Getting the lead out
Illinois lawmakers mandate that utilities replace toxic lead water lines, a decades old threat. New legislation provides for state grants and technical assistance and prioritizes communities at highest risk–Black and Latino.
Investing in the future of the Great Lakes region.
Special Announcement
Announcing the winners of the 2021 Joyce Awards! Four impactful collaborations between BIPOC artists and organizations spanning the visual, performing, and multidisciplinary arts that engage diverse communities.
Read more about this year's winners
We invest in evidence-informed public policies and strategies to advance racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin.
Learn more about usWhat We Fund
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Culture
Inspiring creativity and cultural stewardship in the next generation and fostering culturally vibrant, equitable, and sustainable communities.
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Democracy
Building a more equitable democracy by striving for participation and representation by all people who call the Great Lakes home.
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Education & Economic Mobility
Closing income and race disparities in college and career success through equitable access to high-quality education and jobs.
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Environment
Working to solve the long-term environmental challenges that threaten the next generation in the Great Lakes region.
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Gun Violence Prevention & Justice Reform
Building safe and just communities in the Great Lakes Region.
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Journalism
Supporting high-quality journalism projects focused on public policy issues affecting the Great Lakes region.
Where We Fund
We support organizations that work to improve the quality of life in the Great Lakes region. Click on each state to see some of the groups we fund.
Illinois
In Illinois, the Joyce Foundation supports work to reduce domestic violence homicide in Cook County; to conduct research on justice system responses to gun offending; to strengthen Black cultural institutions; to promote youth civic engagement; to create pathways to college and career; and to promote community voice in water policy.
Example Grantees in Illinois
Indiana
In Indiana, the Joyce Foundation supports work to raise the profile of the teaching profession; to strengthen the student-teacher experience; and to cover the Indiana Legislature with a focus on state elections and education.
Example Grantees in Indiana
Ohio
In Ohio, the Joyce Foundation currently supports work to advance climate solutions; to advocate for inclusive higher ed state policies; to improve election administration, protect voting rights and lead redistricting reform; to reduce harmful college debt collection practices; and to address challenges faced by OH’s largest cities.
Example Grantees in Ohio
Michigan
In Michigan, the Joyce Foundation supports work to engage community partners for input on redistricting maps; to provide Flint residents with trusted water safety information; to provide civic news coverage; and to promote community-driven alternatives to incarceration.
Example Grantees in Michigan
Minnesota
In Minnesota, the Joyce Foundation currently supports work to promote voting and fair elections; to facilitate the implementation and evaluation of the “Lights On!” program; to develop recommendations on strengthening K-12, higher ed and workforce sector alignment; to advocate for a more racially equitable higher ed system; and to reduce global warming pollution from MN’s electric power sector.
Example Grantees in Minnesota
Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, the Joyce Foundation currently supports work to protect voting rights; to prevent gun violence; to advocate for water policy reforms; to advocate to close racial and economic gaps in postsecondary education; and to support a community arts collaboration.
Example Grantees in Wisconsin
Policy Watch
Energy efficiency
Under-resourced communities in Minnesota soon will receive a jolt of financial support for energy efficiency, thanks to newly passed legislation to help the state achieve its decarbonization goals equitably.
K-12 “toolbox”
School districts across Illinois have received a “toolbox” of recommendations for helping teachers and students rebound from lost learning after a year of interruptions during the COVID 19 pandemic.
The Latest From Joyce
News
New leadership for Joyce’s Gun Violence Prevention & Justice Reform program
Nina Vinik will be stepping down as director of the Joyce Foundation’s Gun Violence Prevention & Justice Reform program at the end of June. Her successor is Tim Daly, currently the senior program officer overseeing Joyce’s gun-policy portfolio.
Webinar
A conversation with 2021 Joyce Award recipients
2021 Joyce Awards winners together for the first time discuss their projects– four impactful collaborations spanning the visual, performing, and multidisciplinary arts that engage diverse communities in Chicago, Cleveland, and Milwaukee.
News
Who bought guns during the pandemic
Foundation-funded research is turning a spotlight on a protracted gun-buying surge by Americans, which accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
News
Foundation’s Cisar to advise EPA on water
The Foundation is excited to announce that Elizabeth Cisar, co-director of our Environment program, has been invited to serve for a year as a senior advisor in the Office of Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
News
2021 Joyce Awards Announcement
Announcing the winners of the 2021 Joyce Awards! Four impactful collaborations between BIPOC artists and organizations spanning the visual, performing, and multidisciplinary arts that engage diverse communities in Chicago, Cleveland, and Milwaukee.