Community Foundation Competitive Grant Applications Due June 1

Grants are made for charitable purposes to organizations that have IRS 501(c)(3) classification or are government entities. Projects must serve within the Community Foundation’s service area of Adams, Brown, Hancock, and Pike Counties in Illinois; and Clark, Knox, Lewis, Marion, Monroe, Pike, Ralls and Shelby Counties in Missouri. 

Grants range from $500-$5,000 and are awarded from Unrestricted Endowment Funds, which serve arts and culture, community betterment, education, health and human services; Field of Interest Endowment Funds, which serve a specific interest or geographic area; and County Endowment Funds, which benefit a specific county. County Endowment Funds include Adams, Brown, Hancock and Pike in Illinois and Lewis and Marion in Missouri.

Qualifying organizations may submit one application per project to be considered for a grant from all fund types. Applications for general operating support are also accepted. Applicants are encouraged to schedule an appointment with the Community Foundation by May 22 to review their grant for completeness before final submission. Due to social distancing guidelines, this appointment will be over the phone with Heath Richmond, Chief Community Officer. Grants will be awarded in mid-August.

Grants are for a one-year period; however, nonprofits must submit a final grant report for the prior year’s competitive grant before applying for a new competitive grant. The Community Foundation understands that the COVID-19 crisis may have caused nonprofits to cancel or postpone programs that were funded through a 2019 competitive grant, thus not allowing the nonprofit to complete the grant and submit a final report. If a nonprofit is unable to complete a program funded by a 2019 competitive grant but wishes to apply in 2020, please contact the Community Foundation to discuss solutions. 

Its mission, “connecting people who care with causes that matter,” is achieved by gathering funds, growing them through investments, then granting to nonprofit organizations, causes or communities that mean the most to its donors.   

Since 1997, the Community Foundation has made more than $8 million in grants. It serves 12-counties: Adams, Brown, Hancock and Pike in Illinois and Clark, Lewis, Marion, Ralls, Pike, Knox, Shelby and Monroe in Missouri.  

The Community Foundation has IRS 501(c)(3) status, and contributions made to the Community Foundation generally qualify for the maximum allowable deductions for income and estate tax purposes.  

For more information, call 217-222-1237, email info@mycommunityfoundation.org or go to mycommunityfoundation.org or www.facebook.com/mycommunityfoundation.