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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Shaping Illinois’s Next Generation of Opportunity Zones
A stakeholder engagement effort to help DCEO convene and learn from an Opportunity Zones 2.0 Advisory Board as the State selects its next round of Opportunity Zones that can incentivize private capital into historically underinvested communities.
Legal Strategy for the Chicago Residential Investment Fund
A legal strategy engagement to help the Chicago Residential Investment Fund, an independent Illinois not-for-profit corporation launched through Mayor Brandon Johnson's Green Social Housing program to administer $135 million in a revolving loan fund for housing, confirm its path to 501(c)(3) status and the funding structure that comes with it.
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.
Cook County’s Digital Equity Plan Implementation
In October 2023, Cook County released the first Digital Equity Action Plan, a crucial step to address the digital divide that impacts communities in suburban Cook County, which results in barriers to economic opportunities, social connections, and community wellbeing. The plan identifies Cook County’s path to digital equity through accessibility, confidence, safety and security, and affordability.
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.
Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative Legal Support
The Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative (GPRWC) is a coalition of residents, faith-based organizations, healthcare institutions, nonprofits, and other stakeholders in Chicago's West Garfield Park community. The group was formally established in 2021 to develop a unified strategy to address the significant disparities in health outcomes in the area, where residents live thirteen years less on average compared to people just a few miles away.
Build Up Cook County
An influx of capital and recovery funding provides an opportunity for municipalities to make critical investments in their infrastructures. However, small governments often lack the capacity and capital planning expertise needed to access or invest these funds. Since 2021, Civic Consulting Alliance and our pro bono partners supported Cook County to strategize and implement a new “Build Up Cook” program.
“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