Our Projects
We bring “the system in the room” to honor the expertise of multiple groups including stakeholders who are directly experiencing the challenge at hand, nonprofits and/or philanthropy who seek to address the challenge, as well as government entities and elected leaders who are positioned to make better policy and resource changes.
Chicago
Connected
As a part of the Chicago Connected initiative, Circle Root convened and supported a cross-sector Guiding Team to co-create digital learning programs and supports that serve over 40,000 families in Chicago Public Schools. Through a 12-month engagement process, the Chicago Connected Guiding Team, including Chicago Connected parents living in historically disconnected communities, started by building trusting relationships with each other, engaged thousands of families to understand their barriers and interests in digital learning, and executed a first of its kind digital literacy program tailored to the needs and wants of communities most impacted by the digital divide.
Chicago Digital
Equity Council
Circle Root supports the City of Chicago’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice to design and execute a Digital Equity Council composed of community leaders, non-profits, Chicago Public Library, Chicago Public Schools, City Colleges of Chicago among others to unpack the question:
How can we work together to achieve digital equity in Chicago, so people in communities with the greatest barriers can utilize quality Internet, devices and digital learning tools to advance their goals?
We started our work in communities most impacted by the digital divide to deeply understand the issue, and then work alongside communities to develop solutions. The work is ongoing as we imagine a Chicago where everyone has access to quality Internet, devices and resources.
Maria Whelan
Leadership Institute
The untimely passing of Maria Whelan, a long-time fierce advocate for Illinois’ youngest children and the adults who serve them, led Illinois Action for Children (“IAFC”) to launch a workforce development initiative in her honor. Circle Root engaged a design team comprised of IAFC staff, Maria’s colleagues and friends, and potential fellows in the field to co-create a vision, guiding principles, and inaugural fellowship design and recruitment process that serves as the foundation of the Maria Whelan Leadership Institute.
Community Leaders
for Change Fellowship
To ensure a more equitable, community-focused school system, INCS Action recognized the need to support grassroots leaders in communities most impacted by educational inequities to run and serve in public office. Circle Root designed and implemented a fellow outreach and recruitment process, engaged stakeholders to launch the inaugural program design, and provided ongoing engagement to support fellows and program administrators.
Early Childhood Education
and Care Coalition
Circle Root supported Advance Illinois in building an Early Childhood Education and Care Coalition, and bridging advocacy efforts between early childhood and K-12. Circle Root helped to build out an organizing coalition structure, supported community members in sharing their stories in public spaces, facilitated the creation of a powermap, and implemented organizing tactics that laid the foundation for an ongoing, sustainable coalition that continues to fight for our state’s youngest learners.
"Circle Root Collaborative designed an organized, people-first approach to understanding and solving a complex problem, side-by-side with community members. The Mayor’s Office launched the Chicago Digital Equity Council (DEC) to understand and tackle the nuanced barriers to digital equity that Chicagoans face. When thinking through how to bring together community members in an equitable, inclusive, and respectful way, we turned to Jill and Circle Root Collaborative to design the approach. As a result of Circle Root’s thoughtful methodology, which includes consistent and intentional collaboration with community partners, the DEC has brought together and collected feedback from hundreds of community members across Chicago’s historically disinvested-in communities. In these sessions, community members are not only eager for the opportunity to share their stories and perspectives but also appreciate the chance to problem-solve with their neighbors in a safe space. Plus, participants have fun, and many leave asking: when is the next one!"
— Devon Braunstein, Office of the Mayor
City of Chicago
Our Partners Say it Best
"Chicago Connected benefited greatly from Circle Root's rigorous, inclusive approach to co-designing a digital learning program that put real families at the center of the development process. By keeping Chicago Connected families' wants and preferences front of mind during every phase of the process, Circle Root helped Chicago Connected build an enduring digital learning program that has strongly resonated with families and is tailored to their needs."