The South Metropolitan Regional Leadership Center asked me to explore the possibilities for it to add value to existing efforts to revitalize and redevelop the Calumet region. Through interviews with individuals who are actively involved in revitalizing the region and review of existing reports on the region, I have prepared a report which tries to answer the following questions:

• What are the key assets of the region and opportunities to take advantage of them? What progress has already been made and, if possible, why?
• What are the key liabilities of the region and opportunities to get around them? What progress has already been made and, if possible, why?
• Are there ideas/strategies circulating for an alternative vision for the region or parts of it?
• Who are the key interested parties and leaders in the Calumet region? What do they want to accomplish? Are there action actors? Do they have sufficient skills and resources to make something happen?
• What are the actual or perceived conflicting interests among community groups, developers, environmental groups, existing businesses, and local governments?
• Are there terms under which it might be possible to align -- or at least link -- all of these interests? Is there leadership to bring these diverse interests together?
• What is the potential for convening people/projects in the Calumet region in a way that will build momentum for long-term improvement? (focusing on Illinois, but with some attention to Northwest Indiana)?
• What role might Governors State University and the South Metropolitan Regional Leadership Center play?
• Who are potential funders for a convening project? What are their grant cycles? (Probably to include Donnelley, Chicago Community Trust, the Joyce Foundation, and the MacArthur Foundation.)

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