$1.73M Awarded to Local Nonprofits via CFNIL Community Grants
The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) is feeling extra thankful as we announce the recipients of Community Grants for the 2024 program cycle: $1.73 million granted to 88 organizations in support of projects, programs, and events benefiting the people of Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago Counties.
The grants were awarded in eight focus areas: Arts & Humanities; Basic Needs & Compassionate Support; Career Pathways; Complementary Education; Equity, Dignity, & Respect; Health; Sustainable Communities; and Youth & Families. From the stage to the classroom, from the doctor’s office to the riverfront, and at all points in between, the projects funded by Community Grants help build a more vibrant region.
The full report on 2024 Community Grants Program grantmaking can be found online at https://canva.cfnil.org/cgr2024. This report details each of the 95 awards made this cycle and the work that each grantee will undertake as a result.
A summary table of the grants, sorted alphabetically by organization name, is found below.
“The people of Northern Illinois are exceptionally generous and committed to ensuring future generations will have every opportunity to live healthy, productive, and rewarding lives,” said Dan Ross, CFNIL President. “We are inspired by our nonprofit partners whose work makes that vision possible, not just in the future, but today. This work and its growing, ongoing impact would not be possible without the generosity of thousands of donors, the commitment of hundreds of volunteers, and the exceptional efforts of these grantees.”
The 2024 Community Grants Program cycle continues CFNIL’s 71-year commitment to investment in Northern Illinois through grantmaking. Learn more about Community Grants and other grantmaking programs of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois at http://cfnil.org/grants.
View the 2024 CFNIL Community Grants Report
Pictured above from left: Circle of Change; Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corp.; Guest House; The Music Academy; Severson Dells Nature Center; Habitat for Humanity of Boone County; Winnebago-Boone Farm Bureau Foundation.
ORGANIZATION | PROPOSAL TITLE | FOCUS AREA | AWARD |
|---|---|---|---|
50 North | 50 North, Senior Activity Program | Equity, Dignity, & Respect | $5,750.00 |
Alignment Rockford | Ready To Learn Early Childhood Support Expansion | Complementary Education | $80,000.00 |
Amity Society of Freeport | Safety in the classroom | Complementary Education | $31,947.00 |
Artists' Ensemble Theater | Alabama Story by Kenneth Jones | Arts & Humanities | $8,200.00 |
Artists' Ensemble Theater | Live theater for people with disabilities | Equity, Dignity, & Respect | $5,453.00 |
Because They All Deserve To Live | "My Three Pups" Pet Food Pantry Funding for Rent and Pet Food | Sustainable Communities | $5,100.00 |
Belvidere Township Park District | Instant Language Assistance Devices | Equity, Dignity, & Respect | $7,300.00 |
Blackhawk Area Council, Boy Scouts of America | Reaching for Academic Success | Youth & Families | $10,140.00 |
Blackhawk Area Council, Boy Scouts of America | Upgrading the Ability to Serve | Sustainable Communities | $14,701.67 |
Boone County Health Department | Boone County Hunger Coalition Cooling Safety Initiative | Basic Needs & Compassionate Support | $11,273.45 |
Bridges to Prosperity NI | Community Schools Support | Complementary Education | $28,750.00 |
Bridges to Prosperity NI | Getting Ahead Classes | Youth & Families | $34,500.00 |
Brightpoint | Rockford Crisis Nursery Overnight Expansion | Youth & Families | $75,000.00 |
Burpee Museum of Natural History | Burpee's Rolling Museum: Bringing Natural History to Every Corner of Our Community | Complementary Education | $34,938.57 |
Carpenter's Place | Functional and safe bathroom for transitional housing | Basic Needs & Compassionate Support | $14,375.00 |
Children's Safe Harbor | Increased Safe Exchanges for children and facilitated groups for parents. | Youth & Families | $28,699.20 |
Circle of Change | Youth Dog Program | Youth & Families | $24,639.80 |
CITIED Foundation | Early Birds Social Worker Development Program | Career Pathways | $7,015.00 |
CITIED Foundation | Wellness Wednesday Workshops | Health | $9,660.00 |
Community Life Center of Rockford | LEAP Program ( Learning, Enrichment/Empowerment, and Achievement Program) | Complementary Education | $57,203.88 |
