About Community Prosperity Institute
CPI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping communities build the knowledge, strategy, and capacity needed to participate in and benefit from development and economic investment. We work alongside local partners to make complex processes easier to navigate, support informed decision‑making, and create pathways for communities to shape outcomes that reflect their priorities and long‑term goals.
A Community‑Centered Nonprofit in Chicago Serving Communities Across The Nation.
Communities are often included in development conversations—but not always equipped to participate effectively or sustain long‑term benefits. CPI exists to change that reality by helping local groups build the knowledge, structure, and confidence needed to navigate development with clarity. We support communities across the country as they strengthen their readiness, understand complex processes, and advocate for outcomes that reflect their priorities. Our work ensures people have the tools to participate fully and shape decisions that influence their long‑term future. Reach out to us at (312) 532-4654 or via email.
How We Approach This Work Differently
We believe communities deserve more than a seat at the table—they deserve the preparation, strategy, and long‑term support needed to shape outcomes that last. Our approach blends education, planning, and systems thinking so people aren’t just participating in development, but entering the process ready, informed, and positioned to benefit. By focusing on long‑term prosperity rather than short‑term wins, we help communities build the clarity and capacity required to influence decisions in ways that reflect their priorities and strengthen their future.
Yolanda Bouchée — CEO & Founder
Yolanda Bouchée is the CEO and Founder of the Community Prosperity Institute and Revitalized Communities, bringing more than 30 years of federal leadership experience to this work. Her career includes serving as the Regional Chief of Brownfields and Land Redevelopment and the Superfund Community Chief at EPA Region 5, where she focused on community‑centered redevelopment and long‑term environmental outcomes. Throughout her leadership roles, she has specialized in advancing environmental justice, guiding sustainable development strategies, and helping communities navigate complex redevelopment processes with clarity and confidence.
Yolanda’s approach is grounded in the belief that communities deserve both a voice and the preparation needed to influence decisions that shape their future. Her work reflects a deep commitment to ensuring that redevelopment efforts are equitable, informed, and responsive to local priorities, and she continues to champion models that strengthen community readiness and long‑term prosperity.
Nicole Commodore — Executive Director & President
Nicole Commodore’s passion for helping underserved communities receive accessible and equitable healthcare led her to join Ascension in 2011. Ascension is one of the largest health systems in the country, with 100+ hospitals across 14 states.
A patient advocate and servant leader driven by a mission to create optimum health for vulnerable populations, Nicole brings deep expertise in bridging community engagement and investment with public policy to improve patient access and outcomes.
Nicole currently serves as the National Director in Ascension’s Community Impact department, where she is tasked with helping Ascension facilities address health equity and disparities, social determinants of health, and other critical community needs. She led a partnership to develop a former abandoned school into a $20M permanent supportive housing campus for previously homeless individuals, along with other affordable housing options connected to healthcare services in Detroit, MI.
Previously, she served as the Chief Advocacy Officer for Providence Health System in Washington, DC, where she worked to transform the hospital into a “healthy village” outpatient, community-based facility focused on addressing social determinants of health such as affordable housing, access to healthy foods, and other critical community health needs.
Prior to that, Nicole was Ascension’s lead federal Congressional lobbyist, representing all of Ascension’s hospitals and its legislative agenda to elected officials and policymakers at the highest levels of the U.S. federal government.
Before joining Ascension, Nicole was the Executive Director for the Indiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (IN-AAP) and worked on various state advocacy issues at Third House Advocacy in Indianapolis, IN.
Nicole holds a JD with a healthcare law concentration from Indiana University School of Law and a BA in International Relations with a minor in Bioethics from the University of Virginia. She is also certified in community organizing and grassroots advocacy from the world-renowned Midwest Academy in Chicago, IL.
How Our Ecosystem Strengthens Community Prosperity
Revitalized Communities
Revitalized Communities brings deep expertise in community‑centered redevelopment, helping local groups understand complex processes and prepare for long‑term outcomes. Their work complements CPI by supporting readiness, clarity, and sustainable decision‑making throughout redevelopment efforts.
RC Funding
RC Funding provides financial strategy and investment alignment that reinforce long‑term community prosperity. Their role ensures redevelopment efforts are supported by responsible funding approaches that match community priorities and strengthen the overall ecosystem CPI works within.