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Stimulating Economic Growth in Vital Communities

 Organizations in Chicago’s Vital Communities spur development to increase the power of residents as they advance socially beneficial projects. We awarded support to seven organizations for place-based initiatives, which strive to stimulate economic growth through community-driven plans. The awards also recognize the organizations’ responsiveness to their neighbors and communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Endeleo Institute: $250,000 to expand organizational capacity through the addition of staff and consultants to coordinate development of the South 95th Street Corridor in the Washington Heights neighborhood.

Enlace Chicago: $125,000 in support of a comprehensive, place-based strategy in Little Village that addresses the dual challenges of racial inequity and economic recovery from COVID-19.

Latinos Progresando: $125,000 to catalyze investment, support local ownership of businesses, and improve access to public transit in Little Village and Marshall Square.

Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation: $250,000 to coordinate community planning efforts to attract investment and commercial development in the Auburn-Gresham neighborhood.  

Northwest Side Housing Center: $250,000 to support COVID-19 relief efforts for community-based businesses, youth engagement, and neighborhood planning in Belmont Cragin.

Rush University Medical Center: $250,000 to support West Side United, which will facilitate economic development and address the urgent needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic on Chicago’s West Side. 

South Shore Works Planning and Preservation Coalition: $125,000 to expand organizational capacity through the addition of staff and consultants to coordinate community relief and planning efforts during the COVID-19 recovery.  

 

Supporting Organizations’ Infrastructure Needs


Additionally, infrastructure support organizations that provide planning, technical assistance, and research are essential to the success of place-based initiatives. To complement these initiatives, we made grants to organizations based on their potential to support an equitable recovery during and after the pandemic.

Chicago Community Loan Fund: $50,000 to support strategic financial planning and community lending.

Center for Neighborhood Technology: $100,000 to support additional staffing capacity.

Local Initiatives Support Corporation: $100,000 to assist COVID-19 recovery in several neighborhoods and to help facilitate the work of One Chicago for All, a community alliance advocating for equity across Chicago.

Metropolitan Planning Council: $100,000 to create and implement tools for planning, technical, and policy support to address the particular stresses placed upon the metropolitan region.?

United Way of Metropolitan Chicago: $100,000 to coordinate technical support to community initiatives within the organization’s Neighborhood Networks as they respond to the pandemic.

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