Making connections to create a more equitable Chicago and Suburban Cook County

The Chicagoland Opportunity Zones Consortium facilitates connections through matchmaking, education, and technical support to attract Opportunity Zones investments that create quality jobs, build wealth, and promote equitable development in Chicago and suburban Cook County, Illinois.

Our five core goals

 

Attract Opportunity Zones investments

 

Prioritize projects that lift up priorities outlined in community plans and further public and philanthropic community investment strategies.

 

Inform and support community partners

 

Arm local communities with knowledge and support a range of developers and business owners across the spectrum of experience and sophistication.

 

Create jobs and build wealth

 

Prioritize projects that create quality jobs for local community residents and that result in the local developer or business owner sharing in the financial upside and/or tapping into local vendors to spread neighborhood wealth.

Transform communities through equitable development

 

Support comprehensive, racially equitable strategies by investing in local entrepreneurs and in commercial, industrial, retail, residential, and community facility real estate projects that benefit residents of all backgrounds.

 

Facilitate lasting partnerships

 

Connect community partners with impact investors and private actors who invest in Chicago and suburban Cook County’s low-income neighborhoods.

The Consortium represents 135 Opportunity Zones in the city of Chicago and 48 Opportunity Zones in suburban Cook County. 

In addition to facilitating connections and providing technical support, the Consortium will work with investors and project owners to connect to applicable incentive opportunities, including the City of Chicago’s INVEST South/West Initiative, State of Illinois OZ matching funds, and prioritized investments in suburban Cook County Opportunity Zones.

Partner Organizations

 

Allies for Community Business

Chicago Community Loan Fund

Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights

Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives Inc.

City of Chicago

Community Investment Corporation

Cook County

Chicago Southland Economic Development Corporation

DL3 Realty

Elevate

Illinois Finance Authority / Illinois Climate Bank

IFF

Inst. for Housing Studies @ DePaul University

JP Morgan Chase Foundation

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Lamar Johnson Collaborative

LISC Chicago

National Community Investment Fund

National Equity Fund

S.B. Friedman Development Advisors

SomerCor

Southland Development Authority

South Suburban Mayors & Managers Association 

State of Illinois 

Woodstock Institute

World Business Chicago