Forefront (Illinois)

Forefront's offices and services will close on December 20th and reopen on January 2nd. Our team wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season. We look forward to building a vibrant social impact sector for all the people of Illinois in 2025.

Public Policy Thursdays: 2025 Legislative Agenda Kickoff (Thursday, January 16, 9:30 am - 11am): Join us to kick off a new Congress and new General Assembly and learn more about what to expect in 2025 at the federal and state levels. Panelists from the General Assembly, Forefront’s Board, Illinois Partners for Human Service, and Independent Sector will appear; the event recording will be shared with all registrants. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gamEVZyf

We’re hiring a Policy Coordinator! Do you have some combination of administrative, communications, and policy experience? Are you interested in supporting Forefront’s policy program at the federal and state levels? If so, apply here: https://bit.ly/3ZxpvfS

Foundations on the Hill (FOTH) is now February 23-26! All Illinois private, public, and community foundations are invited to join Forefront’s leadership, policy team, and other stakeholders from across the US in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 23-26, 2025. Originally, we asked stakeholders to hold March 16-19, 2025. The date was changed by United Philanthropy Forum because Congress announced their calendar, and members will be on recess (i.e., not in DC) during the original March dates. Moving the event to February ensures we can still meet with members of Congress and staff while there. Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/g3XReqpd

As Chicago worked through a difficult budget cycle, Forefront learned that some officials were considering PILOTs as a potential source of revenue. PILOTs are fees collected from otherwise tax-exempt organizations, in theory to replace property taxes. Forefront joined forces with Arts Alliance Illinois and the Illinois Museum Assocation to caution officials against moving in this direction. We are grateful that the final budget did not include PILOTs. We will continue coordinating with other nonprofit sector advocates and our national policy partners on this, and we will collectively monitor this issue at both the City and State level in 2025. Read our joint press release here: https://lnkd.in/dY3c35jD

Congratulations to Forefront’s REC Cohort 2024! Over the last nine months, we came together virtually and in person to establish shared language, cultivate lasting partnerships, and deepen our capacity to build inclusive and just communities across Illinois. We are excited to build on Cohort 2024’s efforts by inviting you and your contacts to apply to REC Cohort 2025. The REC Cohort will continue to build a sustainable statewide cross-sector partnership to reimagine how regional partners can engage with one another to collectively advance racial equity.  The cohort will engage in six workshops and facilitate a regional roundtable that discusses issues facing their local communities. Application deadline is January 31, 2025.  For more information, please visit https://lnkd.in/ebes3FaU.

Please help Forefront board and staff welcome Diane Sotiros as our new Chief Finance & Administration Officer! Diane Sotiros is a seasoned CPA with extensive expertise in finance, accounting, and operations management across nonprofit and corporate sectors. She founded and operated a financial consulting practice providing comprehensive financial management, reporting, and budgeting services for nonprofit organizations and small businesses. She enjoys hiking in the forest preserves around the Chicagoland region, and spending time at home with her husband and two Collie Shepard dogs.

Forefront(L to R: Doris Bowens, Lisa May Simpson, Kate Piatt-Eckert) was delighted to join Lawyers for the Creative Arts at their annual luncheon honoring Bart A. Lazar, avery r. young, Rebecca Makkai, and Adrian Matejka.

FOREFRONT IN THE NEWS: Director of Policy and Government Affairs, Holly Ambuehl, discusses the unintended consequences of H.R. 9495 on the social impact sector with WGLT's Lauren Warnecke. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g2h-VsxX

Join the Responsible Budget Coalition, the ACLU of IL, Forefront, Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness and IL Partners for Human Service for a discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on the nonprofit sector. We want to create a common language and shared understanding to recognize uses of AI in the nonprofit sector. We will cover issues including discrimination, bias, and impacts on privacy as well as safeguards to ensure that AI works for the public good, rather than undermining it. Register here: https://bit.ly/4gnvkmO