Since March, Civic Consulting Alliance has mobilized to support a comprehensive COVID-19 response and recovery that centers equity. To date, we’ve redeployed 75 percent of our staff and secured pro bono teams across nearly 20 projects, organized into 10 distinct workstreams with the City of Chicago, Cook County, the State of Illinois, and philanthropic and community stakeholders.

This month, we highlight two compelling examples of this critical work: the City of Chicago’s Recovery Task Force and the State of Illinois’ reopening guidelines.

Recovery Task Force

On April 23, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the launch of the COVID-19 Recovery Task Force to provide recommendations for the economic and social recovery of the Chicago region. The Task Force was a group of industry experts, regional government leaders, community-based partners, and policymakers. Civic Consulting Alliance and our pro bono partners are proud to have served a key role in coordinating the efforts of this Task Force, led by its co-chairs, Mayor Lightfoot and former White House Chief of Staff Sam Skinner.

On July 9, the City released Forward Together, the Task Force’s advisory report. The report outlines 17 bold recommendations to ensure an inclusive and equitable recovery for the city of Chicago and our region, in alignment with the Mayor’s commitment to eradicate poverty and address systemic inequities. The recommendations were developed by five committees with distinct focus areas:

1. Change Study – Uncovering the impact of COVID-19 on Chicago’s economic and social fabric
2. Policy & Economic Stimulus – Determining a strategy to help Chicago’s economy weather the impact of COVID-19 and to create an economy that works for all Chicagoans
3. Mental & Emotional Health – Ensuring Chicagoans are supported mentally and emotionally during the COVID-19 healing process
4. Marketing & Business Development – Engaging Chicagoans to build a city that attracts tourists, conventions, corporations, and workforce talent
5. Regional Coordination – Ensuring recovery coordination between Chicago, surrounding counties, and the State of Illinois

In the months ahead, Civic Consulting Alliance will support the implementation of the report’s recommendations by providing program management and advancing specific recommendations that require additional capacity.

Illinois Reopening Guidelines

The State of Illinois is committed to a comprehensive, systematic, and data-driven approach to Illinois’ reopening. On June 22, the State released the guidelines for phase four of its Restore Illinois plan, a five-phase reopening plan driven by public health guidelines. Civic Consulting Alliance and our pro bono partner, Bain & Co., have supported the State’s reopening efforts by engaging industry and sector groups, and coordinating an internal working group comprised of representatives from the Governor’s Office, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, to develop industry-specific guidelines that allow for the safe re-opening of businesses.

While our city and state’s battle with COVID-19 is far from over, we are proud to be part of these efforts to provide the public with transparent leadership and research-driven guidance on the path towards a safe, equitable recovery.