City of Evanston

What City of Evanston does

The City of Evanston is a municipal government entity incorporated in 1863, serving approximately 78,000 residents in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago on Lake Michigan in Cook County. Governed by an elected Mayor and City Council, the city operates departments covering Fire, Police, Public Works, Health & Human Services, Community Development, Parks Recreation & Community Services, and Administrative Services. Its core service delivery infrastructure includes a 311 Center (phone, online portal, and live chat), the Everbridge-powered EvanstonAlerts emergency notification system, license plate recognition (LPR) technology for parking enforcement, a citizen portal for permits, and an open data portal. Cultural and recreational assets span 76 parks, five community centers, City Television (Channel 16), Evanston Access TV (Channel 6), the Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, and the Evanston Children's Theatre.

The city's revenue model is funded through diversified tax streams including property taxes (primary), a combined 10.25% sales tax (with 1% city base plus 1.25% home rule portion), an annual wheel tax ranging from $45-$335 per vehicle, residential parking permits ($50 residential, $140 non-residential), building and moving permits, and a local tax on recreational marijuana sales that funds the first-in-nation local reparations program. Service distribution occurs through multiple channels: the 311 Center for centralized requests, community centers for in-person services, the citizen portal for self-serve transactions, and City Hall for direct interactions. The customer base is segmented across residents (primary), local businesses across 10 business districts, visitors, youth ages 14-18 (workforce development), residents with disabilities (specialized accessibility services), and immigrant populations (welcoming city initiatives).

Strategically, the city has pursued innovation in social policy through the 2021 launch of its Local Reparations Restorative Housing Program, providing $25,000 grants to eligible Black residents, and has expanded affordable housing through the Mt. Pisgah Apartments development (33 units for under-60% AMI households). It has committed to WCAG 2.1 Level AA digital accessibility and earned USLA beach safety certification in 2026. However, the city faces material legal exposure in 2026 from DOJ intervention and Judicial Watch lawsuits challenging the reparations program on Equal Protection and Fair Housing Act grounds.

Name

City of Evanston

Legal name

City of Evanston

Website

https://cityofevanston.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1863

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The City of Evanston is a municipal government serving approximately 78,000 residents in Evanston, Illinois, delivering public safety, infrastructure, parks, cultural, and community services through a 311 Center, digital portals, and community centers, funded primarily by property and sales taxes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Evanston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Property Taxes: Primary municipal revenue source from residential and commercial property assessments
2. Sales Taxes: Combined sales tax rate of 10.25% on general merchandise and prepared food/beverages, with city receiving 1% plus 1.25% home rule portion
3. Wheel Tax: Annual vehicle tax for vehicles registered to Evanston addresses, ranging from $45-$335 depending on vehicle type, with enforcement via LPR technology
4. Residential Parking Permits: On-street residential permits at $50 and non-residential permits at $140
5. Permit Fees: Fees for building permits, moving vehicle/storage container permits ($120 per occurrence), and other municipal licenses
6. Recreational Marijuana Tax Revenue: Local tax on recreational marijuana sales used to fund reparations program

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The City of Evanston is the municipal government of Evanston, Illinois, providing core public services including public safety (Police, Fire, Emergency Management), infrastructure (water, sewers, roads, 76 parks), health and human services, community development, permitting and licensing, parking enforcement via LPR technology, emergency notifications via EvanstonAlerts, and cultural programming through municipally operated theaters and arts venues. Operations are funded primarily through property taxes, sales taxes (10.25% combined rate), wheel tax, and permit/license fees, with services delivered through a 311 Center, Citizen Portal, community centers, City Hall, and municipal broadcasting channels.

