2022: Coalitions for Equity in Wealth Policy Grant Recipients Leading the Charge in Major Policy Wins

Now in its third year, the Coalitions for Equity in Wealth Policy funding program supports organizations engaged in coalitions advocating for systems and policy change that are essential to closing the Chicago region’s racial and ethnic wealth gap. In April 2022, the Trust made renewal grants to 15 organizations that received grants in the prior two years for their leadership and support of 27 coalitions focused on policies that will grow household wealth and catalyze neighborhood investment.

This multi-year funding opportunity was designed to strengthen coalition work by investing in the organizations and leaders necessary to advance and protect policy reforms that address inequities in wealth. The Trust values and recognizes the various roles that organizational members need to play in contributing to strong policy coalitions and effective policy change efforts. These roles include research, communications, legal and policy expertise, and community organizing.

In the last year, we are beginning to see progress on coalition efforts to change harmful narratives, build the base of support for policy initiatives, and increase organizational strength. While we know policy efforts are often not static and take years to culminate in legislative wins, we are extremely proud of the successes that Trust grant recipients are making in Springfield and the Chicago region that we believe collectively will help to address inequities built into government policies and practices, contribute to thriving communities, and close the racial and ethnic wealth gap.

2022 Legislative Successes

During the Illinois General Assembly’s 2022 legislative session, coalitions funded under the program secured several victories that will have a tremendous impact on our region and the individuals and communities that have too long experienced the impact of discriminatory policies and systemic neglect. These victories include:

• Expand Earned Income Credit (EIC). Added into the state FY23 budget, the EIC expansion increases the credit to 20 percent of the federal EITC and expands eligibility to childless adults age 18-25 and workers over 65 years of age, as well as to workers who file their taxes with an individual tax identification number (ITIN). Coalitions involved: Illinois Guaranteed Income Community of Practice.
• Expanded Housing Protection for All Illinoisans (HB 2775). This legislation prevents source of income discrimination against potential tenants whose income includes public benefits, a housing voucher, or other non-employment income. Coalitions involved: Illinois Fair Housing Coalition.
• Support Student Parents (SB 3149). The Illinois Student Assistance Commission and higher education institutions are now required to provide information about childcare assistance to students through Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant letters. Coalitions involved: Illinois Higher Education Network.
• Fund and Implement Children’s Savings Accounts (SB 3991). Beginning January 2023, each eligible child will[KB1] [AR2]  receive an automatic seed deposit into a Bright Start 529 college savings account. Coalitions involved: Financial Inclusion for All Illinois.
• Young Workers Bill of Rights (HR 639). This legislation urges the Illinois General Assembly to Adopt a Young Workers’ Bill of Rights, expand the availability of youth apprenticeships in low-wealth communities, develop regulations to ensure young adults working in any industry receive monetary compensation, and actively involve young workers and advocate in the policymaking processes that determine the economic prosperity of future generations. Coalitions involved: Illinois Higher Education Network.

Upcoming Policy Activities

The Trust’s latest Coalitions grant cycle will support activities to ensure any individual or household eligible for Illinois’s expanded EIC receives it, strengthen opportunities for housing choice voucher holders to become homeowners, expand paid family and medical leave, protect recent criminal justice reforms and prevent wealth-based punishment in the justice system, prevent wealth stripping in the debt repair industry, prevent the utility price formula from harming low and moderate-income households, and monitor and comment on rulemaking on the federal and state Community Reinvestment acts.

Renewal Grant Recipients

CENTER FOR NEIGHBORHOOD TECHNOLOGY

Project Specific Grant: $150,000

Coalition Participation: Transportation Equity Network (TEN), Elevated Chicago, Illinois Climate Action Table, Towards Equitable Electric Mobility (TEEM), Campaign for Transit Justice

CHICAGO AREA FAIR HOUSING ALLIANCE

General Operating Grant: $75,000

Coalition Participation: Housing Choice Voucher Working Group

CHICAGO JOBS COUNCIL

General Operating Grant: $150,000

Coalition Participation: Transit Table, Illinois Skills for Good Jobs Agenda, Illinois Cost-of-Living Refund Coalition

CHICAGO URBAN LEAGUE

General Operating Grant: $95,000

Coalition Participation: Illinois Cost-of-Living Refund Coalition, Financial Inclusion for All Illinois, Housing Policy Task Force, Illinois Higher Education Network, Responsible Budget Coalition, Predatory Lending Prevention Act Coalition, Transit Table,

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING FAMILY ISSUES (COFI)

General Operating Grant: $150,000

Coalition Participation: Cost of Living Refund Coalition, Financial Inclusion for All Illinois, The Transit Table Coalition, The Chicago Fines, Fees, and Access Coalition, Utility Affordability Coalition/Rein in Gas Utility Overspending Campaign

ECONOMIC SECURITY FOR ILLINOIS

Project Specific Grant: $150,000

Coalition Participation: Illinois Cost of Living Refund Coalition, Illinois Guaranteed Income Community of Practice

HOUSING CHOICE PARTNERS

Project Specific Grant: $50,000

Coalition Participation: Housing Choice Voucher Working Group

HEARTLAND ALLIANCE FOR HUMAN NEEDS & HUMAN RIGHTS

Project Support Grant: $150,000

Coalition Participation: Financial Inclusion for All Illinois, Transit Table, Illinois Cost of Living Coalition

ILLINOIS COALITION FOR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RIGHTS

Project Specific Grant: $150,000

Coalition Participation: Illinois Cost of Living Refund Coalition

ILLINOIS PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP EDUCATION FUND

General Operating Grant: $75,000

Coalition Participation: Cost of Living Refund Coalition, Pay Day Lending Coalition, Affordable Utility Table/Gas Coalition

ROGER BALDWIN FOUNDATION OF ACLU INC.

General Operating Grant: $50,000

Coalition Participation: Transit Table, Coalition to End Money Bond and Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice

SHRIVER CENTER ON POVERTY LAW

General Operating Grant: $150,000

Coalition Participation: Responsible Budget Coalition, Illinois Domestic Workers Coalition, Transit Table, Housing Policy Roundtable, Cost of Living Refund Coalition

WOMEN EMPLOYED

General Operating Grant: $150,000

Coalition Participation: Illinois Paid Sick Days Coalition, Illinois Paid Family and Medical Leave Coalition, Raising Illinois Coalition, Family Values at Work, Illinois Higher Education Network

WOODSTOCK INSTITUE

General Operating Grant: $150,000

Coalition Participation: CRA Coalition, Payday Lending Coalition, Financial Inclusion for All Illinois, Transit Table, Housing Policy Roundtable

YOUNG INVINCIBLES

General Operating Grant: $80,000

Coalition Participation: Illinois Higher Education Network, REASON-IL