Economic Opportunity

(Tinley Park, IL) — Winning a construction contract is one challenge. Having enough cash to pay workers and keep the project moving before the first payment arrives is another. A new partnership between the Southland Development Authority and the Steans Family Foundation aims to help minority-owned businesses close that gap — pairing access to working-capital financing with support to manage growth. For the foundation, that investment comes with a specific expectation: creati

From The Chicago Defender As federal funding and policy changes add pressure to already strained safety-net systems, public benefits and essential services are facing new uncertainty. The Resilient Chicago Fund (RCF) today announced $5.5 million in grants to 17 nonprofit-led projects that will design, test and refine new models for delivering benefits and services. The projects will explore whether these models can improve residents’ access to basic human needs such as food,

NORTH LAWNDALE — A beloved South Side flower shop whose co-founder recently won a national “hero” award is expanding to the West Side early next year. Southside Blooms, an Englewood-based farm-to-vase nonprofit floral shop, will open a location at 4100 W. Fillmore St. in North Lawndale in the spring. The site will house the organization’s retail order fulfillment and wholesale operation while the Englewood location will focus on its event and wedding flower business. Read the

CHICAGO (WGN) — A community-based organization continues to support many formerly incarcerated individuals in Chicago as they reintegrate into society. Established in 1999, the North Lawndale Employment Network (NLEN) aims to provide a better life for those given a second chance. No one knows that better than Sadie Joseph, who says she was imprisoned at 20 years old, up until the age of 47. Joseph turned to NLEN and never looked back. Read or watch the rest of the story a

Chicago’s historic mantra, “make no little plans,” guided the rebuilding of our city after the Great Fire. When Chicago faced rapid industrialization, explosive population growth, overcrowded neighborhoods and inadequate infrastructure, the Burnham Plan spurred the creation of green space, organized streets, lakefront access and countless iconic features that define Chicago. But the approach that guided Daniel Burnham’s rebuilding in the last century doesn’t fit our challenge

North Lawndale Catalyst Initiative An entity of the Steans Family Foundation, the North Lawndale Catalyst Initiative (NLCI) leverages thought-partnership and investments to promote economic growth, workforce development, and a thriving ecosystem for community.

North Lawndale Employment Network has helped thousands of people returning from incarceration find jobs, continue their education, and build their financial skills.