Following the Illinois State Board of Education’s (ISBE) Whole Child Task Force in early 2022, the Illinois House passed legislation requiring the creation of “a community or district-level Children’s Adversity Index to measure community childhood trauma exposure across the population of children 3 through 18 years of age” by May 31, 2025.

The Bureau of Asset Management (the Bureau) comprises three departments responsible for constructing, developing, and maintaining Cook County’s approximately 200 unique properties, which total over 19 million square feet. The Bureau has also seen significant changes in its responsibilities, including a new Build Up Cook program and an expanding Capital Program.

Community violence intervention (CVI) uses community-centered initiatives to reduce violence. It establishes relationships between individuals and community assets to deliver services that save lives, address trauma, provide opportunity, and improve the physical, social, and economic conditions that drive violence. Since 2017, Civic Consulting Alliance has invested in work with clients that catalyze CVI efforts across sectors.

Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson only had six weeks to set his new administration up to effectively govern 2.7 million Chicagoans. With the help of more than 19 partners and approximately 50 members of our staff and our partners’ staff, we provided $2.8 million in pro bono services to support Mayor-elect Johnson as he prepared to take the helm of the City at a time of great challenges and change.

In October 2023, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) welcomed a new Secretary, Dulce Quintero, who wants to create a visionary yet achievable department-wide plan. IDHS administers several vital safety net and other programs including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Early Intervention programs, and Immigrant and Refugee Welcoming Centers.

Community policing is a philosophy that emphasizes collaboration between police and the community to build trust and solve problems. The Chicago Police Department's (CPD) consent decree mandates that every CPD member – sworn officers and civilians – be responsible for making community policing a core component of its programs, training, resource deployment, and accountability systems.

Cook County property taxes provide over $16B annually for the City of Chicago, Cook County, and the many school districts, special districts, and municipalities. The current tax system is complex and difficult to navigate. In 2023, Civic Consulting Alliance supported the creation of the Cook County Property Tax Reform Group (PTAX) to ensure that the property assessment and tax system produces predictable, accurate, fair, and equitable results in a timely and efficient manner.

The City of Chicago’s current real estate development approval process, while well-intentioned, can involve a dozen departments and results in a burdensome and costly undertaking. The complex system also favors those with more time and money to navigate the lengthy planning and entitlements process, including the legal work necessary to obtain approvals.

While Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has made efforts to address long-standing racial inequities in education, Black students continue to suffer from historic and persistent gaps in educational opportunities and outcomes. To address these systemic inequities that have stood in the way of Black student achievement, CPS committed to co-create a Black Student Success Plan alongside key community stakeholders.

City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) is committed to serving adult learners aged 25 or older, or ages 18-24 with adult responsibilities such as parenthood, full-time work, or military service. The 2021 - 2025 Strategic Framework includes a vision to be recognized as the city’s most accessible higher education engine of socioeconomic mobility and racial equity.