Civic and Community Partners

The 56 row-houses along the 800 and 900 blocks of Belden, Chalmers and Fullerton comprise the Seminary Townhouse Association​ (STA). Once belonging to the McCormick Theological Seminary before its move to Hyde Park in 1975, the homes and adjacent land (i.e. yards, allies, open green area and parking) are all privately owned with an emphasis on community and family where multi-generational families, children and pets abound. The homes were officially designated a Chicago Landmark District in 1977 and are commonly known as the McCormick Row Houses as can be seen on the street by designated signs. DePaul University and the Seminary Townhouse Association carry forward the educational mission and residential life with the sense of community, cooperation and mutual respect that McCormick established here so many years ago. For a history of the Seminary Townhouses Elizabeth K. Ware wrote a book on its history entitled "The Seminary Townhouses Stay: The history of a unique community preservation process in Chicago."​​

The purposes of the Sheffield Neighborhood Association​​ are to improve conditions of life, work, recreation, health​​ and safety; to foster and develop a neighborhood plan; and to aid, assist and sponsor neighborhood activities in the Sheffield neighborhood. The Association is to monitor the general condition of the neighborhood, both socially and physically, and to initiate any action deemed appropriate to further the general welfare of the Sheffield community.

SNA's primary fundraiser is its Annual Sheffield Garden Walk & Festival, first held in 1969. Garden Walk funds have subsidized community projects, such as the renovation of Trebes Park and the playlots in Trebes and Clover. Currently, Garden Walk funds support SNA's long-term project to beautify the entire Sheffield neighborhood. The Association also provides donations to neighborhood charities and area schools. 

The Wrightwood Neighbors Association​​​ (WNA) was founded in 1962 to help enforce building codes and concerns for established properties in the area. Since that time, the WNA has evolved into one of the most viable neighborhood organizations in the City of Chicago, helping residents with a variety of social, civic and development issues that directly impact their lives. The Wrightwood Neighbors Association is the community group for all people living in the area bounded by Halsted and Fullerton and Lakewood and Diversey. It is the neighborhood's central source of information and activity, with a goal to help you meet those who live around you, keep you informed of events in the area​ and provide you with a direct link to the planning and development of our community. Its mission is to promote local safety and a healthy and vibrant community through the cooperative efforts of local residents and businesses. Each year the Wrightwood Neighbors Association sponsors an annual fundraiser, the Taste of Lincoln Avenue. This event, one of the largest neighborhood festivals in the city, not only raises funds to support community outreach programs, but provides those who live in our area a fun way to volunteer and meet new neighbors. Funds raised at the Taste of Lincoln Avenue are distributed each year at the annual Grant Dispersal Dinner hosted at one of our local restaurants every December.​

The Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce​​ covers a wide area defined by Diversey Parkway to the north, North Avenue to the south, and extending from Lake Michigan to Ashland Avenue​—but you don't need to be within these boundaries to join. Joining the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce is a smart investment for your business.​ 

St. Vincent de Paul Parish​​ serves Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. When first established, our Church was on the fringe of the city, but for 137 years both Chicago and our parish have grown tremendously.​​

The Chicago Loop Alliance​​ promotes the Loop as a dynamic, mixed-use district comprised of theater, retail, new residences, the largest college population in the state of Illinois and some of​​ the world's most recognizable architecture and renowned cultural institutions. DePaul is a member of the Education Subcommittee. DePaul presently holds a seat on the Board.​ ​

The Grant Park Conserva​​ncy​​ is a 501c(3) not-for-profit with a mission to provide a permanent body that enables Grant Park to respond and adapt to the changing needs of its users, as the park passes from generation to generation. Some of these needs relate to landscaping, infrastructure, design, cultural activities​ and environmental issues. DePaul is an Institutional Sponsor and holds a seat on the board.​​

For almost 70​ years, Near South Planning Board​​​​ has been working to improve this area. Our community has been experiencing a period of tremendous growth and development. New housing, beautification and infrastructure improvements are creating an attractive neighborhood that is bringing in people from all over the city. The variety of housing stock, in all price ranges, assures that we will continue as a diverse and integrated community. At the Near South Planning Board, we are gratified that our persistence is being rewarded. The Board is constantly involved in numerous issues and concerns, on a variety of levels that directly or indirectly affect the Near South area. In addition, we sponsor the Authors in the Schools program and we host the Harold Washington Literary Dinner. DePaul presently holds a seat on the Board.

The Chicagoland Chambe​r of Commerce​​​​ serves as the "unified business voice of greater Chicago," aggressively representing your business interests at the city, county, regional and state levels.​ 

The Civic Federation​​​ is a non-partisan government research organization working to maximize the quality and cost-effectiveness of government services in the Chicago region. The Federation's membership includes business and professional leaders from a wide range of Chicago-area companies and institutions. The Federation maintains a growing archive of publications concerning local tax policies, government services​ and public expenditures.​

The Prairie District Neighborhood Alliance​​ (PDNA) mission is socially conscious and supportive neighbors creating an inclusive and welcoming community.

The purpose of the Prairie District Neighborhood Alliance is to provide an environment to meet neighbors, exchange ideas, prioritize projects, propose solutions and implement plans for the neighborhood. The Neighborhood Alliance is concerned with issues that affect the quality of life in the community. Issues su​ch as: education and schools, proposed residential and commercial development, zoning regulations, traffic and infrastructure improvements, as well as social activities and events that will strengthen the neighborhood.  Additionally, the PDNA is committed to developing, facilitating, seeking community input, organizing​ and delivering a variety of comprehensive community surveys, and/or an assortment of community projects and programs such as neighborhood festivals, block parties, seasonal celebrations, crime prevention activities, historical and educational programs and beautification plans for upgrading neighborhood parks. 

The Prairie District Neighborhood Alliance serves thousands of South Loop residents within the Prairie District, Central Station and Museum Park, the South Michigan Ave Corridor, Motor Row, as well as other areas of the Near South Side.​

Marillac St. Vincent Family Services has been serving the needs of the poor and working poor throughout the City of Chicago for 100 years. Sponsored by the Daughters of Charity, we provide vital programs and services in the areas of child development, social services, outreach to at-risk families and individuals, senior services and youth programs. Both of our centers have been operating in the C​ity of Chicago for 100 years and are well established in the communities they serve.

America’s Urban Campus​ (AUC), a consortium of 22 not-for-profit Chicago-area colleges and universities, recently released the results of an in-depth study on how Chicago’s higher education system impacts the city, establishing Chicago as a global destination for higher education and post-graduate employment. The study, conducted by Anderson Economic Group, LLC, and funded by The Chicago Community Trust​​, surveyed Chicago’s AUC colleges to determine how the schools collectively benefit students and faculty, impact the workforce and support local businesses. According to the AUC findings, Chicago is a premiere education hub in the United States and beyond.​​​​​

Founded in 1968, the Chicago Area Public Affairs Group (CAPAG) is the Chicago region's premier organization for public policy and government affairs professionals. At its monthly meetings, CAPAG's membership welcomes guest speakers at the cutting edge of government and public policy, including elected officials, government agency directors, leaders of prominent civic institutions, media representatives and political candidates. 

CAPAG's active membership includes professionals engaged in policy advocacy for the region's leading corporations as well as representatives of government agencies and elected officials. A diverse and respected organization, CAPAG continues to attract members from Chicago's dynamic public affairs community seeking networking opportunities and the ability to hear first hand from—and interact with—​those who are making a difference in civic affairs at the local, state and federal levels.​