News & Stories

Who’s Helped Your Community Thrive? Nominate Them To Win $15,000 at The 25th Annual Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards

Linze Rice
8.28.2018

Meaningful and purposeful investments in Chicago’s neighborhoods at the community-level are crucial for residents to grow and thrive — that’s why for the last 25 years we have sought to recognize those committed to the health of our city’s neighborhoods with the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards.

Since 1995, the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards has shined a spotlight on the critical role both non-profit and for-profit developers play in strengthening Chicago-area communities through outstanding achievements in neighborhood real estate development, community engagement, neighborhood planning, creative placemaking and building stronger and healthier communities. Winners of the awards receive a $15,000 prize.

Applications for the award are now open until Monday, Sept. 17. Award options include:

Past winners of the Chicago Neighborhoods Development Awards have included both local grassroots organizations, as well as for-profit entities, such as: Preservation for Affordable Housing in Woodlawn, Chicago Metropolitan Housing Development, Saint Anthony Hospital Mental Health Services, ONE Northside, Mikvah Challenge, The Salvation Army, The Community Builders, Thresholds, Albany Park Neighborhood Council, The Resurrection Project and many more.

Additionally, architects apply for The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Award for Architectural Excellence in Community Design, an award that recognizes best practices in community design, landscape design, and architecture.

Winning projects successfully enrich the neighborhood’s overall visual, social and cultural quality of life. Winners receive $15,000 to the top recipient and $3,000 and $2,000, respectively to the runners-up. Past winning projects have included DesignBridge Ltd.’s for Casa Queretaro, a new model for affordable housing in Pilsen, Wheeler Kearns Architects for its design of Lakeview Pantry, and architect Juan Gabriel Moreno’s design of Northeastern Illinois University’s El Centro campus.

LISC Chicago is proud to serve as the organizing agency for the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards and the Driehaus Foundation Awards for Architectural Excellence in Community Design and works closely with sponsors, volunteer committees and judges to select award recipients and to produce the annual awards ceremony.

“These types of investments in Chicago’s neighborhoods are crucial not just for communities’ survival — but for them to truly thrive,” said LISC Chicago Executive Director Meghan Harte. “When you have both non-profit and for-profit organizations on your side, all working collaboratively toward a common goal of creating something sustainable to nurture a community’s health, there’s no way to lose. We continue to recognize those helping to make it happen because their work continues to be vital.”

Winners will be announced and honored on Thursday, May 9, 2019 at McCormick Place.

CNDA 24 Winners
CNDA 24 Winners