Diamond Impact Award
Chicago White Sox Charities (CWSC) is now accepting letters of intent for its first-ever 2025 Diamond Impact Awards, which commemorate the team*s 125-year anniversary by awarding $125,000 one-time grants to multiple non-profit organizations that serve our Chicago community.
Established in 1991, CWSC has created a rich partnership legacy with Chicago*s non-profit community with more than $47 million in funding donated to date. The Diamond Impact Awards will extend this legacy, helping those at the forefront of positive social impact extend their reach and serve more families in need.
The new awards are intended to support, enhance or expand upon project-specific work at Chicago-based qualified non-profit organizations that align with CWSC's core areas of giving:
- Cancer support services
- Child abuse prevention
- Health and wellness
- Youth education
The deadline to submit an LOI has closed.
Diamond Impact Award Guidelines
- Must be a 501(c)(3) organization in good standing with the IRS
- Provide services in the Chicagoland area with priority given to underserved communities
- Project must support children and families
- Diamond Impact Awards are designated for project-specific work that enhances the organization*s capacity to serve its clients
- Project should have a clear timeline for completion 每 organizations will be asked to complete the project no later than May 2026
- The project must align with one of the four giving areas outlined above
- Project should have an opportunity to incorporate White Sox branding into a physical space. We realize that this funding opportunity may exclude organizations who don't have their own physical space.
- Organizations that already receive White Sox Charities grant funding are eligible to apply
Review Criteria
Project-Specific Focus: Funds must be directed toward a defined project or initiative that creates measurable, lasting improvements within the organization*s community. General operational support or unrestricted funding is not eligible.
Tangible Outcomes: Each grant will support a project that leads to a tangible, visible outcome. Examples include facility upgrades, mobile clinic creation or space enhancement for program expansion, allowing the Chicago White Sox to build a meaningful partnership with the organization.
Community-Ready Initiatives: Projects funded through the Diamond Impact Awards should be structured to provide clear, actionable results that also can be branded or visibly supported by the Chicago White Sox within one year of receiving the grant.
Award Timeline
- December 11 at 5 p.m. 每 Deadline to submit LOI (no late applications will be accepted)
- January 2025 每 Select organizations invited to submit a full grant application
- February and March 2025 每 Site Visits
- May 2025 每 Award announcement
- May 2026 每 Project to be completed within one year of funds received
LOI Application FAQ
- Organization Look Up 每 To start your application enter your organization name in the search field. If your organization is not already listed, click ※manually enter organization info§
- Save as a Draft 每 You can save as a draft after you have started the ※request information§ section.
- Save Application 每 Once your application is saved as a draft, you can visit donationx.org to access your application. If you have not used DonationXChange in the past, you will receive an e-mail with a temporary password. If you have used DonationXChange with your current e-mail address in the past, you can log-in using your password! There is a ※Forgot Password§ option if you need assistance accessing your previous account.
- Attachment 每 A project budget must be submitted as part of the LOI
Please contact Sarah LaPorta at [email protected] with any questions regarding the Diamond Impact Awards or your organization*s LOI submission.