The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation is dedicated to alleviating the persistent problems faced by urban Chicago's low-income, underserved communities, stemming from poverty, violence, ignorance, and despair. It aims to enhance individual capacities and the systems supporting them, envisioning a Chicago where education, prosperity, and hope are accessible to all. The Foundation's mission encompasses improving conditions and fostering learning and innovation for those in need.
The grant program by the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation concentrates on elevating conditions for the underprivileged in Chicago, with a particular interest in projects that encourage learning and innovation. The Foundation awards grants in four primary sectors: Arts Learning, Education, Employment, and Health, prioritizing programs with a proven track record of quality, efforts aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of services, the development of innovative approaches that offer valuable insights to the field, and policy advocacy to ensure fair treatment and access to necessary services for low-income communities. Specifically, their Employment Grants focus on aiding families and individuals to escape poverty through comprehensive job training and efforts to bolster the workforce development system, including advocacy to improve and expand access to education and training for low-income adults.