Sweet Water Foundation

Established in 2009, the Sweet Water Foundation works with youth, their families, and other local residents to transform the ecology of blighted neighborhoods in Chicago. The organization combines urban agriculture, art, and project-based education to transform classrooms, vacant lots, and abandoned buildings. Nestled between the Washington Park and Englewood communities, the Sweet Water Foundation's Perry Avenue Commonwealth site attracts thousands of locals and visitors annually. This award provides general operating support to the Sweet Water Foundation as part of the Foundation’s Culture, Equity, and the Arts program.

Sweet Water Foundation (SWF) is a community-based organization on Chicago’s South side that practices Regenerative Neighborhood Development - a creative and regenerative social justice method, that creates safe and inspiring spaces and curates healthy, intergenerational communities that transform the ecology of so-called ”blighted” neighborhoods Inspired by the work with Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle and Mel Chin for the 2021 Toward Common Cause exhibition and related activities, Sweetwater Foundation is developing  well · ness at The Commonwealth, a mobile classroom and workshop space that explores the many facets and dimensions of water as the source of all life. This ‘living’ installation features an emergent and participatory research opportunity that engages and bridges a diverse range of global citizens of all walks of life (local area residents, students, educators, policymakers et al) to critically examine the precarity of water as a precious life source and establish an accountability framework in the face of our global climate crisis.”  As part of this initiative, there are plans for a series of talks and workshops involving MacArthur Fellows such as Jeanne Gang, Damon Rich, Matthew Desmond, and Rick Lowe. Sweetwater and the exhibition will be open to the public, and the exhibition will also have a virtual presence for people to visit it that way. The conversations will be recorded and livestreamed.

Established in 2009, Sweetwater Foundation works with youth, their families, and other local residents to transform the ecology of blighted neighborhoods in Chicago. Sweet Water combines urban agriculture, art, and project-based education to transform classrooms, vacant lots, and abandoned buildings. Nestled between the Washington Park and Englewood communities, the Sweet Water Foundation's Perry Avenue Commons site has become a model of 21st century sustainable community development, attracting thousands of locals and visitors annually. This award for renewed institutional support enables the organization to increase its capacity to generate revenue and further scale its operations.

Established in 2009, Sweet Water Foundation works with youth, their families, and other local residents to transform the ecology of blighted neighborhoods in Chicago. Sweet Water combines urban agriculture, art, and project-based education to transform classrooms, vacant lots, and abandoned buildings. Nestled between the Washington Park and Englewood communities, the Sweet Water Foundation's Perry Avenue Commons site has become a model of 21st century sustainable community development, attracting thousands of locals and visitors annually. This institutional support award enables the organization to develop a strategic plan, strengthen its fundraising capacity, and scale its operations.