Cultivate Collective

Cultivate Collective’s innovation advances a first-of-its-kind, net-positive energy campus and community hub located in a historically disinvested area of Southwest Chicago. In collaboration with the Academy for Global Citizenship (AGC), this campus is a living model of climate-positive, equity-centered infrastructure. It currently produces 107% of its annual energy needs and is also net-positive for water, featuring 550 kW of solar, 50 geothermal wells, and resilient green infrastructure. Co-located within this regenerative development are bilingual, sustainability-focused public education; a federally qualified health center; a workforce training hub; a fresh food market; and two acres of urban agriculture — all accessible to the surrounding community. The innovation emerged from over 50 community forums and was co-designed with local residents to address intergenerational inequities and environmental injustice. Since opening in 2023, the hub has hosted over 100 community events, distributed more than 1,000 meals daily, and launched green workforce development programs for both youth and adults. Cultivate Collective is now championing broader adoption of this model through partnerships, training programs, and cross-sector collaborations — helping inspire communities throughout Chicago and across the country to explore how similar approaches can be adapted to meet their own local needs. This work positions Chicago as a global leader in climate innovation grounded in equity, sustainability, and community voice.