Elevated Chicago ETOD

The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) is hosting an informational webinar for the next round of the Community Development Grant-Small (CDG-S) grant funding. This will provide up to $250,000 to small businesses all over our Chicago to support construction projects for revenue-generating commercial, mixed-use, and light manufacturing businesses, adding to the economic vitality of the surrounding neighborhood and meeting community needs. Private and non-profit developers, property owners, and businesses are encouraged to apply and attend the webinar via?Zoom from?3-4:30pm next Thursday, April 3, 2025. RSVP at https://lnkd.in/deMD-x5Z. Visit?chicago.gov/cdg?for more information and check out @ChicagoDPD on?Instagram?for examples of successful CDG projects. Any additional questions can be sent to?[email protected].?

This month, Palenque LSNA cohosted an event with the Chicago Department of Transportation on mobility justice. We assembled a panel represented by the head of the Chicago Department of Housing, local elected officials, and leaders of nonprofit organizations to highlight how the topic intersects across issues in housing, arts and culture, and youth organizing. Breakout sessions followed to delve deeper into each issue. Our team lead, Christian Diaz, had planned to moderate but was sick, so I had the honor of facilitating the discussion. Thank you to our amazing panelists for driving a versatile conversation, highlighting how mobility justice connects public transit to the intersections of other fields. Lissette Casta?eda Carlos Ramirez-Rosa Juan Sebastian A. Lesle Honore Juan Carlos Linares Arely Barrera

????Chicagoland's transit agencies are facing up to 40% cuts in service, unless the Illinois General Assembly approves substantial funding this spring. ???? At Elevated Chicago ETOD, we know that access to reliable, frequent, and safe public transportation is critical for every Chicagoan's ability to access jobs and other opportunities, for the health of our regional and state economy, for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and for building vibrant and walkable communities. We need quality public transit to keep our city, region, and state strong; and we can't have #ETOD without transit. With $1.5B in sustainable state funding, we can prevent cuts and actually improve service, safety, and accessibility. Read more about what service cuts would look like here: https://lnkd.in/gp9x2uKK

Elevated Chicago is excited to share our 2025-2027 Work Plan, a roadmap shaped by deep collaboration with our Working Groups, Community Tables, Steering Committee, Leadership Council, and staff. Over the next three years, our work will continue to focus on our core pillars of People, Place, and Process. But it will also be guided by two new overarching principles. Purpose: how our initiatives serve and uplift communities; and Practice: our internal commitment to accountability, collaboration, and inclusivity. Read our Work Plan and a brief message from our Executive Director here.

Did you know women-owned business continually fall short on fundraising, earning only 2% of all venture capital funding despite having all the hallmarks of successful businesses? ? This Women’s Month, join Lillian Augusta Beauty, Bisi Blvd, Polsky Center at the University of Chicago, and Illinois SBDC Network for?a screening of “Show Her the Money” on March 26th at the Polsky Center and?learn more about how?female founders and investors can make those key connections needed to raise funds.?Tickets available at: https://lnkd.in/deK5vftf?

Join us at the next Chicago Mobility Collaborative meeting, featuring a *stacked* panel and breakout discussions on intersectional urbanism, transit, and more, hosted by Palenque LSNA and CDOT next Thursday, March 13th from 6-8pm at Avondale Logandale School! ? ? Christian Diaz, Palenque LSNA’s Director of Equitable Community Development, will be moderating a panel discussion featuring:?? - Juan Sebastian Arias (Executive Director, Elevated Chicago)? - Lissette Casta?eda (Commissioner, Department of Housing)? - Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (Alderman, 35th ward)? - Leslé Honoré (poet, “artivist”, and author)? - Juan Carlos Linares (President and CEO, Association House Chicago)? - Arely Barrera (Youth Department Manager, Palenque LSNA) Each of these panelists has a unique perspective on equitable community development across an array of fields: housing, transit, arts and culture, social services, youth work, and more. The discussion will address how these are interrelated, and how together we can enhance connectivity across our communities through equitable transportation, arts, and community development projects.? ? RSVP using the QR code attached and we'll see you there!

??What if #Chicago worked better for all residents? ??What if walking, biking, and public transit were safe, accessible options in every neighborhood? ??What if everything Chicagoans need, including frequent, affordable transit, was within a 10-minute walk from home? These are the questions being asked and answered by Elevated Chicago ETOD, a multi-sector collaborative launched in 2017 to promote equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) in the City of Chicago. IFF has worked closely with Elevated Chicago to facilitate #ETOD that chips away at longstanding disinvestment in communities on the city's south and west sides by providing wide ranging support that leverages deep expertise in real estate, construction, and finance. Learn more about that work and its positive impact by reading our recent feature: https://lnkd.in/gNXqPiKs

Students and recent grads: Apply to join our work! Elevated Chicago is hiring a summer intern. Working closely with the Elevated team, member organizations, and other partners, this intern will support our work advancing equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) and a successful candidate will be an organized, creative, and collaborative individual, with a keen interest in learning ways to advance systems change and a commitment to advancing racial equity and demonstrating the core values of Elevated Chicago: Adaptability, Impact, Inclusion, Innovation and Transparency. Ideal majors: Urban planning, public administration and policy, community development, public health, journalism, communications, nonprofit management, or a related field. Learn more and apply by March 31st, 2025 here: https://lnkd.in/g_jfhVce ?

There's still time to snag a seat at CAC's first Design News Roundtable on Thursday, February 27 at 6pm! This fun, fast-paced program delivers news and views on recent built environment design & development across Chicago. This roundtable is hosted by Dario Durham, co-founder of the popular podcast 77 Flavors of Chicago. Our panelists are Juan Sebastian A., executive director at Elevated Chicago ETOD; Elizabeth Blasius, co-founder of Preservation Futures; Cecile De Mello, executive director at Teamwork Englewood; and Juan Gabriel M., president & founder of Juan Gabriel Moreno Architects (JGMA). Following the conversation, panelists will field pre-submitted audience questions in a lively quiz show format. Get your tickets today! https://lnkd.in/gQNz5f7a #DesignNewsRoundtable #architecture #design #preservation #housing #sustainability #transportation #recreation #TOD ??: Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation in Austin, an in-progress repurposing of the closed Robert Emmet Elementary School. Rendering by Lamar Johnson Collaborative.

We are thrilled to have this multi-year commitment from the MacArthur Foundation to fund creative placemaking and placekeeping initiatives throughout Chicago. This funding positions Elevated Chicago to deepen?our work on ETOD, helping ensure that arts and culture are embedded in our approach to building more vibrant, walkable, and transit-accessible communities. https://lnkd.in/gxQg7p5F