All your need-to-know policy and advocacy updates for Illinois human services.
The new report from the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) highlights the growing and compounding pressures facing nonprofit organizations nationwide. The report, State of Nonprofits 2026: What Funders Need to Know, finds that many nonprofits are managing...
We congratulate Caritas Family Solutions CEO, Gary Huelsmann, for being recognized as a Community Changemaker at FOCUS St. Louis’ 2026 What’s Right with the Region Awards. Upon receiving the award, Gary shared his gratitude by saying, “Positive change only happens...
Like many across the state, food pantries in Central Illinois are preparing for increased demand as new SNAP work requirements take effect and an estimated 120,000 people could lose benefits. Adults who do not meet expanded work or volunteer hour rules including...
As we approach the finish line of this legislative session, the Illinois Partners team has also been proud to represent our coalition at advocacy and policy events across the state throughout the month of May. Our Executive Director, Lauren Wright, participated in a...
Deadline week was a busy one in Springfield, with coalition partners showing up across multiple advocacy efforts. These included Save Our SNAP Advocacy Day, the Illinois Revenue Alliance Tax Day Advocacy Event for progressive revenue, Behavioral Health Advocacy Day,...
Illinois Partners would like to say a special thank you to the following coalition partners who allowed us to interview them for the next installment of our Federal Changes, Community Consequences research series. These leaders from six organizations generously shared...
Please join us in thanking individuals who are retiring or taking a break for their dedicated leadership, and in welcoming those stepping into new roles. We wish them great success as they continue to advance the important work of supporting our communities. Karin...
Illinois Partners Executive Director Lauren Wright was recently featured in a joint Chicago Tribune op-ed with Anne Larsen VanderWeele of CACE and Monique B. Jones of Forefront. The commentary was about pushing back on proposed federal certification changes that...
It has been a busy month in Springfield, with House deadline week last week and a great deal of work happening behind the scenes to keep our legislative agenda moving. This month, we worked hard to advance all three bills in our Community Partner Fair Contracting...
On February 26, 2026, frontline human service workers, organizational leaders, advocates and state legislators joined together in Springfield for a press conference to spotlight the key priorities of the Living Wages, Thriving Communities Campaign. Together, we lifted...