Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is throwing one of her many hats back into the ring of Chicago politics, though this time it’s on the nonprofit side.
Lightfoot on Thursday announced the launch of the Chicago Vibrant Neighborhoods Collective, which will aim to provide “tools, resources and opportunities for collaboration” for community-based organizations.
“All hours of the night and day citizens of the city have needs that must be met,” Lightfoot said during a panel hosted by the City Club Chicago, adding that “homegrown, social-impact” organizations “are key.”
Lightfoot, a co-founder of the group, has been working to put it together since May, her last month in office. She will serve as a board chair and senior advisor. Jaye Stapleton, Lightfoot’s former deputy mayor for education and human services, is set to serve as the executive director.
While community-based organizations know their areas the best, Stapleton said, some people working for nonprofits often get bogged down by taking on too many responsibilities, which is why the group wants to provide resources that “aren’t often included” in grants.
She said her group’s goal is “capacity building” — helping community organizations with communications, offering technical assistance for budgeting and adding administrative infrastructure to allow groups to be more independent.
“These organizations are experts at what they do,” Stapleton said at the event. “Where they really need support is building out that infrastructure … That light touch isn’t enough for them to reach sustainability; many of them are still working grant to grant.”
Stapleton noted Chicago Vibrant Neighborhoods Collective would focus on a small group of organizations at the start, intending to stay with them for the long haul.
The former head of the city is no stranger to working with the “significant constellation” of community advocates.
As mayor, Lightfoot offered cash advances for groups looking for federal relief money, bankrolled community clinics and nonprofits to expand mental health access in the city — though that plan still faced barriers — and relied on local organizations to try to help slow the spread of COVID-19 early in the pandemic.
Her Invest South/West program focused on reviving commercial corridors in 10 community areas on the South and West Sides. That resulted in the $48 million Woodlawn Social on 63rd Street and a $43 million development at 79th and Halsted streets in Auburn-Gresham, among others.
However, she also caught flak from former mayoral candidate and community organizer Ja’Mal Green over his attempt to get city help to develop an Auburn-Gresham youth center, and her administration dealt with a federal investigation over allegations of environmental racism in some land-use policies.
Ayesha Jaco, executive director of West Side United, said Lightfoot’s new group could help organizations like hers serve larger parts of the city and create new partnerships.
“It’s another seed planted that we can build and lift off of,” Jaco said during the panel. “If you support us, we can help our brothers and sisters in Lawndale and our brothers and sisters in Belmont Cragin.”
Lightfoot said she hopes her new organization can help make sure groups don’t rely on any one funding source, which puts a group at risk, especially as federal COVID aid dollars dry up.
“We can’t just sit on the sidelines and hope someone else is going to step up,” Lightfoot said. “Philanthropy has been there, but more must be done. … It’s time we help in a big, profound way.”
