Measuring what matters: from fragmented data collection to collective evidence.

Chicago’s philanthropic and community development ecosystems have generated a growing body of research on neighborhood investment, inclusive growth, small business vitality, workforce pathways, and community wealth-building. Too often, that evidence stays fragmented across funders, researchers, and practitioners. This collaborative forum will bring participants into Chicago’s emerging evidence of impact sharing integrated findings across multiple studies and how that information is shaping future investments. Attendees will leave an understanding of that coordinating local data collection can inform coordinated action, who different types of funding are contributing to impact and the direction of future community development investment.