What Chicago Teachers Union Foundation does

Chicago Teachers Union Foundation (CTUF) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit foundation and the philanthropic arm of the Chicago Teachers Union, incorporated in Illinois in 1969 and reorganized in 2014 after the divestiture of Fewkes Tower. Operating from a single headquarters at 1901 W. Carroll Ave in Chicago with 51-100 employees, CTUF delivers professional development, scholarships, student aid, and grantmaking targeted at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) educators, students, and community-based organizations. The Children & Teachers Foundation (CTF), a 501(c)(3) affiliate established in 2014, operates alongside the parent to enable tax-deductible donations and scholarship programs such as the Karen GJ Lewis, NBCT, Scholarship Award.

The foundation's core platform is the Quest Center for Professional Learning, which runs on the Canvas (Instructure) learning management system and delivers course registration through a dedicated catalog at ctuf.catalog.instructure.com. The Quest Center hosts the Nurturing Teacher Leadership (NTL) program—a two-year National Board Certification candidate support program now in its 29th cohort that produces 2,500+ NBCTs for CPS (the 3rd-highest district count nationally) with a 90%+ certification success rate versus the 71% national average—and additional programming in restorative practices, REACH teacher evaluation, career pathways, trauma-sensitive pedagogy, and climate justice. CTU Center facilities are reserved through a GoFX-based booking system. Programs are aligned to Learning Forward Standards, Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, and NBPTS standards.

CTUF's revenue model blends grantmaking, donations, and fee-for-service. In 2016 it distributed $1.9M in grants across 46 community organizations, with current awards capped at $15,000 per proposal; revenues come from charitable contributions (including Student Special Assistance Fund, scholarships, Legacy Wall memorial plaques at $500-$1,000), CPS-funded NTL candidate support (up to ~$11,000 per candidate), member tuition discounts at university partners (Northeastern Illinois University, National Louis University), and facility rentals. The foundation services four primary segments: CPS educators (CTU members), CPS students and families (70-75% of whom are from low-income households), Chicago-area community-based nonprofits, and retired CTU members, with go-to-market executed through the CTUF website, newsletters, Canvas enrollment, community events, and direct outreach through CTU channels.

Name

Chicago Teachers Union Foundation

Legal name

Chicago Teachers Union Foundation

Website

https://ctuf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Chicago Teachers Union Foundation is a Chicago-based nonprofit foundation and CTU affiliate that delivers professional development, National Board Certification support, scholarships, student aid, and grantmaking for CPS educators, students, and community organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Foundation Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Virtual CTE & Career Pathways Programs (K–12) (EDAJADAL)

Keywords

• Professional development services
• Teacher certification programs
• Educational scholarship funds
• Community grantmaking programs
• Educator training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grant Making & Philanthropy: CTUF serves as a grantmaking foundation, distributing funds to community organizations. Grantseekers can submit proposals for funding up to $15,000 for the FY2023 grant cycle.
2. Donations & Charitable Contributions: Receives charitable donations through various campaigns including the Student Special Assistance Fund, scholarships, and Legacy Wall memorial plaques. The Children & Teachers Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CTUF is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation of the Chicago Teachers Union, providing professional development programs (Quest Center), National Board Certification support (NTL), academic scholarships, the Student Special Assistance Fund, community grants, and graduate coursework to approximately 25,000 CTU members, CPS educators, and Chicago students. It also manages the CTU Center, a union-owned event and training facility.

Product overview

The Chicago Teachers Union Foundation operates a multi-faceted educational services platform centered around its Quest Center for Professional Learning, which provides professional development, National Board Certification support (via Nurturing Teacher Leadership), graduate courses and endorsements, career pathways, and environmental education programs. The organization also administers scholarship programs (CTUF Academic Scholarships and the Karen GJ Lewis Scholarship), the Student Special Assistance Fund for emergency student aid, the CTU Young Artist Contest, and manages the Legacy Wall memorial program and CTU Center facilities. Teacher Perks provides additional member benefits through retailer discounts. These offerings work together to support Chicago's public school educators from initial training through career advancement while providing direct student support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Quest Center for Professional Learning: Premier professional development provider supporting Chicago's public school educators through re-licensure, National Board Certification, and endorsements.
• Karen GJ Lewis, NBCT, Scholarship Award
• Safe Schools Consortium

