Deadline: 21-Sep-20
The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois is seeking proposals for the Community Grant Program. CFNIL accepts proposals in the following Focus Areas. Generally, 50% of CFNIL’s grants will be allocated for Education, while 10% will be for each of the following Focus Areas:
Arts & Humanities
CFNIL funding priorities are for those proposals that:
- Increase the availability of and access to artistic and cultural experiences, especially those that represent the diversity of the community’s culture
- Celebrate the region’s history and preserve the historical integrity
Education (encompasses both Complementary Education and Career Pathways)
CFNIL funding priorities are for those proposals that:
- Align with CFNIL’s Education Works guidelines
- Provide creative and systemic approaches to educational improvement
- Support the education of current and future medical professionals
Health
CFNIL funding priorities are for those proposals that:
- Improve the quality of and access to health services
- Support community wellness
- Conduct research to promote the health and well-being of the community
Human Services
CFNIL funding priorities are for those proposals that:
- Serve the basic needs of individuals and families
- Provide services to persons with disabilities, especially activities that promote inclusion
- Promote the equitable treatment of others
Sustainable Communities
CFNIL funding priorities are for those proposals that:
- Promote neighborhood and economic development
- Support efforts to ensure safety and access to quality, affordable, and permanent housing
- Preserve the natural environment, especially activities that increase the region’s understanding and appreciation of the environment
Youth & Families
CFNIL funding priorities are for those proposals that:
- Provide pathways to self-sufficiency
- Strengthen families
- Support intellectual, emotional, physical, and social development
Eligibility Criteria
- To be eligible to apply for funding from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, an applicant must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization OR a religious organization, unit of government, or public university/college.
- The proposals must describe charitable activities that primarily, but not exclusively, benefit the residents of Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, or Winnebago Counties. The more you request, the greater scrutiny your proposal will receive. Proposals requesting more than $75,000 will be evaluated for their alignment with Education Works. Proposals requesting less than $30,000 will benefit from a streamlined application.
- CFNIL does not fund charitable activities that promote a religion or require participation in a religious activity as a condition for receiving services. However, grants may be made to faith-based organizations for non-religious purposes.
CFNIL will fund:
- Expenses that are directly related to the design and implementation of a proposal. Income and expenses related to the proposal must be itemized using CFNIL’s Budget Template. (see the Grants Resources page and look for the “Budget Template” section to download and find more instructions)
- The purchase and installation of capital assets (i.e., assets that have a useful life greater than one year and which will be depreciated on the applicant’s books).
- Wages for staff or contractors to the extent that the request is appropriate to the proposal’s scope and implementation.
- Indirect costs that do not exceed 15% of the amount being requested in the proposal. Indirect costs are defined as expenses that cannot be easily attributed to the funded charitable activity but are essential to the operation of the grantee. Examples include utilities, insurance, general administrative support, and the portion of a building that is used to support the general operations of the organization.
- The CFNIL Community Grants program will not fund proposals requesting funding for general operations; endowment building; large-scale capital campaigns; budget deficits; individuals; for-profit organizations; partisan political activities; or proposals that discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, national/ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran’s status, disability, or any other factor prohibited by applicable law.
For more information, visit https://www.cfnil.org/community
