Meckes Joins Alliance of Illinois Community Foundations Board of Directors

The Alliance of Illinois Community Foundations (AICF) is a statewide collaborative organization formed in 2005 to strengthen and support community foundations serving the state of Illinois. Community foundations are grantmaking public charities that are dedicated to improving the lives of people in a defined geographic area. There are 33 community foundation members of the Alliance. 

“Community foundations play a unique role in advancing local philanthropy. While each member of the Alliance is dedicated to improving the quality of life in their own backyard, we share common goals of strengthening local nonprofits and ultimately, building thriving communities throughout Illinois,” said Meckes. “I am honored to represent West Central Illinois as the Alliance works together to create a more prosperous future for our State.”

Meckes joined the Community Foundation in 2015 and assumed the role of CEO in 2019. She works with donors, nonprofits, and community partners to grow our region’s charitable endowment, deploy impactful grants, and advance local opportunities through collaboration. 

“I am thrilled that Catherine accepted the invitation to join the AICF Board. The longstanding good work at Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois & Northeast Missouri has long been known throughout the state,” said Josh Gibb, Chair, AICF Board of Directors. “Under Catherine’s leadership that work continues and progresses, providing examples and models of how philanthropy enables rural communities to be their very best. Catherine’s insights and leadership will shape the work of our association but also influence the work of our members throughout the state.”

Meckes joins Dan Templin, DeKalb County Community Foundation; John Stremsterfer, Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln; Josh Gibb, Galesburg Community Foundation; Scott Witzig, Morton Community Foundation; Nicole Smolkovich, Community Foundation of the Kankakee River Valley; Tony Martinez, Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation; and Anne Calder, Quad Cities Community Foundation on the AICF Board of Directors.

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The Alliance of Illinois Community Foundations is a professional, collaborative network dedicated to strengthening and promoting organized philanthropy in the State of Illinois. By working together with publicly supported community foundations and stakeholders, the Alliance aims to educate, support, and facilitate effective philanthropic grantmaking, ultimately making a positive impact on communities throughout the state. Learn more at www.allianceilcf.org. 

The Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois & Northeast Missouri builds permanent charitable funds to assist area nonprofits and communities. Its mission, “connecting people who care with causes that matter,” is achieved by gathering funds, growing them through investments, then granting to local nonprofit organizations and causes. Since 1997, the Community Foundation has awarded more than $15 million in grants to improve the quality of life throughout the 12-county region it serves.