Products and services

• Quest Center for Professional Learning CTUF's core professional development hub offering PD courses, events, and ongoing learning opportunities in equity-focused, SEL-focused, instructional, and special education tracks, with courses hosted in-person at the CTU Center and via Canvas; designed for Chicago Public Schools educators, CTU members, and non-members seeking lane-credit-bearing professional learning.
• Nurturing Teacher Leadership (NTL) Program Structured cohort-based program supporting K-12 teacher candidates through the National Board Certification process, including in-person meetings, Canvas content, mentor support, and an NTL candidate wall recognizing participants; designed for Chicago educators seeking to become National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT).
• Graduate Courses, Certificates, and Endorsements (University Partnerships) Tuition-discounted graduate-level coursework, certificates, and endorsements offered through university partners including Northeastern Illinois University, National Louis University, and University of Illinois Springfield; designed for CTU members and other educators seeking lane movement and advanced credentials.
• Environmental Education Programs Environmental and sustainability-focused learning offerings listed in CTUF's Canvas catalog, supporting educators in integrating environmental content into classroom practice.
• CTU Foundation Works: Career and Technical Education (CTE) / Career Pathways Workforce development and career pathways program operated under the CTU Foundation Works brand, including Career and Technical Education offerings coordinated by the Career Pathways Coordinator; designed for members and community members pursuing in-demand careers.
• CTUF Academic Scholarship Awards Over $100,000 annually in academic scholarships awarded to qualifying Chicago Public Schools students based on essays, transcripts, and recommendations; distributed as scholarships for higher education, with multiple scholarship levels including the Karen GJ Lewis, NBCT, Scholarship Award reserved for dependents of CTU members.
• Student Special Assistance Fund (SSAF) Emergency financial assistance program supporting Chicago Public Schools students and families facing financial hardship, with applications reviewed on demonstrated need; administered alongside CTUF's annual scholarship cycle.
• Community Grantmaking Program Grantmaking program awarding project funding to qualifying community-based and parent-led organizations whose missions align with CTUF's priorities; access via Letter of Intent and full grant application, with priority for CPS-connected and labor/social-justice aligned organizations.
• CTU Center Venue Rentals Event and training facility rental offerings at the CTU Center located at 1901 W. Carroll Ave., Chicago, available to CTU members and outside organizations for meetings, events, and trainings; reservations managed through the GoFX booking system.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90%+ NBCT certification success rate vs 71% national average
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• American Red CrossminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 January 2026Annual blood drives hosted at CTU Center. CTUF partners with American Red Cross for blood donation events, with focus on sickle cell disease awareness and maternal health.
• Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for graduate courses, advanced degrees, and endorsements. NEIU's Literacy Education Program offers Reading Teacher Endorsement and MA in Literacy Education with 33% tuition discount for CTU members. Also offers M.A. in Community and Teacher Leaders with $1,050/course (40% discount) for CTU members.
• National Louis University (NLU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for accelerated LBS1 and ESL endorsement programs. CTU members receive discounted rate of $350 per credit hour for ESL/BIL endorsement. Also offers Early Childhood Subsequent Endorsement and Reading Teacher/Reading Specialist programs.
• National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBPTS sets and maintains high standards for National Board Certification. CTUF Quest Center serves as the sole National Board Certification candidate support provider for CPS teachers, librarians, and counselors, managing all NBC initiatives and processes.
• Chicago Public Schools (CPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCTU-CPS partnership for National Board Certification (Nurturing Teacher Leadership), Career Pathways, and professional development. CPS funds NTL candidate support (up to $11,000 per candidate) and provides annual pensionable NBCT stipends. CTU Article 18 contractual wins strengthened professional development opportunities.
• Safe Schools Consortium (SSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration of three organizations: Alternatives, Inc., Chicago Teachers Union Quest Center, and Voices of the Youth in Chicago Education (VOYCE). Focused on reforming school discipline approaches through restorative practices. Developed Teacher's Guide to Building a Restorative Classroom aligned with CPS Framework for Teaching.
• Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level teachers union federation. IFT President Dan Montgomery participates in NBCT celebrations alongside CTU and CPS leadership.
• HIRE360minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce development organization. Partners with CTUF Career Pathways for Career in the Trades Orientations and clean energy sector career pathways for CPS students.
• American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Health IssuesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFT Health Issues provides OSHA professional development training for CTU educators through the Quest Center. CTU-OSHA Professional Development Trainer Program empowers educators with essential safety skills.
• Climate Jobs IllinoisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate Jobs Illinois panelist at CTE Conference 2025, discussing clean energy sector opportunities for CPS students and union careers.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS): Sets and maintains the NBC standards that CTUF's NTL program prepares candidates for. Not a competitor — the regulatory and standards body whose framework CTUF operationalizes for CPS.
• Teach For America: National teacher recruitment and training organization with a Chicago region. Thematically adjacent as a high-profile teacher pipeline and PD player in the same city, though a different model (talent placement vs. incumbent-teacher upskilling).
• DonorsChoose: Crowdfunding platform for public school teacher needs. Adjacent in donor mobilization for classroom and educator support, but with a national digital model rather than a single-district foundation structure.

Emerging players

• Center for Teaching Quality: Nonprofit focused on teacher leadership and PD research/practice. Comparable to CTUF's Quest Center and NTL mission of advancing teacher leadership as a lever for student outcomes.

Regional players

• United Federation of Teachers (UFT) Foundation: Philanthropic arm of the NYC teachers union. Direct functional analog to CTUF in another large urban district, with similar member PD, scholarship, and grantmaking programs, but operating in a different geography.
• The Chicago Public Education Fund: Chicago-focused education nonprofit investing in CPS talent, leadership, and innovation. Regional peer in the same city serving overlapping CPS stakeholder audiences with complementary (not duplicative) programming.

Broad incumbents

• Learning Forward: National professional association for educator learning, and the author of the standards that CTUF's Quest Center PD programming aligns to. Indirect comparator as a broader, more established PD standards and advocacy organization.

Direct peers

• AFT Innovation Fund: Innovation and grantmaking arm of the American Federation of Teachers, the national parent of CTU. Closely comparable mission around teacher-led innovation and union-affiliated education funding.
• NEA Foundation: Philanthropic arm of the National Education Association, providing grants and professional development to public school educators nationally. Most structurally analogous to CTUF as a large union-affiliated education foundation.
• California Teachers Association Foundation: Affiliated foundation of a large state-level teachers union providing scholarships, grants, and PD support. Comparable in mission and structure to CTUF's Children & Teachers Foundation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ChicagoTeachersUnionFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-teachers-union
• Instagraminstagram.com/ctuf1901
• Xx.com/ctufoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Chicago Teachers Union Foundation