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ANCHOR Grants Programming Contribution

kids mobile eye lab

Commitment Overview

Under the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) between Northwestern University and the City of Evanston, Northwestern has committed to making an annual investment of $500,000 to support partnerships in our home communities of Evanston and Chicago. These funds enable collaborative projects between Northwestern faculty, staff, students, and community-based organizations that share a goal of improving the quality of life for populations facing longstanding social, economic, or structural barriers. 

Objectives and Goals

  • Promote Community Engagement: Confront systemic barriers and create pathways for greater access and shared prosperity for all through collaborative community partnerships and grantmaking.
  • Support Community-Based Organizations: Fund organizations and initiatives that advance health, education, and economic empowerment.
  • Strengthen Northwestern-Community Partnerships: Foster mutually beneficial relationships between Northwestern University and local organizations to drive impactful community change.

Projects Funded

Here are some examples of successful projects in 2024:

Garfield Park Community Council

Garfield Park Community Council (Food, Activity, and Nutrition Initiatives/Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
  • Advancing Food Access Initiatives in Garfield Park

Thresholds

Thresholds (Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine)
  • An Innovative Partnership to Address Homelessness in the Emergency Department

James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy

James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy ( Teaching, Learning, Education, School of Education and Social Policy) 
  • Embedding Restorative Practices in Evanston Schools.
  • The Moran Center & NU will transform local schools, cultivating peace by engaging students from Evanston Districts 65/202 in restorative practices.

Community Impact and Outcomes

The ANCHOR Grants Program has positively impacted both Evanston and Chicago through community-based partnerships.  The initiatives funded under this program address systemic disparities in health, education, and economic empowerment, with tangible outcomes for groups facing systemic barriers. Nearly every Northwestern school and college has participated, reinforcing a university-wide commitment to fairness and fostering stronger community-university relationships.