Resources
Field Foundation Chicago Heat Maps
The Field Foundation created a series of maps outlining a geographic study area where less than 20% of the residents identify their race as white, and analyzed quality of life indicators such as educational outcomes, access to health insurance, commute times, violent crime rates, and access to arts and culture in those areas. By overlaying race and ethnicity with these indicators, we found there is an incredible divestment of resources leading to a nexus of poverty and trauma that align with communities of color in Chicago.
Networks
Forefront: Forefront is the nation’s only statewide membership association for nonprofits, grantmakers, public agencies, advisors, and our allies. We provide education, advocacy, thought leadership, and facilitate collective action around issues that are important to our Members and to the sector.
Funder’s Network:The Funders’ Network is a membership organization that helps grantmakers across North America advance strategies to create fair, prosperous, and sustainable regions and communities that offer everyone the chance for a good life.
Poverty and Race Research Action Council:The PRRAC is a civil rights law and policy organization based in Washington, D.C. whose mission is to promote research-based advocacy strategies to address structural inequality and disrupt the systems that disadvantage low-income people of color.
Reports
Chicago Urban League: The Chicago Urban League examines the historic and current factors that support the practice and maintenance of segregation and its impact on Chicago’s residence, housing, and transportation. Read the report: The Impact of Chicago’s Racial Residential Segregation on Residence, Housing and Transportation.
National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy: The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy outlines compelling demographic, aesthetic and economic reasons for why foundations need to rethink their grantmaking practices in tune with changes in the cultural sector. They suggest that every foundation investing in the arts should make fairness and equity core principles in order to distribute their funds in a way that reflects the country’s evolving cultural landscape. Read the report: Fusing arts, culture, and social change
National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy: The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy analyzes 11 years of Foundation Center data on foundation grantmaking from 2003-2013 to see how foundations adapted to support underserved communities during waves of economic hardship. They found that support for marginalized communities grew by just 15%. Funding support for long-term change did not increase at all. This report sets guidelines on how foundation’s should grant their money to best support underserved sectors of society. Read the report: Pennies for Progress
The Metropolitan Planning Council: The Metropolitan Planning Council, together with the Urban Institute released a report revealing that segregation costs the Chicago regions and its inhabitants billions of dollars each year. This is phase one of a two-part study. Phase two focuses on what can be done to reduce Chicago segregation and create a better Chicago. Read the report: The cost of segregation