Chicago Council on Foreign Relations The Chicago Council on Foreign Relations (CCFR) is one of the largest independent, non-profit international affairs organizations in the United States, serving over 7,000 members and the community through diversified programming. The Council provides members, specialized groups and the general public with a forum for the consideration of significant international issues and their bearing on American foreign policy. In over 150 meetings annually, including lectures, seminars, conferences, publications, a travel program and other activities, the CCFR seeks to represent all sides of complex issues on the global agenda. Council events feature major policy makers and other foreign experts from around the world, offering participants the opportunity to ask questions, voice their opinions and engage in candid discussions. The Council's goal is to further awareness and broaden understanding of international relations and foreign policy as well as promote Chicago's status as an important international center. In addition to remaining the premier platform in the Midwest for international leaders in foreign policy, the Council strives to take the lead in gaining recognition for Chicago as an international business center for the corporate community and to broaden and deepen the Council's role in the community. German Marshall Fund of the United States The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) is an American institution that stimulates the exchange of ideas and promotes cooperation between the United States and Europe in the spirit of the postwar Marshall Plan. GMF was created in 1972 by a gift from Germany as a permanent memorial to Marshall Plan aid. Through its work in the United States and Europe, GMF has pursued its founding mission to create a closer understanding between partners on both sides of the Atlantic. GMF's programs promote the study of international and domestic policies, support comparative research and debate on key issues, and assist policy and opinion leaders' understanding of these issues. GMF has a total grant making budget of approximately $13 million. Each year almost $1.5 million is spent on GMF-managed fellowships. The remainder is allocated for grants in the following program areas: Economics, Environment, Foreign Policy, and Immigration and Integration.