Since its founding in 2019, Lever for Change has partnered with donors to launch nine competitions, ranging from racial and gender equity to economic development and climate change.
The nine competitions offer awards ranging from $10-to-$100 million, including the newly launched $90 million Racial Equity 2030.
In August 2020, the Pritzker Traubert Foundation announced Always Growing, Auburn Gresham as the recipient of the $10 million Chicago Prize, which was managed by Lever for Change with design and development support provided by Common Pool. The Foundation launched the Chicago Prize to support initiatives that spur economic activity, strengthen civic infrastructure, and improve the safety, well-being, and economic mobility of residents in the city's South and/or West sides.
The Pritzker Traubert Foundation committed an additional $2.5 million in development funds accessible to the other finalist teams from Austin, Englewood, Little Village, North Lawndale and South Chicago. During the competition, 14 teams received a $10,000 award to recognize their collaborative work. Six were named Chicago Prize finalists, and each was awarded a $100,000 grant to support their ongoing project planning and preparation of final proposals for the selection committee.
In addition to the Chicago Prize funding, the City of Chicago announced an $11 million commitment in July 2020 to two of the finalists, Always Growing, Auburn Gresham and Advancing North Lawndale Together, as part of the City's Invest South/West program.
