Field Foundation

Applications are open for the 2026–2027 Field Fellowship! If you're a recent graduate, graduate student, or early-career professional in Chicago who is passionate about community transformation, this one's for you. The nine-month fellowship includes a $20,000 stipend and hands-on experience in philanthropy. Tap the link in our bio to learn more. Apply by June 12. Know a good candidate? Please spread the word! #FieldFellowship #communitypowerbuilding #philanthropy #chicago

Our portal is open for A Road Together (ART) grant applications! Through May 15, small and mid-sized arts & culture organizations based in Chicago can apply for three-year general operating grants. In 2026, a total of 25 grants will be awarded using a participatory grantmaking approach. Funding will range from $10K to $100K per year. The ART initiative, our collaboration with @macfound , is rooted in the belief that the arts are vital to Chicago's identity, economy, and social fabric. Tap the link in our bio to learn more. #ARoadTogether #arts #culture #community #powerbuilding #philanthropy #chicago

“You can’t fight city hall. “Government doesn’t listen. “Government is so complicated I don’t know where to go or how to get things done. “These defeatist sentiments have had emotional currency over centuries precisely because effecting change is hard, particularly for those who are not experts in the system. “Yet there are levers ordinary people can pull to get things done. There are also buttons one should definitely not push. This Local Democracy Playbook offers some tips for making a difference in your community through the lens of local issues. “A couple of decades ago, a landowner wanted McLean County approval to dig a gravel pit on Bloomington’s southwest side across from Fox Creek Elementary School. “It’s like, yeah, no. That wasn’t going to work,” said Susan Schafer, who got involved because of concerns about dust, noise and children. “We had a group of people, and then we kept pulling more people in.” “Today, there is no gravel pit inside Bloomington …. ” Continue reading the @wgltnews story here: https://lnkd.in/gs2kN8BP This story is part of the Healing Illinois 2026 Reporting Project, “Democracy Lives Here,” managed by the @medillschool @solutionsjournalism Hub, and made possible by a grant from #HealingIllinois, a racial and community initiative from the @ilhumanservices in partnership with the @fieldfoundation . #journalism #storytelling #communitypowerbuilding #wglt @npr

“Operation Midway Blitz outraged much of the Chicagoland community last September when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided neighborhoods, arrested thousands of individuals, and fatally shot Mexican immigrant Silverio Villegas González. “Witnessing these injustices across the country and in Chicago, two local coalitions came together last year to form Allies United, a Chicago-based coalition initially focused on responding to immigration raids, and now prioritizing protecting civil rights and building long-term cross‑community solidarity. “Allies United co-founder Marty Castro said that the concept for the coalition began last summer, when he and other leaders across the city noticed the need for a diverse, standing network that could respond quickly and consistently to civil‑rights concerns. “The emotional and mental stress that Operation Midway Blitz caused, according to the Illinois Accountability Commission Issues final report, still manifests in residents across the city. “[This work] is essential for our individual communities,” said Castro …. ” Continue reading the @il_latinonews story here: https://lnkd.in/eu2mDYij This story is part of the Healing Illinois 2026 Reporting Project, “Democracy Lives Here,” managed by the @medillschool @solutionsjournalism Hub, and made possible by a grant from @healingillinois , a racial and community initiative from the @ilhumanservices in partnership with the @fieldfoundation . #journalism #storytelling #communitypowerbuilding #illinoislatinonews

"Today, nearly 50 million people have little to no access to news, according to a recent report on local news. In the more than 45 municipalities in the south suburbs, the majority do not have a traditional local news source. "But content creators are rising to meet an audience disaffected with mainstream media. "Southland content creators utilize a variety of media tools to capture local political matters, but livestreaming through Facebook and YouTube has become the backbone of their reporting, offering a raw, unfiltered look into civic proceedings in real time and expanding meeting access to residents at home, and even nonlocals. “ 'When Tiffany Henyard came into power, I felt a responsibility to document what was happening in real time,' said Dolton influencer Vivian Allen, who dubs herself 'Your Favorite Survivor' online. "Tense meetings, lack of transparency and accountability and questionable charity initiatives had raised alarms within the Dolton community …. " Continue reading @harveyworldherald story here: https://lnkd.in/gaqjbNhW This story is part of the Healing Illinois 2026 Reporting Project, “Democracy Lives Here,” managed by the @medillschool @solutionsjournalism Hub, and made possible by a grant from @healingillinois , a racial and community initiative from the @ilhumanservices in partnership with the @fieldfoundation . #journalism #storytelling #communitypowerbuilding #harveyworldherald

“Vote-by-mail did not begin as a pandemic-era workaround. Its roots stretch back to the Civil War, when absentee voting was first introduced to allow soldiers to cast ballots while away from home. Over time, what began as a limited accommodation evolved into a central part of American election administration. “Today, vote-by-mail is a system now used by roughly one in three voters nationwide. However, a quiet but consequential shift inside the United States Postal Service is reshaping how time is measured in the voting process—and raising new questions about whether election systems have kept pace with how mail actually moves. “Older Americans are among the most consistent voters in the country, with turnout rates exceeding 70 percent in recent national elections, and many rely on vote-by-mail because of age, mobility, disability, transportation, caregiving needs or health-related barriers. ‍ “But adjustments to postal service transportation operations may now result in … the date on the postmark not necessarily matching the date on which the mail piece was collected. In practical terms, that creates a gap between voter action and system recognition—a gap that voters cannot see and cannot control …. “ Continue reading the @chicagonewsweekly story here: https://lnkd.in/gghexCKF This story is part of the Healing Illinois 2026 Reporting Project, “Democracy Lives Here,” managed by the @medillschool @solutionsjournalism Hub, and made possible by a grant from @healingillinois , a racial and community initiative from the @ilhumanservices in partnership with the @fieldfoundation . #journalism #storytelling #communitypowerbuilding #chicagonewsweekly

