NORC is fortunate to call the city of Chicago our home. It is where we are headquartered; where many of us live and work; and, like all cities, a place with its own unique needs. I wanted to take a chance to share some of the recent interesting projects my colleagues at NORC have been involved with to help drive measurable, impactful change in Chicago.

An example of NORC’s community-focused approach is our work in ensuring an accurate 2020 Census count for Chicago and Illinois. The Census Bureau’s initial tallies significantly undercounted certain populations, especially those living in group homes, threatening to deprive the region of vital federal funding. Leveraging our expertise in demographics and data analysis, NORC conducted a comprehensive review to identify and address these discrepancies. Working directly with state and local officials, we provided the evidence needed for a more representative count, safeguarding crucial resources for the communities that need them most.

The Corporate Coalition of Chicago brings together local business leaders to tackle pressing social challenges by re-thinking common business practices. As the Coalition’s evaluation and learning partner, NORC is applying this expertise to assess the impact of various Coalition initiatives, capturing feedback from Coalition leadership, members, and partners. Through these assessments, NORC is helping the Corporate Coalition improve its impact on the Chicago region.

NORC is also an active member of the Corporate Coalition of Chicago, participating in several Coalition initiatives. One example is the fair-chance hiring cohort program. Through this initiative, Chicago companies are changing internal policies and practices to reduce employment barriers for the nearly one-third of working-age Americans who have an arrest or conviction record. NORC and the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago hosted the recent 2024 National Fair Chance Hiring Conference, a first-of-its kind gathering of employers, non-profit leaders, researchers, and funders to promote fair chance hiring.

NORC is actively engaged in several comprehensive, community-focused solutions to reduce gun violence and improve public safety. Building on our experience evaluating and supporting community violence intervention programs in other parts of the country, we are assessing the implementation of a similar model in Chicago. This approach emphasizes the role of “street outreach workers”—trusted individuals with lived experience who engage directly with those affected by violence to prevent retaliatory shootings and promote peace.

I serve on the Civic Committee’s Public Safety and Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce, and NORC has been supporting the taskforce in multiple ways. As one example, we are developing a comprehensive crime data dashboard. This resource will offer transparent, real-time statistics on crime trends across the city’s 77 neighborhoods, driving more informed decisions for policymakers, journalists, and community-based organizations. The ultimate goal of these programs is to help Chicago become one of the safer large cities in the U.S., similar to Los Angeles or New York City, where data-driven strategies and community-led initiatives have significantly improved public safety.

NORC has also demonstrated its commitment to engaging directly with Chicago residents, especially historically underserved populations. A prime example is the Dignity and Respect Study, which explored Black Chicagoans’ awareness and experiences with hospice and palliative care. Conducted in partnership with the Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation and Arreola Consulting, this project utilized focus groups and interviews to gain vital insights into the unique perspectives and needs of the local community. By listening to the voices of those impacted, NORC was able to uncover crucial barriers to accessing end-of-life care and identify opportunities to better support vulnerable residents.

NORC is dedicated to helping Chicago residents navigate the critical transition from education to employment. Through our College to Career Transition project, done in partnership with multiple Chicago organizations (see below), we analyze data to understand the challenges faced by college students and recent graduates as they enter the workforce. This research sheds light on barriers to career readiness and informs strategies for improving access to career opportunities and fostering long-term employment success. Through this project, NORC and its partners create a stronger, more inclusive workforce pipeline in the Chicago area, ultimately contributing to economic growth and community well-being.

A special thanks to the following funding groups who made the College to Career transition project possible: Circle Of Service Foundation, CME Group, Crown Family Philanthropies, Gorter Family Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, Mayer and Morris Kaplan Family Foundation, Steans Family Foundation, and Pritzker Traubert Foundation.

Whether partnering with city officials, corporate leaders, or other not-for-profits, NORC consistently prioritizes building trust and understanding local contexts and priorities to develop tailored solutions that resonate and deliver tangible benefits. Our deep roots in Chicago shape how we approach our work—not just as researchers but as neighbors committed to the well-being of the city we proudly call home.