WHAT IS CIOP?

The CENTRAL ILLINOIS ORGANIZING PROJECT (CIOP) is an ecumenical, faith-based community organization.  It encompasses 12 counties in central Illinois and includes the communities of Springfield Bloomington-Normal, Decatur, Champaign-Urbana, Danville, Peoria, and rural Logan county. The mission of CIOP is to help its membership work collectively for justice in local communities and throughout the Central Illinois region.

CIOP works with local grassroots and faith leaders on wide variety of justice issues they themselves identify.  Currently these issues are obtaining evening bus service in Springfield (obtaining universal access for all residents regardless of physical ability, age or income), Living Wage in Bloomington (securing a decent wage for city and city subcontracted workers - city hall janitors, school crossing guards, arena workers - beyond that of poverty wages), helping family farms and farm communities protect their livelihood from mega-farm interests,saving families from predatory lenders and foreclosure , and increasing community reinvestment (CRA) opportunities for first-time homeowners and emerging markets.

WHO ARE WE?

CIOP is the largest faith-based community organization in all of downstate Illinois - it has 34 formal institutional members which represent over 34,000 families.  Membership is representative of the region's geography and is inclusive of race, gender and religious affiliation.

The organization has offices in Bloomington (Regional office) and site offices in Springfield and Champaign.  Each member organization of CIOP has a commitment to justice, participates in organizing leadership training and pay annual dues.  Member groups each organize local leadership teams with two leaders on the CIOP Board (which meets bi-monthly).  CIOP is a 501c3 non-profit organization.

HOW DO WE ORGANIZE?

CIOP's empowers low and moderate income families and their congregations and organizations to become full partners in the decision-making process on justice issues. To accomplish this prophetic faith-based mission, CIOP relies on leadership training of clergy and laity as well as using the fundamentals of community organizing in a regional geographic context.

CIOP's organizing is both public and private.  Leaders and organizing staff develop specific demands and strategies for negotiating with thos who can make decisions.  The organization's leaders seek to negotiate solutions as a first step, but when decision-makers refuse to negotiate, CIOP will take the issue to the public arena.  These strategies however, are always to secure justice and change relationships between those without power and those with power in our communities.  CIOP does not engage in direct confrontation as an ends in itself, but as a means to meaningful negotiation and compromise.

HOW CAN I VOLUNTEER, WHAT CAN I DO?

CIOP always needs people willing to give their time and talent.  Please either call the Bloomington office (309-827-9627) or the Springfield office (217-525-6942).

Your involvement can take the form of helping families over the phone who are interested in buying their first home,  researching bank lending in your community, to helping our growing public affairs campaign - like our newsletter and this web site!

COLLEGE AND SEMINARY STUDENTS: CONSIDER A CIOP INTERNSHIP!

CIOP has provided 6 internships since its inception to undergraduate and graduate students interested in community organizing.  Each of these internships were tailored to the needs of CIOP and the student.  A majority of the internships were for college credit and students received a paid stipend (ISU Stevenson Center, Peace Corp Fellowship Program, ISU school of social work.)  Students interested in interning should contact the CIOP Executive Director at 309-827-9627..