Product overview

The City of Evanston operates a diverse portfolio of civic services organized around communication, recreation, arts and culture, public safety, and community development. The core infrastructure includes City Television (Channel 16) and Evanston Access TV (Channel 6) for municipal broadcasting, the 311 Center for service requests, and the EvanstonAlerts emergency notification system. The Parks, Recreation & Community Services department operates multiple facilities including Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre and Evanston Children's Theatre for performing arts programming. Additional services include youth employment programs, emergency communication tools for residents with disabilities, and various cultural institutions and exhibition spaces. The city also manages permitting systems, parking services, and community resources through its website portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Evanston Local Reparations: Local reparations program providing housing grants to eligible Black residents and descendants affected by historical housing discrimination (1919-1969).
• Evanston Thrives
• Crisis Alternative Response Evanston (C.A.R.E.)
• Envision Evanston 2045
• 311 Center
• EvanstonAlerts
• Channel 16
• Evanston Access TV

Products and services

• 311 Center Municipal service request and information center where Evanston residents can submit service requests, access FAQs/knowledgebase, and engage in live web chat with city staff during business hours. Accessible by phone (311 or 847-448-4311), online portal, and live chat.
• EvanstonAlerts Emergency Notification System Everbridge-powered emergency notification system that alerts Evanston community members via text message, email, and phone about imminent threats to health and safety, including critical police activity, evacuations, and hazardous materials incidents. Partnership with Northwestern University allows opt-in to AlertNU for campus safety.
• City Television (Channel 16) Municipal cable television channel broadcasting live and rebroadcast city meetings, news updates, and public programming. Available on Comcast Channel 16 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, with online streaming via the city's YouTube channel.
• Evanston Access TV (Channel 6) Public access television station enabling Evanston residents to produce and broadcast community-produced programming. Submission-only station available on Comcast Channel 6 and AT&T U-Verse.
• Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre African American and African Diaspora-centered community theatre at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center presenting plays and productions with a commitment to diversity and creative excellence. Partially funded by the Illinois Arts Council.
• Evanston Children's Theatre Youth theatre program where children ages 8 through eighth grade perform in two productions per year, with no-cut auditions and workshops at Levy Center and Noyes Cultural Arts Center.
• Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program (MSYEP) Workforce development program providing Evanston youth ages 14-18 with up to nine weeks of entry-level work experience through community organizations, city departments, and private sector businesses. Delivered 300+ summer job opportunities in recent year.
• Emergency Communication Bracelet Program Collaboration between Police, Fire, CARE Team, and Parks & Rec Inclusion & Accessibility Division designed for residents with disabilities who may have unique communication needs during emergency situations.
• Moving Vehicle and Storage Container Permit Municipal permit authorizing use of moving vehicles or storage containers in the right-of-way. $120 fee per location, per occurrence; $25 cancellation fee; $500/day penalty for violations.
• Residential Parking Permits On-street parking permits confirmed via license plate recognition (LPR) technology rather than physical stickers. Residential permit at $50 annually, non-residential permit at $140; one-day passes also available.

Quantifiable outcome

• First-in-nation local reparations program distributing $25,000 grants to eligible Black residents
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• Housing Opportunity Development Corporation (HODC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2026Lead developer for Mt. Pisgah Apartments affordable housing development creating 33 homes for households earning below 60% AMI. HODC maintains long-term affordable housing ownership under land swap agreement.
• Skender ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 11 May 2026Construction partner for Mt. Pisgah Apartments mixed-use development at 1813 Church Street
• Mt. Pisgah MinistriesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2026Church partner in land swap enabling affordable housing development; will relocate to new worship center while church site transforms into residential units and commercial space
• Northwestern UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for emergency notification system allowing Evanston community members to opt into AlertNU system for campus safety notifications
• Evanston Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host for Summer Transportation Education Series providing cycling and e-bike workshops for community members
• The RecycleryminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNonprofit bicycle education organization facilitating Summer Transportation Education Series workshops covering cycling skills and maintenance
• Evanston CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal nonprofit providing free nightly activities at community centers as part of SafeSummer/My City Your City Our City youth violence prevention initiative

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cityofevanston
• YouTubeyoutube.com/cityofevanston
• Facebookfacebook.com/CityofEvanston
• Instagraminstagram.com/cityofevanston
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-of-evanston

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of Evanston