C-Lab Project
= Mission: To create a network of locally-based teams which use citizen-led initiatives to foster civic engagement, greater social capital, and community wealth-building.
Description of Organization
"A 501c3 non-profit organization headquartered in the greater Chicago area, C-Lab is a network of small teams which share information and tools in order to accomplish the group’s mission. C-Lab also partners with area non-profits, educational institutions, faith-based groups and local governments. Members bring their own skills to a process aimed at teaching them to analyze local problems and find creative solutions through collaboration.
Areas of Focus
C-Labs tend to emphasize projects in areas like:
- Civic engagement
- Neighborhood revitalization
- New urbanism
- Community wealth-building
- Public data (civic apps)
Other elements of the C-Lab programming are:
Guest experts in different areas (starting social enterprises, community organizing, economic development) presenting to teams and acting as coaches
Regional cross-teaming and networking (periodic meetups with teams in other towns)
A non-partisan, numbers-driven approach
Community events aimed at exploring a topic or offering a platform for new ideas/projects
C-Lab Membership: Membership is voluntary and at no cost. Members join to contribute and sometimes to get feedback on their own projects. Members who are ready to launch their own projects can leave the team but still receive feedback from the team as requested."