September 13, 2018
Voqal is pleased to announce five grants to organizations working in the Chicago area to strengthen the community through progressive organizing and independent, local media. The grants of $50,000 to City Bureau, $50,000 to Grassroots Illinois Action, $25,000 to ONE Northside, $25,000 to Hoodoisie and $50,000 to The People’s Lobby reflect Voqal’s commitment to supporting progressive movements for social change.
City Bureau
City Bureau is a nonprofit civic journalism lab based in Woodlawn on the South Side of Chicago. It brings journalists and community members together in a collaborative spirit to produce equitable media coverage, encourage civic participation and hold powerful forces to account. With support from Voqal, City Bureau continues to make local media more effective, equitable and responsive to the public.
Grassroots Illinois Action
Grassroots Illinois Action is a community-based organization building a permanent, grassroots independent political organization. It works to expand the progressive influence of its members by organizing and empowering each other to address community needs and promote economic and racial justice. Voqal’s funding supports Grassroots Illinois Action work to deepen issue-based and electoral organizing in Chicago and Peoria in order to increase low-income Black and Latinx residents’ political power.
ONE Northside
Organizing Neighborhoods for Equality (ONE) Northside is a mixed-income, multi-ethnic, intergenerational organization that unites its diverse communities. It builds collective power to eliminate injustice through bold and innovative community organizing. It accomplishes this by developing grassroots leaders and acting together to effect change. Voqal’s funding will support ONE Northside’s work to organize vulnerable and struggling community members around social justice issues.
Hoodoisie
The Hoodoisie is a bi-weekly live and live-streamed news show that aims to delivers “block-optic” and radically politicized takes on news and current events. Roundtables featuring activists, comedians and musical guests, aim to infuse an old form with a new mission and local flavor. Voqal’s support enables Hoodoisie to expand its innovative programming.
The People’s Lobby
The People’s Lobby is a fast-growing, membership-driven organization devoted to organizing widespread support for public policies and candidates that put the needs of people and the planet before the interests of big corporations and the very rich. It trains leaders to build political bases in its communities, organizes support for progressive legislation, endorses candidates and takes direct action to pressure elected officials and other powerful people to put the interests of people and the planet first. Voqal’s grant is supporting The People’s Lobby’s work to build a movement in Illinois to address the root causes of inequality and create a state that works for everyone and not just the wealthiest one percent.
“We are proud to support these community organizations as they inform and empower the residents of Chicago and the state of Illinois in an effort to create a more socially equitable and just society,” said Voqal board member Barbara Iverson.
To learn more about Voqal’s grantmaking in Chicago and across the United States visit our grantmaking page.