Illinois-based foundation invests $6 million in state

• Arts & Culture
• MacArthur Foundation
• Investment

Count the Chicago-based MacArthur Foundation among those who are investing in Illinois.

In February, all 14 of the foundation’s awards for creative and effective institutions went to Chicago organizations. The awards, which groups all over the world vie for, totaled more than $6 million.

The MacArthur Foundation, known for its “genius” fellowships, supports more than 300 arts and culture groups in Chicago and has invested nearly $1.1 billion in the city since 1978.

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DuSable Museum granted Smithsonian Affiliation

The Chicago DuSable Museum of African American History, which celebrates the lives and works of African Americans, has been granted Smithsonian affiliation.

The museum houses a number of works and exhibits that promote understanding and inspire appreciation of the achievements, contributions, and experiences of African Americans, and is one of only two in Chicago that has been given this prestigious affiliation.

With the new affiliation between the DuSable and the Smithsonian comes a brand new partnership that will allow the DuSable access to the Smithsonian’s archives, and vice-versa. This partnership will likely bring the works housed at the Chicago institution onto the international scene.

For more information visit: http://www.dusablemuseum.org

Illinois ranks among best states for women

• Women
• Income

Women in Illinois rank fifth in the nation for median income, according to a new study released by WalletHub. The study also found Illinois to be among the best states in the Midwest for women overall.

Illinois ranked 13th in the study, which examined factors that included unemployment rates for women, the percentage of women living in poverty, the share of women-owned businesses, and statistics like life expectancy at birth and percentage of women with health insurance.

Read the whole study at WalletHub.

Illinois children's museum ranked among nation's best

• Kohl Children's Museum
• Arts & Culture
• Families
• Children

Encouraging children to unplug and learn is a common goal among parents in Illinois and a museum is one of the best ways to do this. The Kohl Children’s Museum in Glenview, Illinois is rated among the nation’s best children’s museums by Reader’s Digest, Parents Magazine and The Early Childhood Education Zone.

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