BGA Announces $1 Million Gift from Richard H. Driehaus

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The Better Government Association (BGA) is pleased to announce a $1 million gift from the Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust to promote honest, efficient, and transparent government through investigative journalism, public policy advocacy and civic engagement.

“This generous gift represents Mr. Driehaus’s commitment to a strong government built on the highest principles of honesty, integrity, fairness, accountability and transparency,” says H. Roderic Heard, BGA Board chairman. “We thank Mr. Driehaus for his support of our BGA mission to promote good government.”

The Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust will match every dollar raised by the BGA up to $1 million. Mr. Driehaus is asking the BGA’s other supporters to increase their financial commitment to Chicago’s oldest and most distinguished anti-corruption civic watchdog.

“The BGA reminds public officials—with vigorous investigations, realistic reform proposals and tireless outreach—that these are our tax dollars, not theirs,” says Mr. Driehaus. “We are at a critical moment, with government in crisis at all levels, and the BGA represents one of our best hopes for achieving more fairness, accountability, integrity, transparency and honesty from our public officials.”

BGA President and CEO Andy Shaw says the Driehaus grant will underwrite BGA projects aimed at ending patronage, waste, duplication, inefficiency and corruption in Chicago and throughout the state.

“Better government is a right and a responsibility,” says Shaw, “and if the BGA does its job aggressively, creatively and intelligently, side-by-side with thousands of like-minded Illinois residents, we can make better government a reality.”

The BGA is a nonprofit organization founded in 1923 by civic leaders committed to fighting corruption and improving government by investigating public officials, filing transparency lawsuits and facilitating fact-based civic engagement efforts. Additional information about the BGA’s history and current activities can be found at www.bettergov.org.

If you have any questions or comments, contact BGA Communications Editor Jessica Curry at jcurry@bettergov.org or 312-821-9037, 630-881-6743.