Nonprofit Utopia Podcast

The People's TIF's

When we read about TIF’s in Chicago, we typically read of lack of transparency, extreme surpluses, lack of accountability, and how large corporations benefit, while residents of impacted communities are left “on the outside looking in”  in their own communities.  Not so in Humboldt Park. Tune in Monday, July 6, 2015  to find out how Carolina Gaete and Cecile Carroll DeMello, Co-Directors of Blocks Together, have managed to work with local residents and elected officials to bring democracy to the TIF program, develop affordable housing and make micro-financing available to small businesses from the neighborhood. 
Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat.
 

Weathering the Storm

The State of Illinois is the largest contributor to the state’s nonprofit sector. In spite of the fact that the Illinois economy is in recovery, the state is experiencing a $4 billion budget gap for FY 2016. Reduction in tax receipts make it difficult for state and local governments to meet their obligations and address the growing need for social services. The inability of the State to pay nonprofits on time is one of the greatest threats to the viability of the nonprofit sector. The nonprofit sector accounted for 8% of the State’s workers and 8.7% of the Gross State Product in 2000 (Donors Forum 2003).
How are your nonprofit peers dealing with tough times? Tune in Monday, June 29, 2015 to participate in a discussion of how nonprofits are coping with state budget cuts and other threats to the funding environment. Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat.

Brenda's Secret Sauce

Brenda Palms Barber moved to Chicago 15 years ago and started the North Lawndale Employment Network to assist returning citizens transition back to society through employment and other resources. She found a community that ranked in the top 6 in the state with respect to prisoners returning home. Today, her clients as a group have a recidivism rate of 6% compared to 43% for the country. Under her leadership, NLEN has grown from 2 to 21 employees, and provides job training and financial literacy to over 2,000 men and women. She launched the Sweet Beginnings social enterprise, which produces local honey and skincare products under the beelove brand, where 383 returning citizens have been employed, since 2007. What’s Brenda’s secret sauce? Call in and see! (347) 884-8121