High Concept Labs (HCL) announces a fundraising campaign to establish a board-designated cash reserve. These funds, dedicated to the long-term stability of HCL, will be an essential financial tool for the organization. This fundraising campaign follows the celebration of HCL’s 15th Anniversary, and is a crucial marker in the organization’s development.

A cash reserve will offer HCL strength and flexibility in the face of challenges–from unexpected funding interruption to inflation to shifts within the larger ecosystem. Cash reserves will allow HCL to weather unpredictability and to remain nimble and forward-thinking in the face of obstacles. Without the safety net of a cash reserve, we are at risk of having a short-term challenge impact the viability of our programs.

To help us meet our goal of depositing $50,000 into a board-designated cash reserve account by December 31, 2025, The Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation has pledged to match, dollar-for-dollar, all funds raised from first-time donors, as well as gifts from lapsed donors and increased giving from current donors, up to $25,000.

HCL will need to raise this $25,000 while continuing to fund our annual operations. To this end, an anonymous donor has stepped up to also match all 2025 donations, dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000. This incredible support will ensure that our Cash Reserve Challenge does not inhibit our 2026 programs from being fully resourced.

So regardless of if you are a long-standing donor or are about to make your first gift to HCL, your donation will be matched by The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, an anonymous donor, or both. For every $1 you donate, HCL will receive up to $3.

Make a One-Time Gift or Become a Sustaining Donor

Sustaining Donor Tiers

$5/month

• Endless gratitude + an artist-designed sticker

$10/month

• Artist-designed sticker + tote bag

$25/month

• Thank you swag bag

• Complimentary admission to all ticketed HCL events for a year

$50/month

• Thank you swag bag

• Complimentary admission to all ticketed HCL events for a year

• Two complimentary tickets to annual benefit

$100/month

• Thank you swag bag

• Complimentary admission for two to all ticketed HCL events for a year

• Four complimentary tickets to annual benefit

Your gift will support:

• Our unique mulit-year local residency model that provides artists the resources they need to be visionaries, cultural leaders, and community beacons;

• Art/Access Labs, presented with Unfolding Disability Futures, fostering a vibrant disabled artist ecosystem in Chicago through cross-discipline and cross-impairment professional development activities; and

• Direct funding to artists to support premieres and public presentations

What could your gift make possible?

• $500 provides professional documentation services for one artist

• $250 covers the average cost of access services for one event 

• $150 provides one Open Lab artist honorarium

• $50 covers transportation costs for one off-site event

• $25 covers one hour of sponsored studio access

Whatever amount is right for you will make an impact!

More Ways to Donate

By Check: Mail donation to High Concept labs, 2233 S. Throop St., Suite #401, Chicago, IL 60608
Venmo: @HighConceptLabsNFP
Zelle: info@highconceptlabs.org
ACH or DAF: Please email angee@highconceptlabs.org

High Concept Labs is a nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization. Your contribution is tax-deductible. 

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Angee Lennard, Managing Director, at angee@highconceptlabs.org. We are happy to tailor a benefits package to suit the goals of corporate and individual donors. 

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