The Chicago chapter’s primary campaign is focused on getting the city of Chicago to divest the operational budget and all pension funds away from fossil fuel holdings. They also host educational and social events throughout the city for people who are interested in taking action on climate. 

Blacks in Green’s signature Sustainable Square Mile is the gold standard for Black community development. Their unique whole-system approach for whole-system problems is designed to increase our communities’ wealth and wellbeing in the context of a changing climate. The Sustainable Square Mile concept embodies BIG’s 8 Principles of Green Village Building, from neighbor-owned green enterprises to locally produced clean energy. BIG is also planning community-based economies centered on housing and waste management, and is already offering training for jobs in clean energy and agriculture.

The Center for Neighborhood Technology delivers innovative analysis and solutions that support community-based organizations and local governments to create neighborhoods that are equitable, sustainable, and resilient. Their goal is to advance urban sustainability and shared prosperity through initiatives in transportation, water, climate, and public policy. 

The mission of the Climate Action Museum is to activate a tipping point on climate mitigation in the Chicago region through education, stimulating critical thought, and to inspire and facilitate direct action. 

Chicago Climate Connect is a recurring, monthly event open to climate-minded folks who want to connect with others in the local Chicagoland community.

The Chicago Community Climate Action Toolkit was created by The Field Museum in collaboration with partner organizations in four Chicago neighborhoods—Pilsen, Forest Glen, South Chicago, and Bronzeville—to develop and carry out local climate action projects.  The toolkit now functions to aid Chicago community members learn about how climate change is impacting the Chicago region and what can be done to help, design and carry out community-led climate action projects that improve local quality of life at the same time, and explore a place-based approach to climate change and models for community-led climate action.

The Chicago Environmental Justice Network (CEJN) works to promote environmental justice and equity in the Chicagoland area by bringing together neighborhood-based grassroots environmental organizations. EJN) is led by frontline, community-based organizations located on the south and west sides of Chicago. Led mostly by women of color, these organizations serve communities that face severe environmental and health disparities due to the close proximity of residential areas near sources of pollution.

The Chicagoland Environmental Network (CEN), a group of more than 240 environmental and natural resource organizations, can get you connected. CEN is a resource for anyone interested in nature or conservation-related activities in northeastern Illinois and surrounding areas. CEN organizations are involved in important work, including habitat restoration; wetland, prairie, and watershed projects; urban gardening; energy conservation; composting, wildlife conservation; and recycling.

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the metropolitan planning organization for northeastern Illinois, named climate mitigation and adaptation as two goals in its ON TO 2050 comprehensive regional plan. CMAP is currently identifying climate priorities for the next 5 years, including addressing mitigation in the transportation sector, updating the regional greenhouse gas inventory, increasing resilience in the region’s communities, and assessing the vulnerability of the regional transportation system.

The City of Chicago Climate Infrastructure Fund is accepting grant applications to support neighborhood projects that mitigate the effects of climate change and accelerate the city’s equitable transition to the green economy. Individual grants from approximately $50,000 to $250,000 are available through the fund to support capital investments in energy efficiency projects, electric vehicles, and green infrastructure. Grants will be allocated to help achieve the City’s Climate Action Plan goal of reducing greenhouse emissions by 62% by 2040, with priority given to proposals located in environmental justice communities.  

Applications due: August 18, 2023

The Chicago Wilderness Alliance  is a regional collaborative of hundreds of partner organizations and individuals working to implement landscape-scale approaches to conservation in and around the southern shores of Lake Michigan. They bring leaders, experts, and mid-career and young-career conservation professionals together to share diverse voices and perspectives and to work toward a common vision: creating and protecting a vibrant, accessible region where people and nature thrive. 

The Climate Reality Project — Chicago Chapter advocates for a just transition to a clean energy economy. Our mission is to educate our communities about the climate crisis. We connect and activate people to join a global movement to create solutions that can dramatically lower greenhouse gas emissions and transform our world. 

Delta Institute collaborates with communities to solve complex environmental challenges throughout the Midwest. They do so through a variety of projects including nature based climate solutions, resilient agriculture, and sustainability and support services. Their mission is to address Midwestern environmental, economic, and climate challenges today, so that our home and region are more resilient, equitable, and innovative tomorrow.  

