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© Copyright 2020-2026 Delta Institute.

Delta Institute, 35 E. Wacker, Ste 1760, Chicago, IL 60601

312-554-0900

delta@delta-institute.org

Municipal Planning and Technical Assistance

25+ YEARS OF

Municipal Planning

Achieving Climate, Carbon, Resiliency, or Master Planning Needs

Delta provides municipalities, ranging from populations of 1,500 to 3.5M residents, with services that address a wide range of climate, sustainability, carbon neutrality, GHG emissions, and master planning efforts. Our municipal planning centers the needs and lived experience of our partners, while keeping planning efforts action- and time- focused.
Community members strategize on brownfield redevelopment
Flipboard with stickers at brownfield community planning session

Engaging,

Forward-Thinking

Municipal Planning

Many municipalities are exploring how their community may best respond to an array of long-term needs, ranging from climate adaptation to carbon neutrality or reduction to incorporation of new sustainable business models into existing or soon-to-be created municipal plans.

Since our founding, Delta Institute has worked with more than 200+ communities in more than eight states to create multi-faceted, long-term municipal plans across our many service areas—and our proven methods would work for your community. We pride ourselves on creating custom, tailored plans for our municipal partners that reflect their unique goals and circumstances. Some plans require nuanced cadence so that key pain points are addressed as quickly as possible, and “dream points” are sequenced in a way that makes sense for your community. Delta Institute understands, and can nimbly navigate these realities.

OUR STRENGTHS

Community-wide Engagement

Navigating Municipal Departments & Processes

Goal Setting and Plan Prioritization

Time- and Budget- Consciousness

Funding Analysis and Next Steps

Community members strategize on brownfield redevelopment

We understand municipal needs and realities

Delta Institute prides ourselves on being a trusted, reliable, and effective partner to municipal agencies and community groups. We understand municipal realities, ranging from staff resources, budget processes, Council approvals, Open Meetings Act requirements, and planning cycles. As a 501c3 nonprofit, our mission is rooted within your success—as dictated by our strategic goals and governing Board of Directors. Simply put, we exist to support Midwestern communities.

We're focused on the mission, not on profits

Our pricing is based upon the actual cost for our organizational staff to create your plans—we don’t have shareholders or a profit margin in our work. So you can rest easy knowing that the price is exactly what it should be, without inflated costs or unnecessary perks that so many other planning agencies add into their fees.

Everything is tailored to your community

Delta Institute rejects the “copy and paste” approach to community redevelopment that is unfortunately prevalent in the technical assistance sector. We dig into local context, history, and community voice to genuinely hear what pain points and visions are, so that we then collaboratively craft an authentic plan that is 1) Community-Led, 2) Actionable, and 3) Grounded in Shared Values for your community’s future.

FEATURED MUNICIPAL PLANNING PROJECTS

Little Village, Chicago neighborhood archway
Chicago

Climate Action Planning

Chicago Climate Action Strategy

Delta Institute helped create actions and funding plans for the Chicago Climate Action Plan, focusing on residential and commercial energy efficiency and waste mitigation strategies. Delta designed a framework to engage in carbon sequestration and emissions reduction activities. Delta created methodologies for six offset project types at the municipal level.
More info
Shenango Coal Plant

Resiliency Planning

Muskegon Lake, Michigan Resilency Plan

Delta Institute developed a resilience plan reflective of Muskegon Lake’s Master Plan, creating a blueprint for local decision makers to incorporate resilience into future programs, policy, and outreach. The project created a plan for the shoreline, serving as a roadmap for incorporating climate adaptation and resiliency.
More info
Shenango Coal Plant
Chicago

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions

GHG Emissions Report for Skokie, Illinois

Delta Institute conducted a baseline greenhouse gas inventory as part of a broader suite of sustainability efforts for the Village of Skokie. This inventory includes emissions that are directly related to community actions and provides a starting point to develop initiatives that will reduce or eliminate emissions in the near, mid, and long term for the Village, its businesses, and residents.
More info
Landscape of La Crosse, WI

Carbon Neutrality Planning

Carbon Neutral 2050 Plan for South Bend

Delta Institute worked with the City of South Bend on an actionable municipal plan to reduce emissions called Carbon Neutral 2050. The plan targets transportation and energy use in buildings, which were found to be the largest sources of greenhouse gases in South Bend. Strategies were prioritized to provide the most substantial emissions cuts while maximizing resident- and business- benefits.
More info
Workers deconstructing a building

Master Planning

Master Planning for Sebewaing, Michigan

Delta Institute provided the Village of Sebewaing, located on the shore of Saginaw Bay, with recommendations, assessment, and analysis of environmental circumstances, climate planning, and municipal planning to align future development with better resilience outcomes. Key goals were to mitigate flood risk and vulnerability to extreme weather caused by climate change.
Learn more

WHY CHOOSE DELTA INSTITUTE?

 

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INNOVATION

Named the winner of Illinois Green’s Emerald Award for Green Innovation in 2018.

 

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NONPROFIT

Partnering with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit means we prioritize mission over profits. We are fully registered to do business like any other firm.

 

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COLLABORATION

Named a finalist for the inaugural Chicago Prize in 2020 in partnership with LVEJO.

 

Candid Platinum Transparency badge for 2026

TRANSPARENCY

Winner of Candid’s Platinum Seal of Transparency for 6 years — a recognition received by fewer than 1% of all nonprofits.

 

Indiana Governor's Award in Environmental Excellence

EXCELLENCE

Received Indiana Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence in both 2023 and 2024.

 

Charity Navigator Four-Star badge

ACCOUNTABILITY

Received Charity Navigator’s highest four-star “Give with Confidence” rating annually.

 

Small map of Midwestern states

REGIONAL

Named 1 of 29 Environmental Finance Centers supporting the EPA’s commitment to water access for all.

 

Chicago flag

TRUSTED PARTNER

Hired by the Office of the Mayor to develop the Chicago Waste Strategy, which is still being implemented today.

We’d love to hear from you!

If your community is thinking about developing a new planning initiative, we’d love to schedule a call. Please reach out to us to schedule a free consultation at either 312-554-0900 ext. 31 or send us an email.

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