Cradle to Career.

Better together.

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Neighborhood Network
in Action

Evanston Cradle to Career (EC2C) is a community-wide partnership that uses a collective impact approach to improve outcomes for Evanston's children, youth, and families.

Rather than creating new programs, EC2C brings together schools, nonprofits, government agencies, funders, and community members to align efforts, identify gaps, challenge systems that contribute to inequities, and build shared accountability.

Evanston is a vibrant community with strong schools, dedicated nonprofits, and tremendous assets. Yet persistent racial, social, and economic disparities continue to limit opportunities for many young people.

Together, EC2C partners are strengthening collaboration across organizations, improving systems, and expanding access to the resources, relationships, and opportunities every child and young person needs to thrive.

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Pillars of Work

How we foster collective impact…

    • Synergizing efforts of partners who are implementing strategies in the common agenda

    • Coordinating advocacy campaigns for greater impact

    • Leading collaborative actions that maximize systemic equity in Evanston

    • Providing technical support on proposals, grants and initiatives that drive systemic change

    • Partnering on initiatives that empower vulnerable residents

    • Supporting partners’ organizational capacity, including paid interns, digital tools and equity training

    • Sharing useful information on life-enhancing services and supports for vulnerable residents

    • Providing leadership training and opportunities for vulnerable residents

    • Communicating progress and sharing data on our common agenda

    • Facilitating meetings and workshops for mutual learning and continuous progress

    • “Convening data” by gathering, analyzing and curating it to measure progress toward the common agenda and bold goals

Invest in Equity

EC2C supports over 40 civic, social, and philanthropic organizations to make Evanston the most equitable place it can be.

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