Look North
Look North was born out of a desire to unify the county and bring more resources to support the needs of its most vulnerable residents.
A number of years ago, Lake County’s accessible resources were scarce and scattered, and those that did exist operated alone and on shoestring budgets. A few family foundations made grants, but all too often those dollars went to alma maters or Chicago nonprofits, where the image of need was strong and well documented. There were no local funding conversations and the idea of co-funding an organization or issue for greater impact did not exist.
The Gorter Family Foundation launched its Look North Initiative in 2012 to educate donors and foster grantmaking relationships. Piloted through a Speaker Series, followed by themed lunch and dinner meetings, the gatherings spurred the philanthropic sector to engage in conversations around its work. GFF’s goal was to learn, communicate, and discover common interests.
Establishing and nourishing relationships was step one. The educational gatherings assisted in breaking down silos which led to more impactful ways of achieving results. We now come together with facts and knowledge and a wider set of resources to solve county-wide issues.
We’ve learned that no issues can be addressed through the improvement of only one sector. To lift a school, a community,
a county, or a region, multiple sector challenges must be tackled at the same time. A hungry or homeless child may not be able to focus on school. Health issues can affect truancy or employment. Safety concerns can negatively impact mental health. All of these issues are entwined, and now they are being addressed as co-existing, contributing factors to our desired outcome of a healthy life environment for all.
The 5 Cs – Connection, Communication, Coordination, Cooperation, and Collaboration, have become the backbone of the Look North Initiative. A network of relationships has led to a strong foundation that supports creative problem solving and forward-thinking strategies that incorporate these 5 Cs.
The original goal has been met, but new gatherings continue to occur to better incorporate the 5 Cs. County-wide leadership groups have formed to guarantee coordination at the highest level ensuring sustainable communication. Sector groups, such as early childhood education, housing, and workforce development have formed as well, providing coordinated direction and impact.
As new layers develop, new ideas will emerge, allowing the fabric of our county to strengthen and grow, delivering focused support where it is most needed.
The 5 Cs – Connection, Communication, Coordination, Cooperation, and Collaboration, have become the backbone of the Look North Initiative. A network of relationships has led to a strong foundation that supports creative problem solving and forward-thinking strategies that incorporate these 5 Cs.
The original goal has been met, but new gatherings continue to occur to better incorporate the 5 Cs. County-wide leadership groups have formed to guarantee coordination at the highest level ensuring sustainable communication. Sector groups, such as early childhood education, housing, and workforce development have formed as well, providing coordinated direction and impact.
As new layers develop, new ideas will emerge, allowing the fabric of our county to strengthen and grow, delivering focused support where it is most needed.