Comprehensive Community Solutions, Inc. | YouthBuild Rockford | Career Pathways | $40,000.00 |
Dakota Elementary | Makerspace | Complementary Education | $4,688.25 |
Epilepsy Advocacy Network | Northern Illinois Epilepsy Services | Health | $6,900.00 |
Ethnic Heritage Museum | Replacing Graham-Ginestra House flat roof | Arts & Humanities | $20,240.00 |
Evans United Methodist Church | Paper Angel Closet Outreach | Basic Needs & Compassionate Support | $2,300.00 |
Eversight | Support for Corneal Donation and Transplantation Across Northern Illinois | Health | $6,625.00 |
Family Counseling Services of No. IL. | Enhanced Individual and Group Experiential Therapy | Health | $33,321.00 |
Family Peace Center | Technology Updates to Enhance Services | Sustainable Communities | $10,350.00 |
Freeport Regional Healthcare Foundation | Basic Amplification Devices for Seniors with Hearing Loss | Health | $16,476.05 |
Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois | Girls Health and Wellness Project | Health | $9,775.00 |
Girls on the Run of Northwest Illinois | Girls On the Run provides access and support to all girls for our 2025 spring program. | Youth & Families | $9,832.00 |
Guest House | A Home Away From Home: Medical Lodging for Northern Illinoisans | Basic Needs & Compassionate Support | $11,500.00 |
Habitat for Humanity of Boone County | HFH Build 2025 | Sustainable Communities | $40,000.00 |
Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County | Ensuring Volunteer Job Safety: Phase II | Sustainable Communities | $3,100.00 |
Hoo Haven Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education Center | Hoo Haven Wildlife Rehab: Eagle Recovery Center Improvements Project | Sustainable Communities | $11,500.00 |
Hope WINS | Hope WINS (What I Need to Succeed) --Family Success | Equity, Dignity, & Respect | $11,512.07 |
House of God Church | Brooke Road Community Shopping Cart Distribution | Basic Needs & Compassionate Support | $4,770.43 |
Iconic Nurse Network Outreach, INC | Iconic Community Empowerment Initiative | Health | $11,500.00 |
Ida Public Library | Breaking Barriers; Making Our Library Accessible for All People | Equity, Dignity, & Respect | $5,439.00 |
Illinois Literacy Foundation | Literacy Volunteer Recruitment | Complementary Education | $2,072.29 |
Junior League of Rockford, Inc. (JLR) | United For Literacy: Enhancing Early Childhood Literacy in Winnebago County | Complementary Education | $9,200.00 |
Ken-Rock Community Center | Increased safety by improving lighting in parking lot | Youth & Families | $12,698.00 |
KFACT | Lady All Stars Mentoring Program | Career Pathways | $57,500.00 |
Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden | Rooted In Rockford: Art and Tree Science at Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden | Arts & Humanities | $13,800.00 |
Lisa's Little Rescue | New Wildlife Recovery Cages for Rockford’s only Wildlife Center | Sustainable Communities | $8,625.00 |
Lutheran Social Services of Illinois | Rockford Children's Services Recruitment and Retention | Equity, Dignity, & Respect | $8,625.00 |
Macktown Living History Education Center | Signage identifying the historic settlement and Macktown Living History | Arts & Humanities | $10,637.50 |
Milestone, Inc. | Aging in Place-Needed Transfer Lifts | Equity, Dignity, & Respect | $15,000.00 |
Natural Land Institute | Family Nature Adventures 2025 | Sustainable Communities | $3,450.00 |
Northern Illinois University | Strengthening Regional Work-Based Learning and Launching an Education Research Collaborative | Career Pathways | $55,000.00 |
Northwest Community Center | Empowering Women for Success Program | Career Pathways | $20,107.09 |
Northwestern Illinois Community Action Agency (NICAA) | Capital/Commodity Grant Proposal to support the acquisition of new, safe kitchen equipment . | Equity, Dignity, & Respect | $10,000.00 |
Oregon CUSD 220 | Summer Elementary Math Camp | Complementary Education | $46,000.00 |
Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps., Inc. | PR Academy - Rockford Community | Arts & Humanities | $10,000.00 |
Poplar Grove Vintage Wings and Wheels Museum | Accessible Educational Historic 'Walking and Wheeling' Campus Tour | Arts & Humanities | $4,500.00 |
Prairie State Legal Services, Inc. | Legal Services for Survivors | Equity, Dignity, & Respect | $25,071.76 |
