institute 2 innovate

What institute 2 innovate does

Institute 2 Innovate (i2i) is a capacity-building hub launched in 2023 by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA), a state government agency headquartered in Springfield, Illinois. The program serves new and emerging grassroots community-based organizations across Illinois that are working to address community violence and have been affected by historical disinvestment. i2i delivers a 6-month cohort-based training program built on the PARLOR Process, an evidence-informed six-step methodology covering Planning, Administration, Resources, Learning, Optimization, and Relationships. Services are delivered through webinars, workshops, in-person workshops, and direct consultation by Capacity Building Coaches.

i2i's core products include the PARLOR Process curriculum, the ICJIA Your Recipe for Grant Success online course (covering state grant processes, budgeting, program narratives, and GATA compliance), and broader Training and Technical Assistance services. The underlying technology is standard — a government website (i2i.illinois.gov) backed by standard web infrastructure and Google Analytics, with no proprietary AI or software products. The team comprises approximately 12 members, including Capacity Building Coaches and an ICJIA Community Engagement Manager.

The business model is government-funded and non-commercial: i2i is a free program for eligible community-based organizations, with no fees charged to participants. Funding flows from ICJIA's state appropriations, and i2i has no private investors, venture capital, or external ownership. Distribution is achieved through ICJIA's official channels — website, social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube), and Constant Contact newsletters — supplemented by referrals of ICJIA grantees. The inaugural cohort of 9 organizations (including CHM Bible Theatre Productions, Equiticity, Metro East Organizing Coalition, National Youth Art Movement, Public Narrative, RETINC, True Believers, Urban Male Network, and Vision of Restoration) graduated in December 2023.

Name

institute 2 innovate

Legal name

Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

Website

https://i2i.illinois.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Institute 2 Innovate (i2i) is a state government capacity-building hub operated by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, providing free 6-month cohort training to Illinois grassroots community-based organizations through the PARLOR Process methodology and grant-readiness courses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government-funded capacity building program: i2i is a free capacity-building program funded by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) as part of a state government initiative to support community-based organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Institute 2 Innovate (i2i) is a free, state-funded capacity-building hub operated by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) that supports Illinois community-based organizations through cohort-based training, technical assistance, and resources. The program delivers the PARLOR Process—an evidence-informed six-step methodology covering Planning, Administration, Resources, Learning, Optimization, and Relationships—through webinars, workshops, in-person workshops, and in-person consultation over a 6-month intensive program.

Product overview

Institute 2 Innovate (i2i) is a capacity-building hub launched by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) that provides a unified program of support services for statewide community-based organizations. The core offering consists of the PARLOR Process—an evidence-informed six-step methodology (Planning, Administration, Resources, Learning, Optimization, Relationships)—combined with the ICJIA Your Recipe for Grant Success online course and direct training/technical assistance through webinars, workshops, and consultation. These components work together to strengthen organizational infrastructure, increase sustainability, and address critical capacity needs for grassroots organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Capacity Building Services Free capacity-building support services for Illinois community-based nonprofit organizations, delivered through a 6-month cohort-based program covering vision and impact, governance and leadership, program delivery, resource generation, internal operations and management, evaluation and learning, and strategic relationships. Delivered via webinars, workshops, in-person workshops, and in-person consultation with Capacity Building Coaches.
• Training and Technical Assistance Direct training and technical assistance delivered through webinars, workshops, in-person workshops, and in-person consultation to strengthen the organizational infrastructure of community-based organizations.
• ICJIA Your Recipe for Grant Success Course

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduated inaugural cohort of 9 organizations after 6 months of intensive training in December 2023.

Named customers9 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partneri2i is a capacity-building hub launched by and operated under the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. ICJIA provides the institutional framework, funding, and operational infrastructure for the program. i2i serves as a resource within ICJIA's broader mission to improve the criminal justice system in Illinois.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• BoardSource: National nonprofit focused on governance and leadership training for nonprofit boards, including the NonprofitReady online learning platform — directly comparable as it delivers structured training and capacity-building resources to community organizations.
• CompassPoint Nonprofit Services: San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit that provides training, consulting, and coaching to community-based nonprofits — a directly comparable capacity-building services provider with a similar target audience of grassroots organizations.
• The Nonprofit Center at La Salle University: Provides capacity-building workshops, consulting, and leadership development for Greater Philadelphia nonprofits — closely comparable as a regional capacity-building hub for community-based organizations.
• Propel Nonprofits: Minnesota-based nonprofit serving small to midsize community nonprofits with training, consulting, and capacity-building services — directly comparable mission and service mix targeting grassroots organizations.

Broad incumbents

• National Council of Nonprofits: National network of state and regional nonprofit associations providing advocacy, training, and capacity-building resources — comparable as a broader incumbent in the nonprofit capacity-building ecosystem.

Emerging players

• NonprofitReady (by BoardSource): Free online training library for nonprofit professionals — comparable as an emerging digital capacity-building training platform, intersecting with i2i's grant success course delivery channel.
• Capacity Building Institute: Specialized consultancy offering capacity-building training and technical assistance to nonprofits — an emerging peer in the same capacity-building services niche.
• Free Management Library: Free online resource library covering nonprofit management, leadership, and strategy — a thematically comparable self-serve training resource for community-based organizations.

Regional players

• Maryland Nonprofits: Maryland state association providing training, consulting, and capacity-building resources for nonprofits — a state-level peer offering comparable capacity-building services in a different geography.
• Minnesota Council of Nonprofits: State-level nonprofit association delivering training, advocacy, and capacity-building services to Minnesota nonprofits — comparable as a regional/state-level capacity-building provider for community organizations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/illinoiscriminaljusticeinformationauthority
• Facebookfacebook.com/ICJIA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-2-innovate
• Instagraminstagram.com/icjia_illinois

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

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 institute 2 innovate