← All MetrosChicago For Impact
Competitive Intelligence
Chicago For Impact
YouTube Benchmark
Live rankings and performance data for 233+ for-impact YouTube channels across Chicago Metro.Updated weekly
0+
Channels Tracked
0
Combined Subscribers
0
Combined Views
0
Uploads Last 90 Days
Trending Now
Past monthTop uploads by views
All-Time Leaders
Top Channels
Most Subscribers
1
The Barack Obama Foundation
@obamafoundation
359.0K
2University Of Chicago
@uchicago
260.0K
3Chicago Symphony Orchestra
@chicagosymphony
253.0K
4
B
Brookfield Zoo Chicago
165.0K
5
W
WTTW
156.0K
Most Total Views
1
2B
Brookfield Zoo Chicago
90.9M
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
@chicagosymphony
71.1M
3University Of Chicago
@uchicago
59.7M
4
5W
WTTW
50.7M
The Barack Obama Foundation
@obamafoundation
48.0M
Chicago vs. National
Benchmark Intelligence
How Chicago nonprofit YouTube channels compare to national nonprofit and industry benchmarks — and where the biggest opportunities for growth are hiding.
Subscribers
Needs Work
289
Chicago Median
25th–75th: 75–1.4K
National: 1.0K(NP Median)
The typical Chicago nonprofit has 289 subscribers vs. 1.0K nationally. Most local channels are in early growth — even reaching 1.0K puts you ahead of the national median.
Views / Video
On Par
325
Chicago Median
25th–75th: 160–1.2K
National: 400(NP Median)
The typical Chicago channel gets 325 views per video vs. 400 nationally. Better thumbnails, SEO titles, and consistent posting can close this gap.
Engagement Rate
Below National
1.08%
Chicago Median
25th–75th: 0.5%–1.8%
National: 2.5%(NP Median)
Chicago's typical 1.08% engagement trails the 2.5% national median. Adding CTAs, responding to comments, and posting Shorts can boost this significantly.
Uploads / 90 Days
Needs Work
0
Chicago Median
113 of 233 active
National: 4(Active NP Median)
The typical Chicago nonprofit uploads 0 videos per 90 days vs. 4 nationally. Only 113 of 233 channels are active. Consistency is the #1 growth lever.
What the Data Tells Us
🔍
The Gap Is Real
With a median of just 289 subscribers, most Chicago nonprofits have small audiences — but that's typical for local organizations. The average (8.9K) is higher because a few large channels pull it up. Even reaching 1K subscribers puts a channel in the top quartile locally.
📊
Why Medians Matter
We use medians because a few large channels (avg: 8.9K subs) skew the average 31× higher than the median (289). The median represents what the typical Chicago nonprofit actually looks like — and what you should benchmark against.
🚀
Biggest Growth Lever
120 of 233 channels haven't uploaded in 90 days. Consistency is the #1 predictor of growth. Channels posting weekly see 3-5× more views than monthly posters. This is Chicago's biggest opportunity.
National benchmarks sourced from M+R Benchmarks 2025, Rival IQ, Dash Social, and Social Blade nonprofit category data (2024–2025).
Subscriber Distribution
Where most channels fall — the majority have under 5K subscribers
Chicago Nonprofit Growth Playbook
Data-backed priorities ranked by potential impact — where Chicago nonprofits should focus to close the gap with national benchmarks
📅
Upload Consistency Is #1
High Impact120 inactive channels
120 of 233 channels haven't uploaded in 90 days. YouTube's algorithm rewards consistency — channels posting at least 2×/month see 3-5× more views than those posting sporadically. This is the single biggest lever for Chicago nonprofits.
💬
Close the Engagement Gap
High Impact1.08% vs. 5.4% national
Chicago's 1.08% median engagement is below the 5.4% national average for small channels. Quick wins: add a CTA in the first 30 seconds, pin a comment with a question, and respond to every comment within 1 hour to boost algorithmic ranking.
🔎
Fix Discoverability
High Impact325 vs. 2K national
The median Chicago channel gets 325 views/video vs. 2,000 nationally for similar-sized channels. Optimize titles for search (use keywords your audience Googles), create custom thumbnails with faces and text, and use 8-12 relevant tags per video.
🎯
Break the 1K Subscriber Barrier
Medium ImpactMedian: 289 subscribers
Half of all Chicago nonprofit channels have fewer than 289 subscribers. Reaching 1K unlocks YouTube monetization features and puts you in the top quartile locally. End screens, cross-promotion on email newsletters, and consistent thumbnails accelerate subscriber growth.