Elevated Chicago is a space for collaboration between a diverse group of community members and leaders including Chicago residents, regional nonprofits, activists, city officials, and policymakers. The organization places values on racial equity, climate resilience, public health, and culture in order to create a more sustainable and equitable Chicago. 

For nearly 30 years, Energy Foundation has supported grantees to help educate policymakers and the general public about the benefits of a clean energy economy that benefits everyone. We cultivate networks of diverse allies who work to deliver long-term results, making progress where others have not. Our grantees include business, health, environmental, labor, equity, community, faith, and consumer groups, as well as policy experts, think tanks, universities, and more.

The Environmental Law and Policy Center Advocates, innovates, and litigates to protect the Midwest’s environment from the Great Lakes to the Great Plains. ELPC is accelerating renewable energy, retiring polluting coal plants, improving transportation, safeguarding clean water and air, and protecting wild places like the Savanna Sand Prairie and the Shawnee National Forest.

As part of the global Extinction Rebellion movement, Extinction Rebellion Chicago persuades government organizations to take action against global warming and other climate-related causes through non-violent direct action. 

Foresight’s mission is to build the capacity of leaders, organizations, collaboratives, and other systems change agents to accelerate progress toward greater ecological balance, economic vitality, and social equity and justice.

The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation supports innovative and inclusive organizations and programs that advance land conservation across the greater Chicago region, with emphasis on four key themes: protection and stewardship of natural and working lands; climate resiliency; advocacy; and benefits to diverse communities throughout the region.

Greencorps Chicago is the City of Chicago’s green-industry employment program with on-the-job training for individuals with barriers to employment. Greencorps Chicago promotes environmental stewardship and improves the quality of life in Chicago by establishing, maintaining and restoring natural and public spaces that are safe, healthy, and sustainable through hands-on involvement with program participants.

The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition (ICJC) is made up of hundreds of environmental advocacy organizations, businesses, community leaders, consumer advocates, environmental justice groups, and faith-based and student organizations working together to improve public health and the environment, protect consumers, and create equitable, clean jobs across the state.

Since the founding of the Illinois Environmental Council in 1975 by a group of dedicated grassroots environmentalists, IEC has led issue advocacy campaigns by allowing environmental organizations to pool their resources and create a higher profile for environmental issues. Today, IEC represents more than 100 environmental and community organizations and nearly 500 individual members from throughout Illinois.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency safeguards environmental quality, consistent with the social and economic needs of the State, so as to protect health, welfare, property, and the quality of life.

Illinois Green Alliance is a membership-driven nonprofit that works collaboratively to promote green buildings and sustainable communities for all. The organization’s network of sustainability professionals believes green buildings are important to improving the quality of life for everyone in Illinois. 

Illinois Green’s 2021–2025 strategy sets a plan for making net zero buildings feasible, affordable, and so commonplace that every building in Illinois by 2050 is net zero. By educating professionals, removing barriers, and collaborating with communities, Illinois Green will demonstrate that net zero is the bold solution for every building type.

For more than two decades, the Joyce Foundation has been a leading foundation funder of policy work related to the Great Lakes. They are working to address three of the region’s critical long-term environmental challenges: climate change, the safety and accessibility of the water we drink and the health of the Great Lakes. To respond to these challenges, Joyce will support efforts to put Great Lakes states on a path to achieve just, equitable, carbon-free electric power systems by 2040. We will also seek to ensure all people in the Great Lakes region have clean water from lake to tap by supporting policy to address threats, improve infrastructure, and remedy water disparities in communities of color.

The Greenest Region Compact (GRC) leverages the strength of municipal government to build vibrant, sustainable communities across the Chicago region. The foundation of the GRC is 49 high-level goals that have been reached by consensus; not only are the goals aligned with important local, regional, national and global goals, but they are also broadly supported by municipal members of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and allied organizations. These consensus goals guide municipal action, support mayors in their role as environmental leaders, and foster collaboration that has positive impacts on sustainability in the region.

For more than 85 years, the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) has partnered with communities, businesses, and governments to unleash the greatness of the Chicago region. They believe every neighborhood has promise, every community should be heard, and every person can thrive. To tackle the toughest urban planning and development challenges, they create collaborations that change perceptions, conversations—and the status quo.

Since 2010, One Earth Collective has harnessed the power of people through vibrant, year-round, environment and social justice programming that inspires action, facilitates learning, and fosters inclusion to create safer communities and a healthier planet.

