What We Do

Delta Institute works with communities throughout the Midwest to solve complex environmental challenges. We envision a region in which all communities and landscapes thrive through an integrated approach to environmental, economic, and social challenges. Since our founding in 1998, Delta Institute has worked throughout the Midwest, in both urban and rural communities.

Thriving
Communities

Thriving
Landscapes

Resiliency and Community Planning

Delta provides critical planning efforts for communities to identify economic, social, and environmental challenges, develop strategies to overcome them, and leverage community expertise assets and financial resources. Learn more >

Brownfields and Coal Plant Redevelopment

We work with communities to remediate vacant, polluted lands (commonly known as “brownfields”) through phytoremediation to then spur more sustainable redevelopment. A key component of our brownfields work involves Delta equipping communities with the tools they need as they redevelop closed—or closing—coal power plants. Learn more >

Deconstruction and Waste Reduction

Delta is leading efforts for recycling, reuse, and salvage—while creating economic development, new jobs, and diverting tons of materials from landfill. Learn more >

Green Infrastructure

Delta advances proactive stormwater management through green designs such as permeable pavements, bioswales, and stormwater tree plantings. Learn more >

Sustainable Buildings

Utilizing energy efficiency best practices and innovative approaches, we help our partners create vibrant and efficient spaces for people to live and work in. Learn more >

Land Stewardship

We expand conservation practices on public and private lands to preserve both natural and working landscapes throughout the Midwest. Learn more >

Regenerative Agriculture

Delta is creating marketplaces for regeneratively produced crops and piloting financial tools to better support farmers transitioning from conventional to regenerative practices. Learn more >
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Tools and Publications

Featured Projects

Phosphorus Reduction Auction in the Kalamazoo River Watershed

Phosphorus Reduction Auction in the Kalamazoo River Watershed

This project aims to reduce excessive phosphorus loading in the Kalamazoo River Watershed associated with agricultural sources through a market and performance-based agricultural incentive program. Performance-based programs can provide a more targeted approach to investing in conservation when program funding is limited.

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Pay-for-Performance Agricultural Conservation: Rabbit River Watershed

Pay-for-Performance Agricultural Conservation: Rabbit River Watershed

This project addressed sediment loading associated with agricultural sources, such as cropland erosion, livestock access, and road/bridge crossings that impacts habitat and water quality in the Rabbit River through a performance-based program for implementing agricultural best management practices. In addition to targeting sedimentation, the project also provided co-benefits of addressing other pollutants such as nutrients and pathogens, largely stemming from livestock access, and pesticides/chemicals, resulting from cropland erosion.

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Economic Equity via Community-Led Redevelopment in Little Village

Economic Equity via Community-Led Redevelopment in Little Village

Through a robust partnership between the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization and Delta Institute, our initiative will create a new community hub, called the Centro de Solidaridad Mi Villita, to provide 100,000+ Chicagoans with the means to create a robust local economy based on solidarity and equity. This project was a Finalist for the first Chicago Prize, the $10M award competition held in 2020 by the Pritzker Traubert Foundation. Although we did not win the competition, we remain committed to a sustainable future for Little Village.

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Illinois Sand Management Beneficial Reuse Pilot

Illinois Sand Management Beneficial Reuse Pilot

Recreational beaches around the Great Lakes have experienced significant erosion due to high water levels, more intense storms, and other conditions. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recently selected six sites within four municipalities to be eligible for pilot participation and receiving sand for restoring beaches. Under this federal pilot project, each of the municipal park districts must decide whether they wish to receive the dredged sand from outside Waukegan Harbor. To support these communities, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Coastal Management Program provided funding to Delta Institute and GEI Consultants.

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Steel City Salvage: Deconstruction and Economic Opportunity in Gary

Steel City Salvage: Deconstruction and Economic Opportunity in Gary

Delta Institute has worked within Gary for years—decades even—with dozens of local community partners who are essential to our collaborative efforts’ success. Many of our supporters are familiar with Delta’s efforts to create Steel City Salvage , our deconstruction project that saves reclaimed materials from vacant buildings going to landfill—instead selling them to spur economic development within the City of Gary. Specifically, Delta has worked to establish a sustainable marketplace for these salvaged items--which includes everything from old growth lumber to wall sconces to church pews. We are committed to ensuring that materials from Gary benefit Gary, and that operations remain within the City to provide another route for ongoing economic development.

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Storywood: Utilizing Reclaimed and Unique Wood in Design and Architecture

Storywood: Utilizing Reclaimed and Unique Wood in Design and Architecture

Delta Institute released our Toolkit for Using StoryWood on December 12th ahead of the holiday season. We encourage you to use its release as a reminder to appreciate all material gifts – big and small – as every material has a story, and wood is no different.

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Stormwater Tree Planting on the Hart Montague Trail in Oceana County, Michigan

Stormwater Tree Planting on the Hart Montague Trail in Oceana County, Michigan

Stormwater runoff from parking lots, roadways, buildings, and other impervious surfaces carries oils, grease, pesticides, sediment, and excess nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen into groundwater and nearby natural bodies of water--including to Lake MIchigan through watershed tributaries. Due to the increased frequency and severity of storms as a result of global climate change, volumes of stormwater runoff continue to increase.

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