In the almost three years since the initial Forum, the Coalition has developed and refined a vision of bringing together the community's service providers to regularly collaborate on ways to improve quality of life for Lincoln Park residents, especially the most vulnerable, and connecting this collaboration of providers to local government so that it may help shape decision-making. This structure is modeled after the many economic development advisory committees that local governments often implement to support and measure economic activity in a community. 

In the spring of 2022, the Lincoln Park Social Development Coalition secured a grant from the Lincoln Park Community Foundation to explore and develop a formal proposal to the City to implement its vision. Over the course of one year, the Coalition:

1. Conducted a survey of providers in the Community Resource Guide to determine opportunities for collaboration and interest in a community-wide strategy;

2. Developed a set of indicators measuring community well-being that can be tracked by leadership;

3. Delivered a report describing the logistics, goals, and potential benefits of instituting a regular connection between City administration and local service providers

After presenting its proposal to City Council in May 2024, the Lincoln Park Social Development Coalition has continued advancing its goal of formal integration into the operations of the City of Lincoln Park.

Between the summer and fall of 2024, the Coalition welcomed two new social work interns who updated the Windshield Survey and Asset Maps of Lincoln Park, as well as the Community Resource Guide.

In 2025, the Coalition established a Bylaws Committee to begin developing the structural framework for a future social development body—an essential step toward achieving formal integration into city decision-making processes.

As part of these ongoing efforts, the Coalition hosted its second Community Forum on March 31, 2025. This gathering brought community members together to shape the future of Lincoln Park and LPSDC through open discussions, collaborations, and collective visioning.

At the forum, we:
• Facilitated discussions on key community topics
• Connected with fellow attendees and exchanged business cards
• Created a space where everyone was welcome to contribute ideas, feedback, and suggestions on current and future initiatives

Missed it or want a recap?

⬅️ Check out our recording and presentation. More updates to come as we compile feedback from the night!