NEW YORK—The Open Society Institute today announced a $470,000 grant to groups in Wisconsin to monitor federal stimulus spending, encourage public participation in state-level decisions, and advocate for an equitable distribution of recovery funds.
"The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is the largest federal spending package in history, and it demands close scrutiny," said Ann Beeson, executive director of U.S. Programs at the Open Society Institute. "Strong oversight and advocacy at the state level is critical to ensure that the recovery brings opportunity to all Americans."
"It is crucial that Wisconsin rebuild its economy in a sustainable way," said Karen Royster, executive director of the Institute for Wisconsin's Future, a partner in the coalition. Royster said the grant would enable partners in the "Keeping 'us' in the Stimulus" project to advocate for community involvement in the development of training and job creation programs.
"The grant process helped us build a unique coalition focused on bringing the reality of recovery dollar investments to people in need in our communities," said Pam Fendt, Good Jobs and Livable Neighborhoods Project Coordinator for Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund, who is leading outreach and advocacy efforts for the groups.
Rev. Ken Wheeler, pastor of Cross Lutheran Church on Milwaukee's north side, said, "So many programs and projects are announced that seem to have great promise for our community. We are concerned, though, that the real benefits of our public investments provide concrete help to our people. It is not enough to help 'the economy' if you don't engage those who the economy has left behind. The staggering unemployment rate among our African-American community in Milwaukee has to be turned around. I am hoping this collaborative effort can help ensure that those who are usually left out can finally get the stimulus they need."
The coalition will receive support over two years from the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a sister organization of the Open Society Institute. Similar grants were made to groups in New York, California, Texas, Maryland and Mississippi. The grants are part of a number of new initiatives the foundation has recently launched in the United States. U.S. Programs recognizes that the challenges to open society are deeply linked, and supports efforts that bring people together across issues and communities to address them.
The groups in the Wisconsin coalition include The Wisconsin Citizen Engagement Project, Institute for Wisconsin's Future, WISDOM, Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund, Good Jobs and Livable Neighborhoods, 9to5, National Association of Working Women, Campaign Against Violence, Midwest Environmental Advocates, Voces de la Frontera, Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, and Institute for One Wisconsin.