The Sangamon County Continuum of Learning was founded in 2005 and arose from local leaders’ attempts to answer the following question: What should and could Sangamon County be doing to ensure that its children, teenagers, and young adults are progressing successfully through each stage of their development and are poised to contribute to the region’s economy?

In 2015, The Continuum of Learning released the Sangamon Success report, a set of 25 recommendations for improving educational outcomes for youth who are less advantaged in Sangamon County. These recommendations highlight the need for sustainable, evidence-based programs that are driven by the efforts of local stakeholders and community organizations. This report became the guiding document for Innovate Springfield’s Social Innovation program. Since then, Innovate Springfield has served as the intermediary organization for the Continuum of Learning’s Sangamon Success Initiative, working with local non-profits and service providers to increase their understanding of evidence-based service to the community.