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How do I apply?What is Citizens Planning Institute?What is planning?Who is the CPI course for?What will I take away from the experience?What do Citizen Planners do?Who are the instructors?Who are we?

  • Citizen Planner, Spring 2017

    I helped bring bikes, a bus route, & job fairs to my neighborhood

    See Kyle in Action

  • Citizen Planner, Spring 2016

    I organized with my neighbors to shape the change happening in our community

    See Jacqueline in Action

  • Citizen Planner, Fall 2016

    I’m using preservation and zoning to keep my neighborhood's character

    See Venise in Action

  • Citizen Planner, Fall 2015

    I’m using beautification to stop illegal dumping

    See Ruth in Action

  • Citizen Planner, Spring 2015

    I helped improve the park & playground in my neighborhood

    See Warren in Action

  • Citizen Planner, Spring 2014

    I'm saving materials from vacant buildings & creating jobs

    See Greg in Action

  • Citizen Planner, Spring 2014

    I started pop-up clean-ups in my neighborhood

    See Ted in Action

  • Citizen Planner, Spring 2013

    I cleaned & greened my neighborhood & local school

    See Albert in Action

  • Citizen Planner, Fall 2015

    I formed a Friends of Harrowgate Park group

    See Marissa in Action

  • Citizen Planner, Fall 2015

    I led the revitalization of Hunting Park

    See Leroy in Action

  • Citizen Planner, Spring 2015

    I'm bringing an old school building back to life

    See Lily in Action

  • Citizen Planner, Spring 2014

    I beautified blighted properties in Belmont

    See Aminata in Action

  • Citizen Planner, Fall 2014

    I started a microgrant program in Newbold

    See Miguel in Action

  • Citizen Planner, Fall 2012

    I mobilized my community to preserve a local landmark

    See Tonnetta in Action

Applications for Fall 2019 are closed. Sign-up for email updates to learn when Spring 2020 applications open

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What is CPI?

Citizens Planning Institute (CPI) is the education and outreach arm of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.

CPI introduces Philadelphians, who "love where they live", to the activities of city planning, zoning and development so they can help shape and preserve their neighborhoods. 

CPI's main activity is a seven-week course, offered every spring and fall, to a new and diverse group of thirty residents who brings new-found skills and resources back to their neighborhood organizations.

A Better Philadelphia- Plan On It!

Read More About CPI

Quick Facts

  • Who is the CPI course for?

    Anyone who loves where they live! Whether you’ve been involved in your neighborhood for years, or if you’re a new neighbor—if you want to make a difference in your community, CPI is for you! To date, 490 Philadelphians have participated, representing over 120 different neighborhoods.

  • What is planning?

    City planning helps guide how to improve housing, neighborhoods, jobs, transportation, and public space. Plans make recommendations based on community input and on studies of existing properties, demographics, housing, and transit issues. They also identify how to turn the ideas in the plan into action.

  • What will I take away from the experience?

    Not only will you learn from instructors who are leaders in the fields of planning, development, and community development, you will also be connected with the growing network of Citizen Planners across the City who are working on many of the same neighborhood challenges. The CPI course provides practical tools individuals can take back to their neighborhood organizations and communities so they can engage in planning issues on equal footing with other stakeholders.

  • How do I apply?

    Applications are available on this website in March for the Spring course and in September for the Fall course. You can sign-up to receive our enewsletter to learn when applications are available at the bottom of this page. If you or someone you know requires a print application, call 215-683-4648.

More at the Course Info page!