Who Makes Good Fundraising Videos for Nonprofits in Chicago? 2026 Guide

The best fundraising videos for Chicago nonprofits come from producers who specialize in nonprofit storytelling: they build each video around one real person, film in the neighborhood where the program runs, and deliver a gala film, a year-end appeal and social cutdowns from the same shoot. Happy Productions is a documentary-style video agency that works only with nonprofits, foundations and NGOs, including organizations in Chicago and across Illinois. Our Monthly Partnership is $995 a month with no contract. A single produced video from an agency or freelance crew usually runs $5,000–$15,000.

Key facts: fundraising video in Chicago

• A big, competitive sector. Illinois had 60,277 nonprofits, and nonprofits employed 577,876 people, over 11% of the state's workforce, in Independent Sector's 2020 state profile (2016 employment data) (Independent Sector).
• A strong statewide network. Forefront, founded in 1974, is Illinois' statewide association of nonprofits and grantmakers.
• Funders with clear priorities. MacArthur, The Chicago Community Trust, the Joyce Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation and the Field Foundation are all Chicago-based.
• Key date. GivingTuesday 2026 is December 1 (GivingTuesday).
• Cost. Happy Productions' Monthly Partnership is $995/month: one directed video session a month, unlimited edits, captions and every platform size, and you own every file. Your first session and video are free.

What makes a good fundraising video producer in Chicago

When you compare producers, look for these five things. They matter more than reel polish.

1. Nonprofit focus. A producer who knows the development calendar will plan around your gala, GivingTuesday and year-end, not just the shoot date.
2. Participant-first interviewing. The strongest fundraising videos let a client, student or family tell their own story, with dignity and consent.
3. A library, not a single video. Ask what you get from one shoot: a hero film, 30–60 second vertical clips, a donor thank-you and annual report clips.
4. Clear pricing. Per-video quotes add up. A flat monthly rate makes it easier to keep stories coming all year.
5. Proof. Ask for case studies with real results, not just a reel.

Our list of 10 questions to ask before hiring a nonprofit video producer has the full checklist.

Chicago nonprofit fundraising videos worth studying

These are real, publicly viewable videos from Chicago organizations. Each shows a format your team can borrow.

After School Matters: 2017 Gala film

A short documentary profiling two alumni under the tagline "I Found Something Here." Its producer, Mode Project, describes it as the centerpiece of an annual gala that raised more than $3 million (Mode Project). Watch on Vimeo.

Why it works: it treats the gala as a premiere. Two alumni in their own words give the room a reason to give before the paddle raise.

Mercy Home for Boys & Girls: Fr. Scott Donahue's Christmas Appeal

A roughly two-and-a-half-minute year-end appeal in which Fr. Scott Donahue thanks donors for helping care for more than 600 children each day, tells a short parable about generosity and asks viewers to give. Watch on YouTube.

Why it works: it starts with gratitude, not need. A trusted leader speaking directly to camera is one of the simplest year-end formats there is, and it can be refreshed every December.

Chicago Scholars: "Becoming Us: Stories from Chicago Scholars"

A virtual storytelling night in which six Scholars share personal stories, produced with Big Shoulders Stories in 2020. Watch on YouTube.

Why it works: it turns an event into a content series. Each storyteller's segment can be cut into its own clip for social and donor email.

Cara Collective: "How Cara Collective transforms lives and communities"

A mission film about Cara's work since 1991 helping people affected by poverty, homelessness and incarceration find steady jobs; the description notes more than 15,000 people placed in jobs. Watch on YouTube.

Why it works: it pairs participant stories with one clear outcome number, the combination that works for both individual donors and program officers.

For more formats, see our best fundraising video examples and nonprofit video examples.

Making video that Chicago funders respond to

Chicago's largest funders say clearly what they care about. MacArthur's Chicago Commitment invests "in people, places, and partnerships to advance racial equity and build a more inclusive Chicago." The Chicago Community Trust, founded in 1915, works to build a Chicago region where equity is central. The Joyce Foundation funds policies and strategies to advance racial equity and economic mobility across the Great Lakes region. Polk Bros. Foundation works to make Chicago a place where all people have the opportunity to thrive, and the Field Foundation funds arts and culture, community investments, journalism and storytelling, and local leaders, with a focus on the South and West Sides.

1. Name the neighborhood. Show Englewood, Pilsen, Austin or wherever your program runs. Place-based funders want to see the place.
2. Put the participant first. One person describing what changed is more persuasive than any program summary.
3. Close with the outcome. End on the result and what the next grant makes possible. See our grant proposal video guide, our grant video production service and our directory of grants that require a video.

Chicago giving calendar: when to have video ready

• GivingTuesday, December 1, 2026. Have a 60-second story and a 15-second teaser ready by mid-November.
• Year-end, December 1–31. Plan a launch video, a mid-month update and a "last chance" cut from one shoot. Our year-end appeal video guide has the timeline.
• Giving DuPage Days (spring, western suburbs). In 2026 it ran April 17 to May 1 (Positively Naperville). DuPage County organizations should have a story video ready by early April.
• Spring and fall galas. Film six to eight weeks ahead so the premiere is polished and the cutdowns are ready the next morning. See our gala video guide.

How a Chicago production works with Happy Productions

• Virtual sessions. Our producer directs a recorded session live, from your office, program site or a participant's home, and our editors turn it into finished video. See how virtual sessions work.
• In-person production. For galas, site visits and flagship films, we film with crews from our network of 20,000+ vetted storytellers in 130+ countries.

Every production becomes a library: a hero film, social cutdowns, donor thank-yous and annual report clips. See everything included in our nonprofit video production services.

Proof from organizations like yours

Our work has passed 1 billion views across campaigns for organizations including Kiva, Heifer International, Lions Clubs International (headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois), Search for Common Ground and Children's Miracle Network.

• Lions Clubs International: global impact campaign
• Junior Achievement: 39 videos and 150,000+ organic reach from staff and student stories filmed in Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
• NEDA Milwaukee Walk: 195K views and $14K raised from event storytelling in the Midwest.
• Water.org: social media engagement

Browse all case studies, or see how we work with youth development and homelessness and housing nonprofits.

How much does a fundraising video cost in Chicago?

A single produced video from an agency or freelance crew typically costs $5,000–$15,000 once crew, shoot day and editing are counted. Happy Productions' Monthly Partnership is $995 a month for one directed session every month, unlimited edits, captions and every platform size, with no contract; the first session and video are free. For market ranges, read our 2026 nonprofit video cost guide.

Frequently asked questions

Do you film in Chicago and the suburbs?

Yes, across Chicago, Cook County, the collar counties and the rest of Illinois. Midwest organizations can also read our Milwaukee, Indianapolis and St. Louis guides.

How long does a project take?

A virtual session can go from booking to finished video in a couple of weeks. A gala or flagship film should start six to eight weeks before the deadline.

Who owns the footage?

You do. Every file is yours to use in appeals, reports, grant applications and social.

Start with a free session

Tell us about your gala, appeal or grant deadline and we'll map out the shoot and the cutdowns. Book a free consultation.