"Trust in U.S. elections is eroding. Between skepticism about redistricting, fear about immigration agents at the polls, and unproven claims about widespread election fraud, Americans are losing confidence in the accuracy and security of their elections. "Voter confidence in accurate vote counts dropped 17% across party lines in about a year, according to two nationwide polls from the Center for Transparent and Trusted Elections at the University of California San Diego. One poll was conducted just after the 2024 presidential election, the other in late 2025, in collaboration with UCSD’s Yankelovich Center for Social Science Research. "But across the country, and within Illinois, election authorities of both political parties say American elections are, and will stay, fair and secure. And many local election authorities say their effort to address misinformation and reassure voters is beginning to turn the tide .... " Continue reading the @capitolnewsillinois story here: /news/how-illinois-county-clerks-are-combating-election-misinformation/ This story is part of the Healing Illinois 2026 Reporting Project, “Democracy Lives Here,” managed by the @medillschool @solutionsjournalism Hub, and made possible by a grant from @healingillinois , a racial and community initiative from the @ilhumanservices in partnership with the @fieldfoundation . #journalism #storytelling #communitypowerbuilding #capitolnews

Next stop ✨🥁✨The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum🔥⛓️‍💥🇺🇸 This week the Pillars of Democracy: Unite & Rise tour is heading to the @lincolnmuseum in historic downtown Springfield, Illinois. Such an incredible location and partnership! On May 15, at 10am @lwvofil President Becky Simon and @naacp Springfield Branch President Austin Randolph Jr. will join me for a round of morning conversations highlighting art as a leading agent of social change, the necessity of joining together to provide racial healing and the essential power of voting. This program is free and open to the public at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. It also serves as the opening event of the Pillars of Democracy two week exhibition. On Saturday, May 2, beginning at 10:30am, we will be on the grounds of the Old State Capitol just a couple blocks away from the ALPLM hosting a youth and adult art workshop thru the afternoon. This interactive workshop invites participants to explore identity, voice and civic engagement through art-making and conversation. Our workshop will be taking place during Springfield’s annual Old Capitol Art Fair, Pride Fest, and first weekend of the Farmers Market. Thousands are expected within a five block radius, and the weather should be beautiful- so come say hi if you can!! The large-scale original artworks of Pillars of Democracy will be on view from May 15- May 31 free of charge in the atrium of Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, with a set of signed limited edition prints on view in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, viewable with an exhibition ticket. Many thanks to the League of Women Voters of Illinois Educational Fund, @healingillinois @ilhumanities @fieldfoundation and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and @statehistoricsitesspringfield for making this possible. #pillarsofdemocracy #arttour #springfield #abrahamlincoln #artworkshop

We’re excited to share today’s launch of the Healing Illinois 2026 Reporting Project, “Democracy Lives Here,” made possible by a grant from @healingillinois , a racial and community healing initiative from the @ilhumanservices in partnership with the @fieldfoundation . Managed by the @medillschool @solutionsjournalism Hub, five Illinois news outlets —@capitolnewsillinois , @chicagonewsweekly , @harveyworldherald , @il_latinonews , @wgltnews — produced hard-hitting news coverage on how democracy actually works in practice, who it works for, and what people are doing to make it work better within and among the state’s diverse communities, with the goal of engaging and bringing neighbors together. The five news stories published today (see below for links). Congratulations to the Medill School Solutions Journalism Hub — and all the participating news outlets for producing this important body of work, which aspires to spark dialogue and connect people in driving toward positive change. This is community journalism at its best. See below for a link to the stories and be part of this important conversation. Capitol News Illinois https://lnkd.in/gga4r3EE Chicago News Weekly https://lnkd.in/gghexCKF Harvey World Herald https://lnkd.in/gaqjbNhW Illinois Latino News https://lnkd.in/eu2mDYij WGLT (NPR Network) https://lnkd.in/gs2kN8BP #journalism #storytelling #communitypowerbuilding

What does democratic backsliding look like in an American suburb? @HarveyWorldHerald is investigating — and centering the residents pushing back. Their enterprise reporting package drops the week of May 11. #HealingIllinois #DemocracyLivesHere

Want your local government to actually listen? @wgltnews – Bloomington-Normal's Public Media is reporting on what works — and what doesn't — when citizens show up to advocate for change. Tune in the week of May 11. #HealingIllinois #DemocracyLivesHere

Your mail-in ballot shouldn't be thrown out because of a postmark glitch. @ChicagoNewsWeekly is reporting on what's at stake — and what's being done about it. Story drops the week of May 11. #HealingIllinois #DemocracyLivesHere