They go by many names, nonprofits, non-governmental organizations, charities, but what has been their role in promoting democracy? The University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics recently held the event, “Laboratories of Change: Non-Profits and the Government”, described online as a “conversation on the role of nonprofits in social innovation, the opportunities and challenges of government collaboration, and the landscape of non-profit work — both Chicago and across the country… This panel brings together leaders working to create change in fields ranging from education to prisoner re-entry and generational mobility.”

Featuring:

• Victor Dickson is President and CEO of the non-profit Safer Foundation, a “national leader in the fields of community corrections, prisoner reentry and workforce development”.
• Phyllis Lockett is the CEO of LEAP Innovations, that works to “identify, pilot, research and expand the use of innovative teaching and learning technology tools from pre-K to early college”.
• Kirsten Lodal is the CEO and Co-Founder of the anti-poverty organization LIFT and IOP Pritzker Fellow for the Winter 2018 quarter. LIFT is an interesting case of a non-conventional non-profit structure. Check out their latest annual report released just days ago
• Kurt Summers has been the City of Chicago’s Treasurer since December 1, 2014

The video is a bit over an hour. Here it is:

Also see this latest related article from DC:

Real World Social Media Benefit for Nonprofits