Metro Chicago Information Center

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Metro Chicago Information Center
Founded1990; 34 years ago (1990)
DissolvedFebruary 29, 2012; 12 years ago (2012-02-29)
TypeNon-profit
Location
ServicesResearch and Information Resources

Metro Chicago Information Center (MCIC) was an independent nonprofit research and consulting resource based in Chicago, Illinois. MCIC was founded in 1990 by a consortium of business and philanthropic leaders at the Commercial Club of Chicago to regularly collect demographics and baseline data on social policy and human needs for the 6-county metropolitan Chicago region.[1] MCIC provided the data necessary to support public policy and social program development but did not advocate specific policy choices. Faced with a $650,000 defined benefit pension liability for staff hired before 2005,[2] MCIC closed on February 29, 2012.[3]

Research[edit]

MCIC conducted demographic research for both local nonprofits and larger foundations such as the MacArthur Foundation and the Sprague Foundation,[1] whose findings typically went towards fundraising, advocacy, and policy making. MCIC specialized in difficult to reach and underserved populations.[4]

MCIC provided a variety of research and consulting services for branch site analysis, and strategic market planning. GIS/mapping technology, merged with unique databases like HMDA or U.S. Census information, provides in-depth analysis of delineated market areas, individual branch markets, or new site locations.[5]

MCIC was part of a group of national and community-based organizations that served as auxiliary census data distribution centers.[6]

Affiliations[edit]

MCIC was a founding member of the Illinois Data Exchange Affiliates (IDEA), a voluntary coalition of government agencies and nonprofit organizations working to improve and facilitate public access to public data through web-based XML data transfer.[7]

MCIC was the only National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP) partner in the metropolitan Chicago region. The NNIP is a collaborative effort by the Urban Institute in Washington D.C. and 28 local partners around the country who work to further the development and use of neighborhood-level information systems in local policymaking and community building.[8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Shropshire, Corilyn (24 January 2012). "MCIC for Chicago non-profits closing". Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  2. ^ nccs.urban.org
  3. ^ http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalContentItemAction.do?blockName=Cultural+Affairs%2fOther+Service+Providers%2fI+Want+To&deptMainCategoryOID=-536892535&channelId=0&programId=0&entityName=Cultural+Affairs&topChannelName=Dept&contentOID=536890987&Failed_Reason=Invalid+timestamp,+engine+has+been+restarted&contenTypeName=COC_EDITORIAL&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes&Failed_Page=%2fwebportal%2fportalContentItemAction.do&context=dept City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
  4. ^ "MCIC: Custom Research & Consulting Services". Archived from the original on 2009-02-09. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  5. ^ "MCIC: Areas of Expertise". Archived from the original on 2008-06-21. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  6. ^ "MCIC is an official U.S. Census Information Center". Archived from the original on 2009-02-16. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  7. ^ http://data.cmap.illinois.gov/chidataexchange.net//idea_partners.htm
  8. ^ "NNIP: Partner Directory". Archived from the original on 2009-08-06. Retrieved 2009-08-07.