Our Annual Luncheon and Celebration is just one day away! Thank you to our Silver sponsors for helping make this year’s event possible as we celebrate more than 100 years of BGA’s work toward a more equitable and accountable Illinois government.

Our Annual Luncheon and Celebration is just one day away! Thank you to our Gold sponsors for helping make this year’s event possible as we celebrate more than 100 years of BGA’s work toward a more equitable and accountable Illinois government.

A special thank you to our Platinum sponsors of the BGA's 2026 Annual Luncheon and Celebration. Join us this Thursday as we celebrate the BGA's work to advance a more transparent and accountable government for all the people of Illinois. This year's event will include special guest and watchdog honoree Valerie Jarrett, and a conversation between BGA President & CEO David Greising & William Kristol on the most pressing issues around democracy today. 📅 Thursday, Oct. 22 | 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. 📍 Palmer House Hilton, Chicago pjhchicago.com/events/bga

A special thank you to our Second Century sponsors of the BGA's 2026 Annual Luncheon and Celebration. This year’s Annual Luncheon celebrates the Better Government Association’s 100+ year record of advancing a more transparent, equitable and accountable government for all the people of Illinois through investigative journalism, policy advocacy and community engagement that hold power to account and drive meaningful reform. 📅 Thursday, Oct. 22 | 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. 📍 Palmer House Hilton, Chicago bit.ly/4hWJ5LN

Get department-by-department analysis of Chicago's proposed budget, delivered throughout budget hearings directly to you inbox. Sign up here for this year's Budget Snapshots from BGA's policy and budget analyst Geoffrey Cubbage: bit.ly/483HOOj

We're looking forward to hosting our 2026 Annual Luncheon and Celebration this Thursday. A special thank you to our Co-Chairs who helped make this year's event possible.

Join us for a conversation on the evolving political landscape and the future of democratic institutions with William Kristol, featured guest at the BGA's 2026 Annual Luncheon and Celebration. The discussion with the BGA's President & CEO David Greising will draw on Kristol's work as Editor at Large of The Bulwark and founding director of Defending Democracy Together to examine the role of public discourse in addressing pressing national and civic issues. 📅 Thursday, Oct. 22 | 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. 📍 Palmer House Hilton, Chicago Learn more and reserve your spot here: bit.ly/4hWJ5LN

Don't miss BGA’s Annual Luncheon & Celebration as we recognize this year’s Watchdog Honoree, The Honorable Valerie Jarrett. Throughout her decades of public service and civic leadership, Jarrett has worked to strengthen communities and expand opportunity. As Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama and chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, she mobilized leaders across sectors to address critical challenges, reinforcing the importance of accountable leadership in fostering a more just and engaged society. Join us as we recognize Jarrett’s contributions and look ahead to the BGA’s next chapter. 📅 Thursday, Oct. 22 | 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. 📍 Palmer House Hilton, Chicago bit.ly/4hWJ5LN

Join us for the Better Government Association’s 2026 Annual Luncheon & Celebration! Let’s look ahead to the BGA’s future as we mark more than 100 years of accountability journalism, government transparency and civic engagement, with special guest and honoree Valerie Jarrett and a conversation between BGA President & CEO David Greising and William Kristol on the state of democracy. 📅 Thursday, Oct. 22 | 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. 📍 Palmer House Hilton, Chicago Learn more and reserve your spot here: bit.ly/4hWJ5LN

We are excited to invite you to the next installment of our series, City Council 101: Budget Season. We will be joined by Ald. Jason Ervin, Ald. Bill Conway, and Ald. Andre Vasquez to discuss this year's budget which is shaping up to be a tough one and what it means for our city. Moderated by Sr. Policy Analyst Geoffrey Cubbage, we will explore what to expect this year in terms of budget drafting, managing debt, new revenues and other funding priorities. Register Here: bit.ly/4yT0vzA

Our very own Sr. Policy Analyst Geoffrey Cubbage will join @chipublib to discuss city budget! Join them on Monday Sept. 28 from 6-7:30pm

NEW ANALYSIS: Which @chicago departments stayed within budget last year? Here's our analysis: 💵 Most city departments stayed within their budgets in 2025, a BGA Policy analysis of actual spend data found. 💵 Lawsuits and overtime continue to bust the @Chicago_Police budget, a BGA Policy analysis found: CPD exceeded its nearly $2 billion budget by $146 million in 2025. Read our analysis here: bettergov.org/2026/09/18/ana…

Join us in supporting the incredible work of our journalist. On September 15, Illinois Answers reporters will take you beyond the published story, sharing what they uncovered, how they found it and why their reporting matters for communities across Illinois. RSVP Today: bit.ly/4y3WFDl

On September 15, we're celebrating the work of our journalists at Illinois Answers. Go beyond the published story with reporters as they share what they uncovered, how they found it and why their reporting matters for communities across Illinois. You can RSVP here by Sep 1: bit.ly/4y3WFDl

Join Illinois Answers Project reporters for a behind-the-scenes conversation about the investigations exposing unsafe jails, housing inequities, gambling harms, government finance and school board transparency. Hear the stories behind the headlines and discover how accountability journalism gives us the information we need to hold power accountable and create meaningful change. • 5:30 – 6:30 PM: Museum Exploration + Reception • 6:30 – 7:30 PM: Panel Discussion + Q&A • 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Light Bites + Beer/Wine Be our guest! Please RSVP by Sept. 1st by registering here: bit.ly/4ckta7W

Read our 2023 analysis here: bettergov.org/2023/01/30/ill…