The Albert Pick, Jr. Fund is an Illinois nonprofit corporation organized in 1947 as a general-purpose private foundation. Its mission, while broadened over the years, remains faithful to the intent of its founders, Corinne and Albert Pick, Jr.:
"... to offer a hand when help is needed."

Today, the Fund is governed by a Board of Directors that meets regularly to approve policy, manage the endowment, and review applications evaluated by the Fund's professional staff.

To focus its resources, the Fund considers requests only from nonprofits with offices and separately budgeted programs operating within the City of Chicago. An exception to this policy applies to those few grant relationships that fulfill the intent or philanthropic obligations of its founders. The Fund receives many more requests than it can fund, it carefully balances its grantmaking programmatically, fiscally and demographically. It offers both project support and general operating assistance with a minimum grant amount of $3,000.

The Fund makes annual, as well as multi-year, grants within four major program categories, Nonprofit applicants are urged to review the requirements and limitations outlined in these Guidelines to insure their eligibility before completing the Fund's Application Form and submitting the required attachments.

The Fund's Grant List is part of the Philanthropic Database of the Donors Forum of Chicago, 208 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 740 Chicago, IL 60605 www.npo.net. A list of grants for the current and previous year are available at this site on the Grants page.

CIVIC AND COMMUNITY
The Fund will review applications from civic and community-based organizations working to improve the City and its individual neighborhoods. Additionally, programs that enhance the environment, address the needs of minorities and the physically disabled and/or promote good government and human relations, will be considered.

CULTURE
The Fund supports the efforts of Chicago's cultural organizations - both large and small. It considers applications from the full spectrum of arts endeavors. Projects that seek to spend audience access or to educate new audiences through outreach activities are encouraged.

EDUCATION
The Fund believes that its resources can have the greatest impact on educational improvement and reform at the pre-collegiate level. Therefore, the majority of its resources for this program category will be allocated to organizations with programs and services in early childhood education, tutoring, at-risk intervention and in job training and retraining. A few grants may be made to post-secondary institutions designed to support the educational advancement and special needs of minorities, women and the disabled

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
The Fund values the efforts of Chicago-based nonprofits involved in the direct delivery of health and human service programs. Grants will not be made, however, to hospitals or to local chapters of single-disease agencies. Eligible nonprofits with programs providing health, disabled or rehabilitation counseling; and/or crisis and shelter care services to youth, at-risk families and geriatric populations will be considered.

The Board meets four times each year to review eligible requests.

Applications in all Program Categories will be reviewed at each meeting.

Completed Application Forms, with all required attachments, must be postmarked or received on or before the appropriate deadline date.

The Fund will not review Incomplete or late applications.

Agencies may submit an application only once per calendar year.

• Individuals
• Nonprofits whose programs are not within the City of Chicago
• Nonprofit organizations not exempt under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
• Fraternal, veteran, labor, athletic or religious organizations serving a limited constituency
• Coalitions, alliances or similar umbrella organizations
• Professional groups with volunteer service programs
• Individual elementary or secondary schools
• Local chapters of state, regional or national organizations, except those with separately budgeted Chicago-based programs, which otherwise meet these Guidelines
• Hospitals
• Local chapters of single-disease agencies
• Building programs, endowment funds or capital campaigns
• Campaigns for the reduction or liquidation of debt
• Student Aid or Scholarship programs
• Political, lobbying, or voter registration programs, or those supporting the political candidacy of a particular individual
• Travel - individual or group
• Fundraising events or benefits including sponsorships, tickets or courtesy advertising
• Organizations that may create a conflict with our goals, programs, officers, directors or employees