A Multi-Use Space for Community Health, Research, and Transformation
Meeting people where they are —not where the system expects them to be.
About Innovation Commons at Community
Reimagining healthcare
Innovation Commons at Community is a groundbreaking, multi-use public health hub located in the heart of Chicago. Born from the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic, Innovation Commons exists at the intersection of scholarship, service, and healing. This space is not just a clinic, a classroom, or a research lab—it is all three and more.
The willow tree—our symbol—represents resilience, flexibility, and renewal. Like the willow, Innovation Commons bends but does not break. Rooted deeply in community, it grows stronger through collaboration, care, and shared purpose.
- Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)
- Nurse-Led Clinical education.
- Nurse- Led Clinical care
Our main initiatives
At Innovation Commons at Community, we believe healthcare should meet people where they are—not where the system expects them to be.
Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)
The COVID-19 pandemic taught us hard lessons. It exposed how fragile our systems are—and how deeply health, trust, and justice are intertwined. At Innovation Commons, we use Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) to rebuild what was broken.
Nurse-Led Clinical education.
Simulation labs build technical skill—but humanity is learned face-to-face. At Innovation Commons, we merge classroom rigor with the pulse of the community clinic.
Nurse- Led Clinical care
Health belongs everywhere people are. Even in a city full of hospitals, many still go without care. Distance, fear, or past experiences keep them away. Innovation Commons responds by bringing healthcare to them.
Founder Spotlight
Dr. Molly Kachale Netter
Innovation Commons is the vision of Dr. Molly Kachale Netter, a pioneer in community-engaged public health and Assistant Professor at DePaul University’s College of Health Sciences. Dr. Netter brings a bold academic lens and lived commitment to the idea that true innovation is collaborative, not top-down.
Inspired by the chaos and clarity of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Netter recognized the urgent need to create nontraditional health spaces that move beyond the clinic. She leads with humility, rigor, and radical imagination—blurring the lines between university, neighborhood, and healing space. Her leadership infuses Innovation Commons with purpose, integrity, and deep community trust.
Our Partners
Innovation Commons thrives through collaboration. Our work is powered by organizations and individuals who believe that health equity begins where people are—and that community care is the foundation of lasting change.
Why Your Support Matters
Your contribution sustains our nurse-led clinics, health outreach, and student learning experiences that build the next generation of compassionate practitioners. Every dollar directly funds supplies, meals, and community-based screenings for people who might otherwise go unseen. Innovation Commons at Community is a registered non-profit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.