Forefront

Public Policy Thursday: The Illinois Innovation Network, Northern Illinois University, and the University of Illinois, Chicago, are sponsoring Nonprofits Engaging Voters: Making Every Voice Matter in 2024 (https://myforefront.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Nonprofits-Engaging-Voters-2024_Making-Every-Voice-Matter.pdf). This project seeks to build the capacity of nonprofits to carry our nonpartisan civic education and voter engagement activities, and help researchers identify best practices. Recipients will receive a $4,000 grant to support activities, as well as training and support for activities. Interested organizations may apply here (https://forms.gle/sdXYyztuwHNRMGk97) August 28th.

Join us August 15 for a special members-only briefing on current efforts to meet the needs of new arrivals while also addressing the needs of residents who have experienced decades of underinvestment and housing insecurity. Our panel includes several speakers who are building immediate and long-term solutions and will be moderated by our President & CEO, Monique B. Jones. Forefront members may register here: https://bit.ly/46BNSwa

NBCU Academy and Walton Family Foundation hosted a panel during kicking off Black Philanthropy Month and highlighting philanthropic efforts in support of Black communities. Guest speakers were Gabrielle Wyatt (left), CEO of the Highland Project, Monique B. Jones, President & CEO of Forefront and moderated by, Morgan Radford, NBC News Daily anchor. Special thanks to NBCU and Walton Family Foundation for the invitation.

Forefront Library is a Demographics via Candid partner! What does that mean? Funders get better demographic data to learn who they are funding. Nonprofits share their demographic data only one time, in just one place. Join the movement by going to candid.org/dvc.

Lisa May Simpson (Chief of Staff), James Hayakawa (Racial Equity & Network Coordinator), and Sharmin Shahjahan (Racial Equity Collective Director) represented Forefront at the launch of Grand Victoria Foundation new mission at Revel Motor Row. Learn more about Grand Victoria's shift to racial justice grantmaking here: https://grandvictoriafdn.org/news-resources/our-bold-new-mission/

Converge Consulting is accepting new clients!

Converge Consulting provides finance and accounting services: routine financial maintenance, cost allocation methodology, reporting, software integration and assistance with third-party audit and tax preparers, so that organizations like yours can focus on their mission. We work with organizations of every size and offer affordable rates. For more information, visit weconverge.org.

Forefront's Peer Skill Share is always in need of new advisors to connect with and learn from. Currently there are opportunities for advisors with expertise in fundraising (major gifts, individual giving, online fundraising, donor retention, corporate sponsorships, etc.) and marketing/communications (developing marketing plans, web ads, web analytics, etc). Or if you have expertise in any other area, we'd love to have you as an advisor.

Don't forget that everyone in a member organization is eligible to submit requests for help and to be an advisor!

Learn more here: https://bit.ly/PeerSkillShare

Forefront's Mission Sustainability Initiative Director, Kate Piatt-Eckert, and Program Services Manager, Emily Long, enjoyed a tour of the new WBEZ studio, where design touches throughout the newsroom celebrate the recent merger with the Chicago Sun-Times.

Nonprofits across Central Illinois: check out this opportunity on August 22 to network with other sector professionals and learn more about grant writing, with an expert panel featuring Forefront’s own Director of Policy and Government Affairs.

Nonprofits Workshop – August 22, 2024 – Illinois Prairie Community Foundation Nonprofits Workshop – August 22, 2024 By Illinois Prairie | May 3, 2024 8:30 a.m. – noon Thursday, August 22, 2024 Illinois State University Alumni Center, 1101 N. Main St., Normal The Nonprofits Workshop be during the morning of Thursday, Aug. 22, at ISU’s Alumni Center, 1101 N. Main St., Nor...

: Earlier this month, Forefront hosted a meeting at Impact House with Deputy Governor Grace Hou, Deputy Mayor Community Engagement Jacquelyn Rosa, and philanthropic leaders to identify action steps towards strengthening partnerships among State and local government and the nonprofit sector. We are so grateful for their leadership and look forward to continuing to work together to improve our State and City!

Mission Sustainability Initiative Director, Kate Piatt-Eckert, joined theatre leaders from across the country at the Theatre Communications Group national conference in Chicago last month for a conversation about collaboration strategy in the arts. Whatever form your nonprofit's work takes, exploring innovative strategic partnerships can help you do more together than you can on your own. Learn more about MSI here: https://bit.ly/3lUyTqa. Photo credit to Elias Carmona.

Join us on September 25th in Chicago to learn from and be inspired by a lineup of dynamic speakers, including a keynote from john a. powell, Director,
Othering & Belonging Institute at the University California at Berkeley.

mr. powell is well known for developing the frameworks of “targeted universalism” and “othering and belonging” to effect equity-based interventions. john has taught at numerous law schools including Harvard and Columbia University. His latest books are Belonging Without Othering and Racing to Justice: Transforming our Concepts of Self and Other to Build an Inclusive Society. He’ll join Forefront’s CEO Monique Jones for an invigorating conversation that will set the tone for the rest of the Summit.

Early registration discounts are available now! Register here: https://bit.ly/3LuKlWx

The National Council of Nonprofits and Nonprofit VOTE have launched a National Nonprofit Voter Engagement Guide! Forefront will have an Illinois-specific guide is forthcoming later this summer. Join a national webinar on July 30 to see the National Guide and learn why and how nonprofits should do nonpartisan voter engagement between now and Election Day. Register here: https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/form/nonpartisan-voter-engagement

Forefront's Racial Equity & Network Coordinator, James Hayakawa, will be on Jeopardy! The episode will air today (July 15) on ABC at 3:30 p.m. central time. Our entire team is so excited to watch and cheer him on. Congratulations James!

