The Illinois Answers Project is an investigative reporting and news outlet launched in 2021 by the Better Government Association (BGA), a Chicago-based left-of-center advocacy group founded in the 1920s that promotes government transparency and investigates alleged corruption in Chicago municipal and Illinois state government. The Illinois Answers Project publishes stories on crime, politics, and public corruption while also promoting left-of-center perspectives on topics including LGBT issues and criminal justice. The outlet is an affiliate member of the left-of-center Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) and was formed as the result of a $10 million grant from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. ^{1 2 3}

Background

The Illinois Answers Project was launched in 2021 with a grant from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation as a joint partnership between the Better Government Association (BGA) and McCormick Foundation, and was originally called “the Illinois Solutions Partnership.” The project was funded by a $10 million grant from the McCormick Foundation over five years, and BGA committed to devoting resources and reporters to help staff the project. The group stated that the project would have an emphasis on “equity and accountability in Chicago and across Illinois.” ²

The Illinois Answers Project is led by David Greising, the president and CEO of the Better Government Association. Greising is a former journalist who previously held senior roles at publications including the Chicago Tribune, Reuters, World Business Chicago, and Chicago News Cooperative. ⁴

Reporting

The Illinois Answer Project’s reporting centers on investigating alleged mismanagement within city and state government agencies in Chicago and Illinois respectively. Much of the outlet’s reporting covers crime and policing in Chicago, such as an investigative piece detailing how a handgun that was supposed to be destroyed by a Chicago Police Department gun buyback program was stolen from a police station and used in three shootings. ⁵

The outlet also published an analysis of comments by Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R), who criticized Chicago’s gun laws as ineffective, rating it “mostly false” by quoting left-of-center anti-gun organizations including Giffords, and implying that the federal court decisions overruling Chicago’s handgun ban were to blame for a perceived lack of success of local firearm restriction efforts. ⁶

The outlet also published a story criticizing Gov. Abbott for busing migrants to Chicago, detailing Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city, which it called a “Welcoming City,” and noting that “there are certain measures in place that prevent Chicago police from cooperating with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.” It added, “All city services and benefits are also available to all Chicagoans regardless of immigration status.” ⁷

Affiliated Organizations

The Illinois Answers Project is published by the Better Government Association (BGA), Chicago-based center-left advocacy organization established in 1923 that promotes what it views as government transparency, accountability, and ethics in Illinois. Originally founded to combat corruption in Chicago during the era of Al Capone and rampant organized crime in the city, the BGA has since evolved into an investigative journalism and policy advocacy group that promotes “government transparency” and analysis on state and local budgeting processes. In the 2020s, the organization continued to engage in government transparency efforts but has somewhat shifted its focus towards promoting left-of-center stances on equity and criminal justice. ^{8 9}

The Robert R. McCormick Foundation (previously known as the McCormick Tribune Foundation), which provided $10 million in grant funding to launch the Illinois Answers Project, was founded in 1955 by the estate of Robert McCormick, the former publisher and editor of the Chicago Tribune. It is among the largest grantmakers in the country with over $1.64 billion in assets, and is known for funding journalism and free speech programs. ^{10 11}

The Illinois Answers Project is an affiliate of the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) (formerly the Investigative News Network), a left-of-center network of nonprofit media organizations such as Mother Jones, ProPublica, and The Intercept. The INN has over 425 affiliate organizations and has promoted left-of-center critical race theory-aligned ideas and objectives. ^{12 13 14}

1. “History.” Better Government Association. Accessed May 13, 2025. https://www.bettergov.org/better-government-association/history/
2. “Better Government Association and McCormick Foundation Form the Illinois Solutions Partnership.” Illinois Answers Project. November 22, 2021. Accessed May 13, 2025. https://illinoisanswers.org/2021/11/22/better-government-association-and-mccormick-foundation-form-the-illinois-solutions-partnership/
3. “About.” Illinois Answers Project. Accessed May 14, 2025. https://illinoisanswers.org/about/
4. “David Greising.” LinkedIn. Accessed May 13, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-greising-22103484/
5. Nickeas, Peter. Toner, Casey, and Schuba, Tom. “Gun Stolen From a Room Full of Chicago Cops Ended Up Being Used in a Series of Shootings.” Illinois Answers Project, May 2, 2025. Accessed May 13, 2025. https://illinoisanswers.org/2025/05/02/gun-stolen-from-chicago-police-station-later-used-series-of-shootings/
6. Trofimuk, Analisa . “Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Claims Chicago’s ‘Tougher’ Gun Laws Fail To Prevent Gun Violence.” Illinois Answers Project, June 3, 2022. Accessed May 13, 2025. https://illinoisanswers.org/2022/06/03/texas-gov-greg-abbott-claims-chicagos-tougher-gun-laws-fail-to-prevent-gun-violence/
7. Manny Ramos. “Explained: Chicago’s Migrant Crisis.” Illinois Answers Project, May 5, 2023. Accessed May 13, 2025. https://illinoisanswers.org/2023/05/05/chicagos-migrant-crisis-explained/
8. “BGA Policy Agenda: City of Chicago 2023.” Better Government Association. Accessed May 13, 2025. https://www.bettergov.org/bga-policy-agenda-city-of-chicago-2023/
9. “BGA State Policy Agenda 2025–2026.” Better Government Association. January 30, 2025. Accessed May 13, 2025. https://www.bettergov.org/2025/01/30/bga-state-policy-agenda-2025-2026/
10. ^[1] “Robert R. McCormick Foundation.” ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Accessed May 13, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363689171
11. “About Us.” Robert R. McCormick Foundation. Accessed May 13, 2025. https://www.mccormickfoundation.org/about-us/
12. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Institute for Nonprofit News. 2023. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/272614911/202433209349312573/full
13. “INN Mission & History.” Institute for Nonprofit News. Accessed April 1, 2025. https://inn.org/about/who-we-are/
14. “Membership Standards.” Institute for Nonprofit News. Accessed December 4, 2023.  https://inn.org/about/membership-standards/