CME Group Foundation was created in 2008 and endowed with a gift of $16 million from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Trust (CME Trust). CME Trust was established by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) in 1969, under the direction of its then chairman, Leo Melamed, to provide financial protection to customers in the event a CME member firm became insolvent or unable to meet its obligations to its customers. CME Trust received approval to distribute its net income to public charities in 2005. In addition to the Foundation's annual grant payout, CME Trust has made a contribution annually to CME Group Foundation for its grantmaking since 2008.

On October 31, 2011, MF Global Inc., one of CME Group's former clearing firms, was placed into bankruptcy liquidation. On November 11, 2011, the Trustees of the Trust agreed to make all of its assets, approximately $50 million, available to CME Group market participants in the event there is a shortfall at the conclusion of the Bankruptcy Trustee's distribution process. Due to this extraordinary circumstance, all new CME Group Foundation grant proposals will be put on hold until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause grant applicants. Grants previously approved by the Board of Directors of the CME Group Foundation and as evidenced by an existing grant agreement will continue to be honored.