Registration for Forefront's 2024 Annual Summit is now open!

Join us on September 25th in Chicago to commemorate 50 years of Forefront and highlight our collective progress toward a united and thriving sector.

Please tune in for further programming updates.

Join legal experts from Illinois Department of Labor, Seyfarth Law, and Polsinelli to learn how new labor laws will impact nonprofit employers, including: Federal Overtime Rules, Wage Payment and Collection Act, Personnel Record Review Act, and Equal Pay Act. Discussion and Q&A will be available. Free and open to the public; those responsible for human resources and/or finance and budget are encouraged to attend. Register here [https://myforefront.org/event/public-policy-thursdays-il-dept-of-labor-discusses-new-employment-laws-webinar/]

The IL General Assembly adjourned after enacting a variety of legislation with substantial impact to businesses + the FY25 budget. Be sure to prepare for new requirements and opportunities by reading Forefront’s full analysis: https://myforefront.org/articles/2024garoundup/

Forefront Member, Claire Poelking, of the MacArthur Foundation, penned a blog post for the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) on changing practices in philanthropy: https://bit.ly/3W1BMaT.

Let’s Go Beyond ‘One Foundation’: The Promise of Changing Practices in Philanthropy | The Center for Effective Philanthropy The changes we have made to our grantmaking processes as an institution are because we are listening, and we want to be good partners.

Forefront offices and services will be closed on June 19th in observance of Junteenth.

Forefront is celebrating the enactment of two new charitable programs that will increase giving and funding for nonprofits, and retain dollars and talent in Illinois! The General Assembly enacted the Illinois Gives Tax Credit Act and the Workforce Development Through Charitable Loan Repayment Act by including them in HB4951, which was signed by the Governor on 6/7/24 and is now Public Act 103-0592. Previously, these programs generated strong bicameral and bipartisan support under SB172 (Feigenholtz) / HB1241 (Croke) and SB3273 (Villanueva) / HB4736 (Stuart). Read our press release here http://bit.ly/3VGFeZe.

Illinois Gives will incentivize up to $100 million in new charitable giving over the next 5 years by authorizing a 25% state income tax credit for charitable donations to eligible permanent endowments held by dozens of qualified community foundations across Illinois. The program begins 1/1/25.

The Loan Repayment program will use private charitable dollars to lure and retain locally needed workers into Illinois communities. Eligible community foundations will directly repay part or all of a worker’s student loans directly to the lender, and the worker will not pay state income tax on that charitable loan repayment. The program begins 1/1/26.

Thank you to the Chief sponsors of these bills: Rep. Margaret Croke, Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, Rep. Katie Stuart and Sen. Celina Villanueva, and to key partners for their support, including Alliance of Illinois Community Foundations, Illinois Collaboration on Youth, Jewish United Fund of Chicago - JUF, Illinois Economic Development Association, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. And thank you to the hundreds of others who submitted witness slips, made phone calls, and reached out to their local officials to talk about the importance of investing in the nonprofit sector. Forefront will keep stakeholders apprised about how to participate in both of these programs in the coming months.

: Deciphering GATA and Finding Related Resources – June 20th, 10am-12pm (Virtual): In partnership with the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget and Illinois Partners for Human Service, Forefront will host our annual training on getting pre-qualified for, and navigating, GATA. This virtual training intuitively guides our community partners through every step of the application process while providing a high-level overview of how to successfully respond to a State grant application with helpful tips. Free and open to the public. Register here: https://bit.ly/4btxlMl.

Upcoming event: Council on Foundations and Independent Sector, Understanding the Fearless Foundation 11th Circuit Decision, June 13 from 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. central.
This webinar will give an overview the decision and its implications. Panelists will explain the ruling's specifics, discuss what it means in practice, and frame the case in the context of ongoing legal and policy issues. Registrants can submit questions in advance. Register here:

Understanding the Fearless Foundation 11th Circuit Decision Join this webinar to hear about the Fearless Fund/Foundation 11th Circuit court decision.

Public Policy Thursdays: Deciphering GATA and Finding Related Resources – June 20th, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. central: In partnership with the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget and Illinois Partners for Human Service, Forefront will host our annual training on getting pre-qualified for, and navigating, GATA. This virtual training intuitively guides our community partners through every step of the application process while providing a high-level overview of how to successfully respond to a State grant application with helpful tips. Free and open to the public. Register here:

Deciphering GATA and Finding Related Resources: Live Training with GOMB Experts (Webinar) - Forefront Please join Forefront, Illinois Partners for Human Service, and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) as they walk...

How do we get ready to work together? What does preparing for strategic partnership and sustained collaboration look like for nonprofit leaders, for boards, and for organizations? Join Judie Caribeaux of Mission + Strategy Consulting, Dr. Jennifer Madden, and Toyin Ogun for a multi-faceted look at organizational readiness and the skills we can build now that will support effective and meaningful collaboration in the future.
https://bit.ly/3KoLE8U

Forefront Annual Summit 2024, United and Thriving! Join us September 25 in Chicago to celebrate 50 years of Forefront. Keynote: john a. powell, Director, Othering & Belonging Institute. Sign up for our newsletter for programming and registration updates! https://bit.ly/2Y10c9f

The IL General Assembly adjourned today after passing a FY25 budget package with a narrow margin. Forefront will provide a full debrief of over the coming weeks as we aggregate analysis from nonprofit sector leaders. Stay tuned and us send us your questions/feedback!

Once again working through the night, lawmakers finalize $53.1 billion budget By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] After a near-derailment and an all-nighter to wrap up the General Assembly’s spring session, supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House gave final legislative approval to the state budget as the sun rose Wednesday morning.....