Wealth Our Way Community Tour: Shared Ownership in Action

Background

As part of Community Desk Chicago's Wealth Our Way (WOW) initiative, spend the day exploring shared ownership in action across Chicago. WOW is a collaborative initiative to support communities in launching wealth building models based on their terms that advance their quality of life, build wealth and shift power dynamics in their neighborhoods.

The WOW initiative is helping communities launch Community Investment Vehicles (CIVs) and Worker Cooperatives which are economic tools that support neighborhood revitalization and generational wealth-building through collective ownership of neighborhood assets and/or small businesses.

Community Investment Vehicles are legal investment mechanisms that provide collective community investment in neighborhood assets based on shared development goal(s). In its perfect form, CIVs are majority-controlled, majority-owned and designed by residents or local members.

Worker Cooperatives are businesses that are owned and controlled by its employees, who share in both the decision-making and the profits of the business. In a worker co-op, every worker who meets basic eligibility requirements can become a co-owner of the business, which comes with the right to vote for and serve on the board of directors.

In June 2025, our work was expanded to launch the WOW Capital Grant Program in partnership with the City of Chicago to award up to $500,000 to qualifying CIVs and Worker Cooperatives.

About the Tour

This hop-on/hop-off tour will feature CIVs and worker cooperatives on the South and West Sides. Participates will see projects that are active and fully developed as well projects under development. As part of the tour, participants will speak directly with the owners of these models and learn more about their journey.

The tentative schedule includes a tour of models on the south side followed by lunch then a tour of models on the west side. Location details will be provided as the tour date gets closer to allow the maximize flexibility for participants to join us.

Info: Check-in opens. Light breakfast with coffee and tea will be served before we board the bus.

Info: More information on the project sites is coming soon with hop-on, hop-off options.

Info: The bus will return to the original pick-up location where lunch will be served. Participants can continue to the West Side tour locations or end the tour.

Info: More information on the project sites is coming soon with hop-on, hop-off options.

Info: The bus will bring participants back to HAZ Cooperative Studios at the end of the tour.

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