Northern Illinois Community Initiatives commits $200,000 to advancing economic growth, entrepreneurship in Rockford
July 18, 2023
NAPERVILLE, IL — Northern Illinois Community Initiatives (NICI), a foundation created by Nicor Gas, today announced a total commitment of $200,000 to Think Big! and YWCA Northwestern Illinois. Both nonprofits will receive grants of $100,000 each to support women- and minority- entrepreneurship, skills development, business growth and economic creation.
“At NICI, we are committed to advancing equity by supporting sustainable growth of businesses among women and marginalized groups,” said Tovah McCord, executive director of Northern Illinois Community Initiatives. “We are proud to support Think Big! and YWCA Northwestern Illinois and their missions to confront racial inequality, create opportunities and drive mentorship to transform lives and drive economic development.”
THINK BIG! SCHOOL OF BUSINESS + WOMEN
Think Big! helps black, Latinx, and other marginalized groups overcome barriers to establish and grow their businesses by creating a community culture of investment in minority business growth, economic mobility and job creation.
With support from NICI, Think Big! will create a business school cohort that focuses on coaching, as well as helping women entrepreneurs overcome the gender gap in training and mentorship, secure financial support and business development. This is the second year the nonprofit has received grant support from the foundation.
“We are grateful for the generous gift from NICI,” said Dr. Sheila Hill, co-founder of Think Big! “As we receive commitments like this one, we are helping women entrepreneurs and minority groups establish and grow their businesses and drive economic growth across the Rockford area.”
YWCA NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS
YWCA Northwestern Illinois is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all by administering economic and skills development programs for women and people of color. The nonprofit’s newly launched “YW Tech Lab” provides members with training, credential opportunities and internships in the IT field — a field where they are largely underrepresented.
With support from NICI, YWCA Northwestern Illinois will support the provision of financial stipends to participants of the YW Tech Lab for attendance and successful completion.
“We are thankful for the support of NICI and look forward to working together to address workforce development and IT skill gaps in this portion of the state,” said Kris Machajewski, CEO of YWCA Northwestern Illinois. “Together, we can ensure that women and minority groups have the technical skills they need to support the economic growth currently taking place in Rockford.”
To learn more about NICI’s commitment to the community, visit www.nici-il.org.
ABOUT NORTHERN ILLINOIS COMMUNITY INITIATIVES
NICI was founded by Nicor Gas to bolster investment in under-resourced communities hardest hit by deindustrialization, systemic and environmental racism, and other mitigating factors that affect job creation, wealth-building, healthcare and education. By forming strategic alliances and investing in bold economic development initiatives that help communities thrive, NICI accelerates actionable solutions toward building a more vibrant and equitable regional economy. For more information, visit www.nici-il.org.
ABOUT NICOR GAS
Nicor Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Nicor Gas serves more than 2.3 million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. For more information, visit nicorgas.com.
MEDIA CONTACT
Allison Gregoire
470.733.2076
aegregoi@southernco.com