News & Projects
Our work Is expansive, and so are the stories that shape the Chicago region’s civic ecosystem.
This space is designed to inform, inspire, and celebrate the collective efforts to create a more vibrant, equitable, and prosperous Chicago region for all.
From partner spotlights and project updates to deep dives on key initiatives, we share the moments, milestones, and ideas that reflect our collaborative approach.
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Positioning the City to Speed Up Affordable Housing and Commercial Corridor Development
Civic Consulting Alliance is playing a key role in the Cut the Tape initiative to help the City accelerate its approval processes for real estate development projects. We leveraged our expertise to help the Mayor’s Office research best practices from peer cities, gather and synthesize input from stakeholders, and work with 14 City departments to refine the list of high-impact solutions. This collaboration resulted in the Cut the Tape report of 100+ solutions to significantly speed up the development approval process and position Chicago to better support investments by small businesses, entrepreneurs, developers, and corporations. Civic Consulting Alliance is continuing to support the City in the implementation of this ambitious set of recommendations.
Chicago Public Library Resource Analysis
The Chicago Public Library (CPL) serves all Chicagoans with free and open places to gather, learn, connect, read, and be transformed. With 81 locations across all 77 community areas, CPL branches provide free resources and act as anchor institutions that can respond to community needs.
Chicago Public Library Strategic Plan Prep
Chicago Public Library (CPL) celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2023 and continues to evolve as a resource for Chicagoans. In recent years, CPL underwent several changes, including a new leadership team, a post-pandemic shift in how people use the library, and key planning efforts, including an equity and capital plan. CPL’s current strategic plan concludes in 2024.
West Side United Food Access Strategy
In 2017, Civic Consulting Alliance provided foundational support to bring together a collaborative of healthcare providers to build West Side United (WSU), an organization committed to eradicating the 16-year life expectancy gap between residents on Chicago’s West Side and the Loop. One of WSU’s primary strategies is to address the social determinants of health by removing barriers to accessing healthy food.
CPS Arts Education Plan
Chicago Public Schools’ (CPS) groundbreaking citywide Arts Plan, launched in 2012, yielded tangible results, including robust arts partnerships, and recommendations around instructional minutes. In a post-COVID world, student needs have changed dramatically, putting CPS at a critical point in time to build upon the success of the previous plan while identifying opportunities to improve and expand the arts education experience and address current challenges.
“Civic Consulting Alliance was instrumental in getting the Cut the Tape initiative off the ground quickly. Their in-depth research on peer cities and insightful stakeholder engagement helped us identify ways to streamline the City’s real estate development process. This not only saved us valuable time but also ensured we targeted the highest-impact solutions that will lead to more affordable housing and vibrant commercial corridors throughout Chicago.”
Kenya Merritt, Deputy Mayor of Business and Neighborhood Development, City of Chicago