Back in 2013 Steve and Paula organized the first Chicago documentary crowdfunding event convening filmmakers, institutions, individuals, non-profit impact organizations, and foundations to foster deep connections around social impact documentaries.
They raised over $400,000, connected 100+ organizations to films, and impacted countless lives by helping important documentaries reach the finish line.
And that’s when they knew:
“We need to keep this momentum going and work every day to connect impactful media to resources they need.”
THIS WAS THE BIRTH OF CMP.
Some of our earliest supporters know us also as Chicago Media Project - and our heart and soul is rooted in our founding city.
We now go by our acronym CMP because it nods to our roots and speaks to our deeper purpose: COMMUNITY. MEDIA. PHILANTHROPY.
In 2014 we launched CMP as a hub for our broad network of friends & partners. Our four founding principles:
Support media that sparks people to action
Connect people in our network through engaging experiences
Share great media content with this community to inspire greater impact
Stay nimble & dynamic to innovate new ways of supporting media-makers
