Vision

Cultivate Chicago aims to revitalize vacant lots in the city of Chicago with an emphasis on those in underserved communities using business insights, education, and community engagement to inspire and influence positive outcomes for every level of urban grower.

Mission

Our mission is to better equip urban growers, large lot landowners and stakeholders with the fundamentals of business ownership and financing by executing technical assistance programming, mentoring, informational workshops, and data analysis. Doing so will increase the knowledge, skill, and ability of all stakeholders, encouraging successful urban farm businesses and home gardens.

Values

Revitalization of the land and the community

Diversity and inclusion

The collective “win”

Exceeding expectations

Delivering on our promises

Operating with Integrity

Ethics in business process

Commitment to high quality education and resources

People as the source of our strength and success

Areas of Focus

Partnership Formation

Area 1: Develop a cohort-based model to assist high potential farmers establish businesses

Area 2: Prepare more land for farming by addressing the environmental remediation, stormwater management, and water conservation issues

Area 3: Create an Urban Agriculture System that can be replicated by other cities, by formally organizing currently uncoordinated elements and systems