CFNIL’s Community Grants Program – US

Deadline: 13-Sep-21

The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) is excited to announce that the Community Grants program to serve as a catalyst for giving in order to attract, preserve, and grow an endowment for the current and future needs of the people of Northern Illinois.

Founded in 1953, the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) is a regional leader in philanthropy. With more than $105 million in assets and more than 400 individual funds, CFNIL makes grants to charitable organizations and scholarships to local students. CFNIL’s grant and scholarship programs are made possible by the generosity of CFNIL’s donors.

Community Grants proposals will be accepted in the areas of Arts & Humanities, Education, Health, Human Services, Sustainable Communities, and Youth & Families.

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 their community’s culture
    • Celebrate the region’s history and preserve 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 their 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 their 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

Funding Information

Proposals requesting more than $75,000 will be evaluated for their alignment with Education Works. Proposals requesting $30,000 or less will benefit from a streamlined application.

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.
• 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.

Eligibility Criteria

Applications will be accepted from 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, religious institutions, units of government, and public universities/colleges. The proposals must describe charitable activities provided for the benefit of residents in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, or Winnebago Counties.

For more information, visit https://www.cfnil.org/news/cfnil-community-grants-application-opens-august-2-2021-program-cycle