Stories of Impact 2022: Direct Cash Assistance
Direct cash assistance is the practice of giving money directly to people in need. This can take many forms, including transfers of cash…
Policy Change
Supporting and advancing policy and advocacy efforts to effect systemic change.
Systemic problems require systemic solutions—programmatic intervention alone is not enough.
From redlining to predatory lending, policies and practices have played an instrumental role in preventing generations of Black and Latine families from building as much wealth as white families. Laws and policies were instrumental in creating the racial and ethnic wealth gap. It will take new policies and reforms to close it.
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Background
The Trust has long supported nonprofits engaged in policy research, advocacy, and community organizing across all areas of our work, and we will continue to do so in service of our strategic priorities.
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The Opportunity
Recognizing how vital systemic change is to closing the racial and ethnic wealth gap, the Trust now uses our voice and platform to engage directly in policy and advocacy efforts. This shift is an important step forward in how we approach our work to strengthen the Chicago region.
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Our Approach
To create lasting solutions to our region’s most pressing challenges, the Trust supports and leads efforts to build public knowledge and will around key issues; strengthen the public policy landscape; and advance policy and systems change.
To dive deeper into our strategic policy priorities, click here.
How It Works
Policy Change
An informed and ready public is essential to making policy change, especially at the local level. The Trust supports and produces public events, publications, digital content, and other engagement opportunities that raise the profile of policy issues and generate momentum toward solutions.
Effective advocacy requires a strong bench of people and organizations with the knowledge, skills, and capacity for making change. The Trust provides organizational support to create a fertile ecosystem of leaders and advocates focused on policy and systems change.
The Trust has prioritized three policy areas aligned with our mission and strategic objectives. In addition, we have identified other areas of focus where we can lay the necessary groundwork to advance meaningful change. We expect our priorities will evolve over time as progress is made and new opportunities emerge.
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An informed and ready public is essential to making policy change, especially at the local level. The Trust supports and produces public events, publications, digital content, and other engagement opportunities that raise the profile of policy issues and generate momentum toward solutions.
-
Effective advocacy requires a strong bench of people and organizations with the knowledge, skills, and capacity for making change. The Trust provides organizational support to create a fertile ecosystem of leaders and advocates focused on policy and systems change.
-
The Trust has prioritized three policy areas aligned with our mission and strategic objectives. In addition, we have identified other areas of focus where we can lay the necessary groundwork to advance meaningful change. We expect our priorities will evolve over time as progress is made and new opportunities emerge.
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Policy Change
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How You Can Take Action
Interested in learning more or partnering with us?
Please contact Ianna Kachoris, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy, at ikachoris@cct.org, or Adele Nandan, Director of Donor Engagement, at anandan@cct.org.
