As an educator and organizer I love to share my research and insights (such as they are). It’s gratifying to know that so many people at least took the time to graze the presentations I put online. Use the contact form to reach me if you’d like a copy of one of these presentations or if you’re interested in a presentation at your organization.
Category Archives: Teaching
Tom Teaches Workshop On Nonprofit Basics
Is there a cause you feel passionate about? Is there an injustice that needs righting? Are you inspired to serve and innovate for the common good?
If so – then you may be thinking about starting a nonprofit organization to channel your efforts and deliver new solutions for your community.
This two hour workshop will walk you through the reasons to and NOT to start a nonprofit organization and what your first steps should be in you DO decide to start a new organization.
$15. Please register online via EventBrite = https://np101-11-6.eventbrite.com.
You will learn:
- Basic distinctions of the nonprofit organization
- Origins and place of nonprofits in American society
- Size and scope of the nonprofit sector
- Pathway to incorporate and get tax-exempt status
Tom Tresser is the instructor for this class. Tom is the co-founder of the CivicLab, which is the 13th nonprofit enterprise he has founded or led. He teaches nonprofit management for the Graduate School of Social Work at Loyola University and a number of classes on civic engagement, public policy and leadership for other local educational institutions.
Tom Teaches “TIF 101” Workshop @ CivicLab
Tom Tresser has been doing TIF Illumination workshops all over the city. Now you can see what over 1,600 other people have seen – how TIFs work REALLY.
Attend the “TIF 101” workshop at the CivicLab on Tuesday, September 17 at 7pm. 90 minutes. $10. You’ll be Illuminated! Register via EventBrite.
Englewood Neighborhood TIF Illuminated May 4
Join us in Englewood on Saturday, May 4 at 10am at the Kelly Library when we Illuminate just one TIF. We will be exposing the Englewood Neighborhood TIF that morning. Details and RSVP via Facebook @ http://tinyurl.com/TIF-Forum-May-4.
To get you in the mood to Illuminate, take this quick multiple choice question.
If you live inside the Englewood Neighborhood TIF, you would see that it is shown on your property tax bill as having “0” impact – that is, no property taxes taken. However, the TRUE percentage of your property taxes gobbled up by that TIF is:
(a) 16%
(b) 27%
(c) 48%
(d) 68%
We’ll reveal the answer, and many more amazing facts about TIFs, on May 4!
AREA Chicago Distributes 5,000 Copies Of TIF Poster
Thanks to the great folks at AREA Chicago we are distributing 5,000 copies of the TIF Illumination Project’s graphic poster showing the results of our investigation of the 12 TIFs inside the 27th Ward. Awesome! The poster was written by Tom Tresser based on data research lead by Cory Mollet and designed by Carlyn So. The Spring 2013 issue focuses on housing.
TIF Town Hall Meeting In South Shore March 30
Join us in South Shore on Saturday, March 30 to talk TIFs in the 7th Ward. We’ll be Illuminating the five active TIFs there. Preview: In 2011 those TIFs extracted $1.4 million from property owners in the 7th Ward.
Details of the event on Facebook.
“Welcome To The Gift Economy” @ Bioneers Chicago
I was at the Bioneers Chicago on Saturday, November 3 doing a workshop on “Welcome to the Gift Economy” – it was a critique of our current financial system and the institutions that teach it and about giftedness and P2P reciprocity. We CREATED our very own Gift Economy on the spot! Here is the deck:
Tom’s Talk About (and Prototype of) The Gift Economy
I presented at TEDxIIT on Saturday, April 14, on the south side campus of IIT. I talked about The Gift Economy and created one among the attendees. 82 of the 100 attendees actually offered something to their fellow attendees!
Here is the presentation:
Click on the player below to listen and click on the Slideshare viewer to watch the presentation.
Tom Part of Boost Camp for Arts Entrepreneurs
I’ve been added to the faculty of The Institute for Arts Entrepreneurship’s 2012 Boost Camp. The Boost Camp is a series of 12 online experiences will help you work through a variety of relevant and specific topics to help you build your creative career. You will be guided and given the tools and information needed to execute your strategy you develop during the course. You will be introduced to creative, entrepreneurial and innovative experts from around the world, along with a community of artists with whom you will be able to share knowledge and opportunities. I’ll be doing a session on “Introduction to the Creative Economy – Why Creativity Fuels Progress” on June 9. Learn more here…
We know there is no one simple path that’s right for everyone. Boost Camp provides lectures by industry experts, group interaction and one-on-one sessions.
Global CEOs Say Creativity #1 “Must Have”
Good Magazine made this two minute video illustrating the 2010 IBM Global CEO Report where over 1,500 CEOs from 63 countries said that creativity was the Number One trait they are looking for from their managers. That’s why I’m teaching a class on creativity and business at the IIT Stuart School of Business.
GOOD Magazine Illustrates IBM’s 2010 CEO Study from Kaldor on Vimeo.