One Earth Youth Voices programs develop leadership skills among youth. One Earth Local/Green Community Connections is a grassroots sustainability program in Oak Park, IL. 

The Resilient by Nature Project (RxN) aims to expand the role of nature in our neighborhoods to improve health and quality of life, provide economic opportunities, and build resilience to the impacts of climate change. While their work is focused in the Chicago region, they are continuously learning and taking guidance from the many examples of nature-based solutions around the world. Their mission is to build a more sustainable, equitable and vibrant Chicago.

Seven Generations Ahead facilitates with Chicago Public Schools’ Director of Energy and Sustainability and partners a new CPS Goes Solar! project designed to create a pipeline of on-site solar installations, develop new community solar projects and other procurement options to meet CPS’ 100% renewable electricity goal. SGA is a community education contractor in the Yeoman Creek Solar for All project, which drives subscriptions for new solar projects coming on line across the state, works with community institutions and taxing bodies in the metro area to support 100% renewable energy procurement, and produces GreenTown events and forums on the climate crisis and equity.

Sunrise Movement Chicago is committed to combating climate change and creating jobs in the process. Through their advocacy, environmental initiatives and legislation, such as the Green New Deal, are promoted. Sunrise Movement focuses on gaining public and political support to implement their initiatives 

Sustain Chicago was put together by the City of Chicago to be a resource to all Chicagoans interested in learning more about sustainability. From current projects being pursued by the city and local organizations to sustainability-related jobs, the website and corresponding Twitter page compile opportunities from around the area to help citizens be well informed.

The Walder Foundation champions Chicago and invests in science innovation, environmental sustainability, the performing arts, migration and immigrant communities, and Jewish life to uplift local communities and elevate our region's contributions to the world. 

The neighborhood of Bronzeville, with the support of ComEd, is working to create a community that is more connected, green, and resilient. This plan includes utilizing an energy tracking app, providing for electric vehicle mobility, and creating microgrids, among other efforts.

The Chicago North chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby is laser focused on enacting national carbon fee and dividend legislation. We believe that people are good, that democracy works, and that putting a price on pollution is just one of the many ways we can and must tackle the climate crisis. In 2021, we’re building local support with our Chambers of Commerce, spreading the word about carbon fee and dividend legislation in the media by writing Letters to the Editor and Op Eds, and earning the endorsements of even more Members of Congress for the Energy Innovation Act."

The Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX ™) is the world's first and North America's only voluntary, legally binding greenhouse gas reduction and trading from 2003-2010.

Carbon Free Chicago is a campaign to equitably decarbonize Chicago and its entire economy by 2050. The initiative unites committed individuals and groups around a common strategic agenda to quickly transform Chicago into a carbon-free city. 

Currently re-imagined through the Chicago Climate Action Museum. Website last updated: 2020

The Chicago Community Climate Partnership is a coalition of over 70 local organizations, businesses, and groups that encourage inclusive climate action throughout the Chicago region. The Partnership has developed The Chicago Agreement on Climate & Community, in which residents can pledge their support for discussion, collaboration, and action on climate issues in Chicago. 

Website last updated: 2019

The City of Chicago, in association with the former 100 Resilient Cities initiative, created the Resilient Chicago plan to outline specific steps that can be taken to produce strong neighborhoods, robust infrastructure, and prepared communities.

Ended after Rahm Emannuel administration 

The City Council of Chicago passed a resolution to power all municipal buildings with renewable energy by 2035. The plan to achieve this goal was drafted by a collaboration of multiple local groups, including the Illinois Sierra Club, Climate Reality Project, IBEW Local 134.

Website no longer active

Chicago Youth Alliance For Climate Action encourages students across the Chicagoland Area to take action on climate issues. Their approach utilizes a combination of education, engagement, and empowerment to accomplish the group's goals. 

Socials last updated: 2021

PlanItGreen is a project of the Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation facilitated by Seven Generations Ahead (SGA). Seven Generations ahead (SGA) led a 10-month community engagement process in that resulted in the Environmental Sustainability Plan for Oak Park and River Forest. The plan focuses on environmental education, becoming more energy efficient, and reducing overall waste production, and has been facilitated by SGA for the past 9 years.

Last updated: 2021