Capital Absorption Depends on Relationships: Building the Missing Infrastructure

Capital exists, but many communities lack the coordinated relationships needed to absorb and deploy it effectively. Living Cities has seen that trust and cross-sector alignment are not secondary factors, they are the infrastructure that determines whether capital moves at all. Through examples from Chicago and Midwest cities, this session explores how philanthropic, financial, and civic actors can align to unlock sidelined capital. Participants will map their networks, identify where coordination breaks down, and co-create strategies to strengthen relational infrastructure. Participants leave with an actionable framework to improve capital absorption they can apply in their own cities.