Online: The IMPACT Program - Funding solutions that address digital gaps and leverage storytelling #659

In 2024, Cook County and City Bureau partnered to co-design and launch the IMPACT Small Grants Program to provide funding and storytelling support to local nonprofits, media organizations, and libraries. These grants help expand internet access, boost digital literacy, and boost the engagement efforts of community-based organizations to make digital skills accessible to everyone in Cook County.

The IMPACT Program has funded 14 organizations across Suburban Cook County to address the digital divide and engage their communities so more people can access the information, devices, and resources they need to live well, be informed, and connect with each other.

Through the program, City Bureau and Cook County’s Digital Equity Initiative are working to leverage partnerships and creative solutions from local media, civic institutions and direct service organizations to grow a diverse ecosystem of stakeholders addressing gaps in digital access and literacy while also increasing awareness of digital equity’s impact on people’s daily lives.