Check out the latest insights from our program team and grantees.
Grantees
Ron OJ Parson
Acclaimed director/actor Ron OJ Parson is in a season of radical reflection. In a 50-year career that most creatives dream of, Parson has become one of the nation’s pre-eminent theater directors. Learn more about his work here.

We the People of Detroit
We the People of Detroit is a grantee partner of Joyce’s Environment Program. Learn more about the organization here.

They Got NEXT — Chicago Sinfonietta Celebrates 35 Years
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chicago Sinfonietta, like so many organizations, was forced to reimagine itself, pivoting programming and performances to a fully virtual space.
Grantee
Chicago Sinfonietta

Congo Square Play Promotes Healing, Catharsis in Chicago
Congo Square Theatre is an ensemble dedicated to producing transformative work rooted in the African Diaspora. For 20 years it has committed to telling stories by and for Black people.
Grantee
Congo Square Theatre Company

Building collective power through research
Black Researchers Collective was founded in 2019 with a mission to train and equip communities with the research tools necessary to be more civically engaged and policy informed.
Grantee
Black Researchers Collective

The nation’s first Black arts museum
South Side Community Art Center is the nation’s first Black arts museum that develops and showcases some of the nation’s most influential Black artists.
Grantee
South Side Community Art Center
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Programs

Joyce Joins Press Forward National Coalition to Revitalize Local News
The Joyce Foundation joined a national coalition of 22 donors today in announcing the formation of Press Forward, an initiative designed to strengthen communities and, by extension, democracy, by supporting local news and information.
Climate and Clean Water won Big in Minnesota. Here’s How
For years, Minnesota has watched its famous lakes get more polluted and its seasons get warmer due to climate disruptions, while its Legislature took modest, if any, steps to address either problem (or passed policies that made matters worse)...
2024 Joyce Awards applications open: Grants increased to $100K each
Now accepting applications for the 2024 Joyce Awards
Joyce Statement in Response to SCOTUS Affirmative Action Decision
The Supreme Court’s ruling could unravel the years of progress towards diversifying college campuses. The decisions will hinder colleges/universities from considering race in admission decisions, reversing decades of legal precedent.

2023 Joyce Awards Announcement
We’re thrilled to announce the 2023 winners of our Joyce Awards, which support the creation of community-driven new works by artists of color in partnership with organizations in the Great Lakes region.

Reclaiming Reform: Policing, Public Safety & Public Trust
Joyce and Crain's Business Chicago hosted a public forum to discuss national best practices in police reform and assess how they could be applied to Chicago as the City works to implement it’s consent decree and selects a new leader of CPD.

Joyce Mourns the Passing of Founding Board Member Jack Anderson
Anderson was co-chair of the Board of Directors from '84-'87, Board Chair from '87-2011, and then emeritus director. He is largely responsible for establishing the vision of the organization and building it into one of Illinois’ largest philanthropies...

Sean Decatur and Russell Kavalhuna Join Joyce Foundation Board
The Joyce Foundation is pleased to welcome to its Board of Directors American Museum of Natural History President Sean M. Decatur and Henry Ford College President Russell A. Kavalhuna.
Upcoming Event - Reclaiming Reform: Policing, Public Safety & Public Trust
We invite you to join us for Reclaiming Reform: Policing, Public Safety & Public Trust on May 3, 2023.

“Not Your Father’s DOJ”: The Emergence of Community Violence Intervention
Louisa Aviles, Gun Violence Prevention & Justice Reform's senior program officer, talks about her longtime experience in Community Violence Intervention (CVI).
Looking Back to Look Ahead: Leveraging Federal Stimulus Investments & Advancing Equitable Recovery
Since 2020, Joyce has invested nearly $8 million across 40 grants in federal economic stimulus-related efforts. Learn more about them here.
Two Great Lakes States Launch Data Dashboards to Report Violent Deaths & Develop Prevention Strategies
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recently launched MiDVRS and MNDVRS presenting data collected by the NVDRS, the most comprehensive source of data on violent deaths.
Joyce Mourns Director Emeritus Gov. Tony Earl
The Joyce Foundation mourns the passing of former Wisconsin Governor Tony Earl, a committed environmental steward and proponent of democratic principles in Wisconsin and throughout the Great Lakes region.

A Year at EPA: Lessons Learned
Environment Program Co-Director Elizabeth Cisar recently returned to the Foundation after serving an 18-month stint as a senior advisor in the Office of Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Joyce Democracy Grantees Ramp Up Great Lakes Voter Education, Protection Efforts
Democracy nonpartisan organizations working to get out the vote in Great Lakes region.
University of Michigan Releases National Framework to Measure Energy Equity
The Energy Equity Project (EEP) at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability recently released the first national framework to comprehensively measure and advance energy equity.