See how your channel compares to these benchmarks
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AI Spotlight
Editor's Picks
Channels selected by AI for exceptional content quality and impact
7/10
To Life! To Deli! - Chicagoland Jewish Delis
Holocaust Memorial Foundation Of Illinois Inc
2.3K subscribers
The Illinois Holocaust Museum maintains a healthy upload cadence (10 videos in 90 days) and achieves a strong 2.57% engagement rate. Their content strategy shines when focusing on educational hooks, like the recent 'Holocaust Myth' video which garnered 3x their average views. However, with only 2% native caption coverage, they are missing a critical accessibility standard.
highMuseum channel effectively u…
6/10
Rough’s Checkup
Shedd Aquarium Society
27.8K subscribers
Shedd Aquarium maintains a healthy upload schedule of 7 videos in 90 days with engaging, mission-aligned titles. While the 4.7% engagement rate is strong, it relies entirely on likes with zero average comments, and a 2% caption coverage rate severely limits accessibility.
highMajor aquarium driving high …
6/10
FAULT Cast and Director Jason Alexander Talk About the Show
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
4.5K subscribers
Achieves a 98% view-to-subscriber ratio with behind-the-scenes theater content, despite a low 0.31% engagement rate and zero average comments. Uploads are consistent with 16 videos in 90 days, but 36% caption coverage is a notable accessibility gap.
highRegional theater driving out…
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Content Strategy
Content Format Breakdown
How Chicago nonprofits structure their YouTube content — from long-form storytelling to quick Shorts
Format Distribution
233 channels analyzed97%
Shorts-Heavy 6
Short-Form (<5m) 227
Mid-Form (5–15m) 0
Long-Form (15m+) 0
Upload Efficiency
Best avg views per video
1
Ymca Of Metropolitan Chicago
165 videos · 4.7M total views
2
Endeavor Health
177 videos · 26.5M total views
3
Frank Lloyd Wright Trust
11 videos · 544.7K total views
4
Secure Community Network Inc
28 videos · 862.1K total views
5
Art Institute Of Chicago
658 videos · 9.0M total views
Performance
Engagement & Format
Trending NowPast month
Viral Hits
The most-viewed recent uploads across all tracked channels
2
20d ago
Welcome to Emergency Nursing 2026
Emergency Nurses A…525
3
23d ago
Present and Thriving: Nurturing Student Connection for Better Attendance
Collaborative For …449
4
18d ago
NEW Digital Talking Book Player
National Society T…370
5
29d ago
Beat Poet Ted Joans Connects Poetry, Collage Art, and Jazz
The Poetry Foundat…329
6
26d ago
Pianist Matthew Hagle Explores How Ravel, Brahms & Schumann Turned Literature Into Music
Music Institute Of…267
Community Builders
Comment Magnets
Channels sparking the most conversation — ranked by average comments per video
#
Channel
Avg Comments
1
The Barack Obama Foundation
359.0K subs · 22.6K avg views
46
2
Frank Lloyd Wright Trust
10.3K subs · 45.4K avg views
27
3
La Casa Norte
333 subs · 2.2K avg views
15
4
Northwestern University
30.7K subs · 10.5K avg views
12
5
Illinois Policy Institute
18.3K subs · 1.2K avg views
12
6
Pat Tillman Foundation
4.0K subs · 9.7K avg views
6
7
Lyric Opera Of Chicago
12.5K subs · 6.2K avg views
6
8
University Of Chicago
260.0K subs · 2.9K avg views
4
9
Mariners Museum Tr No 1 P03583005
10.6K subs · 5.3K avg views
4
10
Chicago Humanities Festival
144.0K subs · 2.5K avg views
3
Contenido en Español
Spanish-Language Content
Original Spanish-language videos from nonprofits — a critical gap in markets with large Hispanic populations
34 en español
Bilingual
Maestro Cares Foundation's 9th Annual Gala Recap
Maestro Cares Foundation · 34 Spanish videos
8 en español
Bilingual
Montessori Screwdriver Board | Practical Life Lesson | 3-6 Year Olds | Primary Level | Kindergarten
Montessori Network · 8 Spanish videos
7 en español
Bilingual
COPD & Returning Home from a Hospital Stay
American Lung Association · 7 Spanish videos
5%
of tracked channels have any Spanish content
11
channels with Spanish videos out of 233 tracked
0
channels with Spanish as primary language
1
Maestro Cares Foundation
🌐 Bilingual · 34 Spanish videos · 329 subs
34 videos
en español
2
Montessori Network
🌐 Bilingual · 8 Spanish videos · 4.0K subs
8 videos
en español
3
American Lung Association
🌐 Bilingual · 7 Spanish videos · 51.4K subs
7 videos
en español
4
Tcs Education System
🌐 Bilingual · 2 Spanish videos · 180 subs
2 videos
en español
5
Enlace Chicago
🌐 Bilingual · 2 Spanish videos · 66 subs
2 videos
en español
6
Kids First Chicago For Education
🌐 Bilingual · 2 Spanish videos · 17 subs
2 videos
en español
7
Navy Pier Inc
🌐 Bilingual · 1 Spanish video · 785 subs
1 video
en español
8
Big Shoulders Fund
🌐 Bilingual · 1 Spanish video · 283 subs
1 video
en español
By Mission
Category Spotlights
Explore channels by mission area — click a category to see top performers
Mission Categories
Select a category
Click a mission category on the left to explore
top channels and videos in that area
💎 Could your channel be a Hidden Gem?
Small channels making outsized impact get featured. See how your content scores.
Analytics
Distribution and trends across all tracked channels
Subscriber Distribution — Top 20
Engagement Rate — Top 20
Upload Frequency — Videos in Last 90 Days
Engagement Rate vs. Subscriber Count
Bubble size = total views · Log scale on subscribers · Outliers top-left = high engagement, small audience
About RiseWorks: We produce monthly video, photo, and series content for nonprofits on a flat subscription. The Benchmark is how we give back to the sector.
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Data sourced from the YouTube Data API. Last updated 10/1/2026. Rankings reflect publicly available channel statistics.