Our Programs
Discover how C3E works with schools, local governments, and organizations to strengthen institutions and create meaningful change.
EdPolicy Lab (EPL)
A 3-year, cohort-based school equity fellowship supporting six Chicago Public Schools (CPS) schools. It equips school leadership teams and staff to embed racial equity, targeted universalism, and cultural responsiveness directly into school governance.
Learning to Operationalize and Realize Equity (LORE)
An 8-month learning academy for public sector leaders. Focuses on understanding how organizational systems shape outcomes and how those systems can be adapted to support more equitable, effective, and efficient practice.
Reimagining Equity through Dynamic Inquiry (REDI)
A structured approach to identifying inequities and co-designing tailored solutions to drive organizational change and enhance performance management.
Why Our Work Matters
We believe that embedding equity into local government operations isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a strategic imperative. Effective governance in the 21st century requires an inclusive, diverse, and high-performing workforce. That’s why we help local governments move beyond outdated “big government” narratives toward a modern, responsive, and inclusive public sector.
We partner with public institutions to implement organizational learning programs that build internal capacity and create a culture of equity and inclusion. By addressing historical barriers and outdated processes, we empower leaders to transform their organizations, ensuring public institutions reflect the diverse communities they serve. We provide local governments with the tools, training, and strategies to create lasting, equity-driven change.
Our Mission & Values
At C3E, we believe strong, resilient communities start with equitable, effective, and efficient governance. Our mission is to empower state and local leaders to drive lasting change through organizational transformation and performance improvements that serve everyone.
Operational Equity
Operational equity is the measurable integration of equity into the internal systems of governance so that public institutions remove structural barriers, improve organizational performance, and produce better outcomes for those most impacted by inequity.
Centering Equity
Equity cannot function as a peripheral value—it must serve a strategic driver that defines both operational effectiveness and efficiency.
Driving Effectiveness
Effectiveness centers value on social and civic outcomes that the social sector can uniquely deliver. These outcomes include feelings of community, reduction in polarization, equality, fairness, and justice.
Fueling Efficiency
Efficiency, in an equity framework, guides cost-benefit analyses in improving the performance of public organizations through enhancing and valuing the capabilities of workers inside of local government.
Our Partners
We are proud to work with organizations that believe in more equitable communities.
Latest Articles
Check out our latest articles and announcements!
LORE Is Returning: Building Organizational Change Capacity in Local Government
Local governments today are being asked to respond to challenges that look very different from the ones they were[…]
Local Government CAN Lead the Equity Movement
Many believe that equity work in government is near impossible. But what if we imagine public institutions and local[…]