NEAR WEST SIDE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

What NEAR WEST SIDE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION does

Near West Side Community Development Corporation (Near West Side CDC) is a private, Illinois-domiciled not-for-profit community development corporation founded in 1988 in Chicago's West Haven neighborhood. The organization was established in the aftermath of a successful resident-led campaign that prevented construction of a proposed Chicago Bears stadium, which would have displaced approximately 1,500 families. Today, it operates as a wrap-around service provider for low- and moderate-income residents across three primary segments: underserved youth (ages 5-21), senior citizens (ages 60+), and families in or transitioning into public housing.

The organization's core products include Youth Zone Chicago (serving 600+ youth annually with sports, dance, theater, science, music, and mentoring), the West Haven Safe Summer Basketball League (32 teams, 320 players, 4,000+ attendees at the United Center), the SARFS small home-repair program (a City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development delegate agency), the Home Visitors Program/FamilyWorks case management service, Senior Services, and the Doors to Opportunity supportive housing program. Community development activities are delivered under the LISC/Chicago New Communities Program, in which Near West Side CDC serves as the lead agency. The organization does not operate proprietary technology; its "platform" is a physical network of at least five Chicago offices plus school- and venue-based programming sites.

The business model is grant-funded: revenue is sourced from government contracts, philanthropic foundation grants (LISC/Chicago, MacArthur Foundation), and in-kind corporate support (Boeing, Dick's Sporting Goods, Chicago White Sox). Services are provided free of charge to eligible residents, and the organization is governed by a community-based Board of Directors under Executive Director Earnest Gates. There is no equity funding, no venture capital involvement, and no commercial productization pathway.

Name

NEAR WEST SIDE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Legal name

Near West Side Community Development Corporation

Website

https://nearwestsidecdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Near West Side Community Development Corporation is a Chicago-based non-profit founded in 1988 that delivers youth development, senior services, family case management, and affordable housing to low- and moderate-income residents of the West Haven neighborhood through grant-funded programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Community development services
• Youth development programs
• Affordable housing development
• Senior support services
• Nonprofit community organizing

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding & Grants: Near West Side CDC operates as a not-for-profit organization receiving funding through government programs, delegate agency relationships (e.g., City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development for SARFS program), and public grants to support community development activities.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Near West Side Community Development Corporation (CDC) is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1988 that delivers community development, youth programming, and social services to residents of Chicago's West Haven/Near West Side neighborhood. Its offerings include the Youth Zone Chicago youth development programs (sports leagues, arts, mentoring, technology training), the Home Visitors Program/FamilyWorks social services, Senior Services case management, the SARFS home repair program for seniors, and affordable/supportive housing initiatives through the LISC New Communities Program and Doors to Opportunity.

Product overview

Near West Side CDC operates as a community development organization offering a portfolio of interconnected social service and youth development programs. The core offerings include Youth Zone Chicago (serving 600+ youth annually with sports, arts, and educational programming), the West Haven Safe Summer Basketball League, West Haven Giants baseball/softball programs, SARFS home repair services for seniors, the Home Visitors Program/FamilyWorks social services, Senior Services case management, and various youth enrichment programs including dance, boxing, music (Project ME), culinary arts, and technology training. The organization also manages community development initiatives through the New Communities Program (LISC/Chicago) and operates supportive housing through Doors to Opportunity. All programs incorporate mentoring components to build self-esteem and healthy life choices among urban youth in the West Haven community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Zone Chicago
• West Haven Safe Summer Basketball League
• Small Accessible Repairs for Seniors (SARFS)
• West Haven Giants
• Home Visitors Program/FamilyWorks
• Senior Services
• Doors to Opportunity
• The New Communities Program (LISC/Chicago)
• Tech Trailblazers
• Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)
• Wilma Ward Memorial Park
• Spring Olympics
• West Haven Day
• West Haven Dance Club
• Boxing Program
• Project ME (Music & Entertainment)
• Sister 2 Sister Mentoring
• Youth Zone's Common Threads Culinary Program
• Youth Zone's Mini Basketball Program
• Community Mural

Quantifiable outcome

• 6 years incident-free in Safe Summer Basketball League with 650+ daily spectators
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation/Chicago (LISC/Chicago)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Near West Side CDC became the lead agency for LISC/Chicago's New Communities Program (NCP) in 2001, facilitating resident-led processes for comprehensive community development. The partnership has helped transform distressed neighborhoods into sustainable communities of choice and opportunity.
• Common ThreadscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommon Threads culinary program partners with Youth Zone to introduce youth to cooking and preparing meals, teaching about different cultures and healthy recipes from regions around the world through hands-on culinary lessons.
• Chicago White SoxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago White Sox provides continued support to West Haven Giants and West Haven Diamonds baseball and softball programs, with players visiting for practice sessions with youth.
• United CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe United Center serves as the venue for Safe Summer Basketball League championship games. The partnership stems from the original community organizing that prevented Bears stadium displacement and led to United Center development with community benefits.
• Illinois Action For ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for community events including Women's History Month celebration and Valentine's Day family events, providing resources and support for family programming.
• James Jordan FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Brown Elementary School and Near West Side CDC to host Family Night events focusing on parent engagement and community building.
• FootworKINGSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago's best urban dance team, recently seen on MTV's America's Best Dance Crew, assists with dance instruction for West Haven Dance Club program.
• Urban Property Advisors, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Doors to Opportunity program providing supportive housing for single parents and families in North Lawndale, with newly renovated apartment buildings.
• Coaches Across AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSir Tony Head, member of Coaches Across America, leads Youth Zone's Mini Basketball Program training youth from Kindergarten through 5th grade.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights11 records

Emerging players

• Chicago CRED (Creating Real Economic Destiny): Holsten-branded violence-reduction initiative offering youth employment, mentoring, and life-skill programming in Chicago neighborhoods; comparable as a deliverer of intensive youth-focused wraparound services similar to Youth Zone Chicago.
• Spanish Coalition for Housing: Chicago nonprofit providing affordable housing counseling, foreclosure prevention, and senior services; comparable as a community-services nonprofit with overlap on senior support and housing assistance programming.

Direct peers

• Claretian Associates: Chicago CDC operating on the south side providing affordable housing, economic development, and community programs; directly comparable as a faith-rooted Chicago CDC delivering mixed housing and human services.
• Greater Southwest Development Corporation (GSDC): Chicago-based CDC providing housing development, youth programs, and senior services across southwest Chicago neighborhoods; comparable as a multi-program nonprofit serving similar demographics with similar funding mix.
• Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation: Chicago CDC delivering affordable housing development, community planning, and youth programming on the west side of Chicago; directly comparable as a place-based LISC partner and nonprofit housing developer with parallel program mix.
• North Lawndale Community Development Corporation: Chicago-based CDC offering housing development, workforce training, and community programs to a similar low-income urban population; directly comparable as a place-based nonprofit serving a specific Chicago neighborhood with mixed youth, family, and senior programming.
• Woodlawn Community Development Corporation (WCDC): Chicago CDC focused on revitalizing the Woodlawn neighborhood through real estate development, commercial corridor revitalization, and workforce initiatives; comparable structure as a neighborhood-rooted LISC-affiliated CDC delivering wraparound community services.

Others

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Chicago: National CDFI that funds CDCs in Chicago including Near West Side CDC itself via the New Communities Program; comparable as the ecosystem-level convener distributing capital to peer CDCs and defining the broader Chicago community development sector.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Near_West_Side
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_ZKF0I_MZwBv4jHCuwEzIQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/195482633846385
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/near-west-side-community-development-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NEAR WEST SIDE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION