonley and Nash students, parents, and even teachers.

Nuveen/TIAA and Percy Julian High School

Nuveen, a TIAA company, has gotten their hands dirty, providing opportunities for their employees to engage with Julian students to help them get to and through college, hosting in-office career exploration days, financial literacy panels, and campus beautification projects. They renovated the school’s peace and game rooms.

Alta Futures and Frederic Chopin Elementary School

Through Alta Future’s sponsorship, Chopin has been able to expand their music program, adding after school music programming, expanding their theater and poetry curriculum, and upgrading the audio/visual equipment in the auditorium performance space.

”This partnership helped launch a lot of the dreams that I had when I first became principal here at Nash.
Principal Marcie ByrdHenry H. Nash Elementary School

”It's a great opportunity to be connected to a local school that your company can really engage in a meaningful and intentional way and really provide an opportunity not only to make an impact, but also to engage your associates and to help these students achieve whatever that they would like to achieve.
Karly AshlockTIAA/Nuveen

”It really is monumental to be able to really rethink how we do the arts and have the capacity to do that. We've always had the staff, we've always had the will, but it was always a question of resources.
Principal Frederick WilliamsFrederic Chopin Elementary School

Getting Involved with the Sponsor-a-School program

To connect with CFF and learn more about the program, please fill out this short interest form.

Tell us a little bit about you and/or your organization’s interest in CFF’s Sponsor-a-School program, and a member of our team will contact you within 1-2 business days.

Have other ideas for partnership?