Facilitating a First-of-its-Kind Strategic Planning Process
for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
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Earlier this summer, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) released its 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, after a first-of-its kind collaborative strategic planning process.
The MWRD is a special-purpose district responsible for treating wastewater and providing stormwater management for the 5.25 million residents and businesses in its service area, which encompasses Chicago and 128 suburban communities throughout Cook County. The MWRD works diligently to protect Lake Michigan, the source of our drinking water, and to ensure the health and safety of residents and area waterways.
In 2020, the MWRD embarked upon a strategic planning process to establish the vision and goals that would guide its work over the next five years. The MWRD engaged Civic Consulting Alliance to conduct the strategic planning process in collaboration with its Board of Commissioners and Executive Team. We brought expertise structuring comprehensive stakeholder engagement efforts and growing experience working with institutions to embed an equity focus across their work – two strategic priorities for the MWRD in this round of planning.
From September 2020 to February 2021, Civic Consulting Alliance conducted a multi-phase strategic planning process with assistance from pro bono partners Kearney and Arup. Kearney provided a pro bono fellow who worked alongside Civic Consulting Alliance staff, and Arup stood up a team that provided subject matter expertise and experience facilitating large-scale innovations.
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Phase 1: Led an intensive and iterative engagement effort to assess the MWRD’s current state and identify its desired future state. That engagement effort comprised MWRD leadership (including individual interviews with nine elected Commissioners); more than 500 MWRD staff; roughly 50 organizations (including the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Metropolitan Planning Council, and a range of environmental and community-based organizations) who participated in a stakeholder workshop; and members of the general public who participated in public-facing surveys.
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Phase 2: Conducted a workshop with the MWRD’s strategic planning Steering Committee, which surfaced five strategic goals: resource management; stormwater management; workforce excellence; community engagement; and enterprise resilience.
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Phase 3: Stood up working groups for each strategic goal and developed a Strategic Roadmap for the MWRD to implement, including 150+ sequenced initiatives and metrics to measure progress.
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Phase 4: Finalized the Five-Year Strategic Plan, which includes goals, strategies, and initiatives and a framework for the MWRD to update the plan annually.
As a result of this process, the MWRD is equipped with a 2021-2025 Strategic Plan guided by the principles of engagement, collaboration, innovation, equity, and resilience. The MWRD’s vision for its future state has been updated, and its core values have been expanded to include equity and diversity. Moreover, these values are reflected in the specific strategic initiatives outlined in the new Plan. For example, one key focus is to identify and eliminate barriers to participation for disproportionately impacted areas (DIAs) – low-to-moderate income areas that may be more susceptible to flooding and that often have less capacity to partner with the MWRD to implement stormwater solutions and alleviate local flooding.
“I am abundantly thankful to Civic Consulting Alliance, Arup, and Kearney for their generous and skillful leadership in steering our Board and staff through the development and adoption of our new Five-Year Strategic Plan. We now have a visionary document to guide the work of the District that we hope will be a model for collaboration and outreach going forward.”
- Debra Shore, Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
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Summer Undergraduate Fellow Spotlights |
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Each year, we host Undergraduate Fellows from a variety of institutions during their summer break. Our Undergraduate Fellows are integrated into project teams for a unique professional development opportunity. This year, we had the pleasure of working with Mo Al-Mohimine, Jessica Oswemwengie, and Matías Pietruszka from June to August.
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What project work were you involved in during your time at Civic Consulting Alliance?
MA: I worked on a stakeholder engagement project with the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, which is transforming to a more restorative juvenile justice model.
JO: I contributed to a project with the Chicago Public Schools to re-engage students leading up to the 2021-2022 school year. I analyzed data and provided problem solving support to outreach workers, all with the goal of getting students back to school.
MP: I supported projects with the City of Chicago and Cook County to develop strategic frameworks to guide investment of potential American Rescue Plan Act funding. For the City, I researched funding sources in the Act and analyzed the eligibility of potential initiatives. For the County, I helped create topic areas to categorize potential initiatives to make it easier for leaders to evaluate options and make decisions.
What will you take away from your time at Civic Consulting Alliance?
MA: I learned a key consulting skill: being able to critically analyze a plethora of information and research to come up with recommendations for a client.
JO: I've gained invaluable skills in analytical thinking, collaboration, and technical writing. I now have more confidence in my abilities to contribute to a team and produce high quality work.
MP: I have a much greater recognition of and appreciation for the breadth and complexity of public service initiatives in Chicago and Cook County. I was really impressed by the enthusiasm of those planning creative, transformative initiatives to serve residents, and by the enormous challenge decision makers face in deciding which initiatives to prioritize.
What was your most memorable experience during your time at Civic Consulting Alliance?
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MA: I appreciated being able to sit in on committee meetings and hear people with a variety of backgrounds share their experiences with Illinois' juvenile system and their ideas for how it can be improved.
JO: I enjoyed volunteering with Civic Consulting Alliance's staff. It was nice to meet folks in person to 'Pitch In for the Parks' at Calumet Park, to do our part maintaining the Earth.
MP: My most memorable experience was presenting and handing over my analysis to Mayor's Office staff. I was really glad to hear from the client team that my work was helpful and greatly appreciated.
How has your time at Civic Consulting Alliance helped you develop professionally?
MA: My fellowship greatly strengthened my public speaking skills, since I presented to clients and other officials. I also learned a lot about developing effective PowerPoint decks.
JO: This opportunity gave me an in-depth perspective of public sector consulting. I now have a strong understanding of what this field is like - and have a feel for what it is like to work in a virtual office setting!
MP: My communication skills have improved significantly. I've learned the importance of providing the right amount of context, describing things at a high level, and balancing detail with concision. I’m sure these skills will be valuable throughout the rest of my career.
Civic Consulting Alliance Fellowships are full-time positions that typically last between three months and a year. Fellows are integrated into project teams for a unique professional development opportunity. Please visit our Fellowships page to learn more about our range of fellowship opportunities.
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In July, Crain's Chicago Business featured the Racial Equity in Healthcare Progress Report, a survey tool healthcare providers can use to assess their progress towards and hold themselves accountable to achieving racial equity individually and as a healthcare community. Civic Consulting Alliance is proud to have worked with our pro bono partner Oliver Wyman to support the Providers Working Group - an offshoot of the Racial Equity Rapid Response Team - and the Illinois Health and Hospital Association in developing this important tool.
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In August, the City unveiled a new roller rink and community plaza in Garfield Park. This family-friendly space was spearheaded by the Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative, a rising community-based organization that aims to rectify racism, disinvestment, displacement, concentrated poverty, and other forms of structural violence that prevent many Garfield Park residents from living long and healthy lives. Since June, Civic Consulting Alliance has supported the organizational development of the Collaborative, including creation of its governance structure and operational plans for key initiatives.
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Thank you to our funders! |
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Civic Consulting Alliance is grateful for the critical support of all of our funders. Since our last newsletter, we were thrilled to receive philanthropic commitments from the following: |
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Support for management of the Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities
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Support via its Equitable Recovery Initiative for our work improving public health equity and COVID-19 mitigation |
General operating support to advance Civic Consulting Alliance's mission |
General operating support to sustain and amplify the Racial Equity Rapid Response Team |
Support to achieve our Economic Vitality and Safety and Justice platform visions; support for management of the Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities |
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General Operating Funders |
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Civic Consulting Alliance is grateful to our general operating funders, whose support empowers us to maintain our flexible and responsive capacity to get big things done. |
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