Metro Chicago Information Center

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]

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]