Catch up on IFF news, read stories about community development projects across the Midwest, and gain insight from our team.

Thought Leadership
map of redlined neighborhoods
May 09, 2019
The Appraisal Bias: How more equitable underwriting can increase capital in communities of color
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Thought Leadership
March 12, 2019
Exploring the continuum: Why community development projects need so much more than capital
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Stories
April 24, 2024
How Shermann “Dilla” Thomas is Championing Chicago’s Neighborhoods by Shining a Light on Underappreciated History
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Stories
April 10, 2024
Male Mogul Initiative Celebrates Grand Opening of Small Business Incubator on Chicago’s South Side
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Stories
March 27, 2024
“This is where you start a straight A student”: Quality Facilities for All Supports Early Childhood Education in Illinois
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Stories
March 01, 2024
February 2024 Loan Round-up
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Stories
February 28, 2024
IFF’s Home First Honored by Cook County Land Bank Authority as Nonprofit Developer of the Year
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Stories
February 22, 2024
The Aux: Leveraging the Power of Connection to Help Black-owned Businesses Thrive
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Stories
February 20, 2024
IFF’s Vickie Lakes-Battle Joins City Club of Chicago Panel Discussion About the Role of the Humanities in Community and Economic Development
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Stories
February 01, 2024
January 2024 Loan Round-up
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Stories
January 23, 2024
Investing in Chicago’s West Side, One Young Person at a Time: Q&A with MAAFA Redemption Project’s Marshall Hatch, Jr.
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Stories
December 19, 2023
Quality Facilities for All (QFA) Initiative Completes First Cohort of ECE Facility Renovations in Chicago
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Stories
December 01, 2023
November 2023 Loan Round-up
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Stories
November 20, 2023
IFF Leverages FHLBank Chicago Membership to Unlock $33.5+ Million in Funding for Affordable Housing in the Midwest
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Stories
November 01, 2023
October 2023 Loan Round-up
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Stories
October 27, 2023
Stronger Nonprofits Initiative’s Chicago Cohorts Gather for Reunion
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Stories
October 01, 2023
September 2023 Loan Round-up
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Stories
A view inside Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, in Chicago, showing an exhibition featuring the work of celebrated artist Henry Darger.
September 21, 2023
Reimagining What a Modern Museum Can Be: A Conversation with ACLF Participant Debra Kerr, President and CEO of Intuit
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Stories
August 17, 2023
Illinois Charter School Completes Renovation of Historically Significant Campus Designed for Expeditionary Learning
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Stories
August 01, 2023
July 2023 Loan Round-up
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Stories
July 01, 2023
June 2023 Loan Round-up
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Stories
June 07, 2023
Stronger Nonprofits Initiative: Five Years of Investment and Impact
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Stories
June 01, 2023
May 2023 Loan Round-up
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Stories
May 24, 2023
Persistence Pays Off for Enlace Chicago as Hard-Won Facility Serves as a Stepping Stone for Continued Growth
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Stories
May 22, 2023
Supporting a Broad Range of Chicago’s Dance Artists: A Conversation with ACLF Program Participant Joanna Furnans, Executive Director of Chicago Dancemakers Forum
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Stories
May 05, 2023
IFF’s 2022 Annual Report: Together We Build a Stronger Midwest
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Stories
May 01, 2023
April 2023 Loan Round-up
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Stories
April 24, 2023
Navigating ‘an Incredible Time of Transition’: A Conversation with ACLF Program Participant Jeannie Lukow, Executive Director of Porchlight Music Theatre
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Stories
April 01, 2023
March 2023 Loan Round-up
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Stories
March 01, 2023
February 2023 Loan Round-up
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Stories
February 21, 2023
Long-term Partnership with IFF Sees Chicago Arts Nonprofit Through Multiple Phases of Growth to First Owned Facility
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Stories
February 01, 2023
January 2023 Loan Round-up
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Stories
January 19, 2023
IFF’s Continuum in Practice: Going Deep in Place in Chicago’s North Lawndale Neighborhood
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Stories
January 19, 2023
Arts and Culture Community Celebrates Chicago’s Cultural Treasures as Initiative Embarks on Its Next Phase
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Stories
January 01, 2023
December 2022 Loan Round-up
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Stories
December 19, 2022
Together We Build More Vibrant, Equitable Communities
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Stories
December 01, 2022
November 2022 Loan Round-up
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Stories
November 23, 2022
IFF’s Home First Project Integrates Health and Housing for Residents with Disabilities
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Stories
November 23, 2022
Closing the Affordable Housing Gap: Q&A with Illinois Housing Development Authority Executive Director Kristin Faust
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Stories
November 11, 2022
October 2022 Loan Round-up
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Stories
October 26, 2022
10 Key Takeaways from the Stronger Nonprofits Initiative’s First Five Years
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Stories
October 01, 2022
September 2022 Loan Round-up
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Stories
September 23, 2022
New IFF Loan Program Reduces Barriers to Capital for BIPOC-Led Nonprofits on Chicago’s South and West Sides
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Stories
September 23, 2022
Photo Tour: An Alternative Day School for Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder Combines Quality Education and Therapeutic Services in New Space
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Stories
August 31, 2022
August 2022 Loan Round-up
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Stories
August 23, 2022
At the Intersection of Equity and Early Childhood Education: Q&A with Erikson Institute President Dr. Mariana Souto-Manning
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Stories
Architect's rendering of Detroit Public Theatre's new facility
August 01, 2022
July 2022 Loan Round-up
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Stories
A networking event for entrepreneurs in the Mox.E coworking space at Entrenuity's headquarters in Chicago's South Loop neighborhood
July 19, 2022
Virtual Tour: Historic Building in the “Cradle of Rhythm and Blues” Reborn as an Incubator for BIPOC and Women Entrepreneurs
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Stories
548 Development Founder and CEO A.J. Patton
July 18, 2022
Building a More Sustainable Future While Lifting Up Businesses on Chicago’s South and West Sides: Q&A with 548 Development Founder & CEO A.J. Patton
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Stories
An architect's rendering of the Lillian Marcie Center
July 01, 2022
June 2022 Loan Round-up
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Stories
Architect's rendering of the Academy for Global Citizenship at the Cultivate Collective hub
June 21, 2022
Chicago’s Academy for Global Citizenship Anchors New State-of-the-Art Learning, Sustainability, and Wellness Hub Catered to Community Needs
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Stories
June 21, 2022
Meeting the Moment: 3 Nonprofit Leaders Reflect on Serving More, Serving More Effectively, and Serving More Equitably
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