Rock and Roll Institute NFP | Rock & Roll Institute Instructor/Mentor Cost Sharing | Arts & Humanities | $14,260.00 |
Rock House Kids | RHK Meals Program: Feeding the Future | Basic Needs & Compassionate Support | $11,500.00 |
Rock River Valley Pantry, Inc. | Nutritious Food for Winnebago County Residents | Basic Needs & Compassionate Support | $22,045.00 |
Rock Valley College Foundation | Eagle's Nest Food Pantry to Combat Student Hunger | Basic Needs & Compassionate Support | $11,500.00 |
Rockford Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation | Human Trafficking in Youth Prevention Program - Facilitator Expansion | Equity, Dignity, & Respect | $3,618.00 |
Rockford Area Arts Council | Rockford Region Cultural Plan - Implementation | Arts & Humanities | $10,000.00 |
Rockford Area Arts Council | SPARK! Youth Arts Summer Programs | Arts & Humanities | $23,000.00 |
Rockford Area Crime Stoppers | Website Upgrade | Sustainable Communities | $8,050.00 |
Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity, Inc. | Building Lifechanging Opportunity at School and at Home | Career Pathways | $40,153.80 |
Rockford Barbell | Youth Weightlifting Program | Health | $12,420.00 |
Rockford Barbell | Youth Yoga Program | Youth & Families | $10,000.00 |
Rockford Park District Foundation | Help Me Play Program and Fee Assistance | Youth & Families | $11,500.00 |
Rockford Symphony Orchestra, Inc. | Youth Orchestra Regional Recruitment Outreach | Arts & Humanities | $6,755.00 |
Rockford University | Biology Laboratory Equipment for Students at Rockford University | Complementary Education | $14,150.00 |
Safe Families for Children | Increasing Child Placement and Referrals | Youth & Families | $18,400.00 |
Second First Church | The Overnight Cafe at SecondFirst Church | Basic Needs & Compassionate Support | $31,280.00 |
Serenity Hospice and Home | Music Therapy for Terminally Ill Patients | Basic Needs & Compassionate Support | $15,000.00 |
Severson Dells Educational Foundation | Science and Nature Field Trips to Support Student Learning | Complementary Education | $22,154.75 |
Severson Dells Educational Foundation | Science Saturdays at Severson Dells Nature Center | Sustainable Communities | $22,793.00 |
Shelter Care Ministries | Housing Hope for Rockford's Homeless | Sustainable Communities | $34,500.00 |
Special Olympics Illinois | Special Olympics Illinois – Region A MedFest in Rockford | Equity, Dignity, & Respect | $5,000.00 |
SWIFTT | Cultural Events at the Coronado | Arts & Humanities | $11,500.00 |
The Arc of Winnebago, Boone & Ogle Counties | Project Art | Arts & Humanities | $7,235.32 |
The Family YMCA of Northwest IL | CPR is like a superhero, it gives a second chance at life. | Health | $11,500.00 |
The Liam Foundation | LIAM Foundation's LGBTQ+ Direct Client Services | Equity, Dignity, & Respect | $39,000.00 |
The Music Academy in Rockford | The Music Academy Connects | Arts & Humanities | $11,563.20 |
The Salvation Army of Freeport | Help Fight Food Insecurity | Basic Needs & Compassionate Support | $9,200.00 |
The West Side Show Room | The Mountaintop | Arts & Humanities | $5,750.00 |
United Way of Northwest Illinois | Dolly Parton Imagination Library book mailing program | Complementary Education | $17,388.00 |
University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford | Integrated Family Medicine Residency Program (IFMRP) | Career Pathways | $51,750.00 |
Village of Mt. Morris | 2025 Mt. Morris Jamboree Free Concerts | Arts & Humanities | $5,750.00 |
Voices of Inspiration | Assistance with Food Cost | Basic Needs & Compassionate Support | $11,500.00 |
Winnebago Community Historical Society | Windows and Doors for Town Hall | Arts & Humanities | $9,000.00 |
Winnebago-Boone Farm Bureau Foundation | Winnebago-Boone Agriculture In the Classroom | Complementary Education | $11,500.00 |
YMCA of Rock River Valley | Good Shepherd YMCA Kitchen Renovations | Youth & Families | $13,174.00 |
You Are Not Alone Mental Health, Trauma, Suicide Prevention Advocacy Inc | Circle of Security Parenting Program | Youth & Families | $11,500.00 |
Youth Services Network | Facilitated Play Groups | Youth & Families | $34,500.00 |
YWCA Northwestern Illinois | ESL Expansion | Complementary Education | $27,743.71 |
Zion Development Corporation | Housing Counseling | Sustainable Communities | $23,000.00 |
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COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM 2024 TOTAL | $1,727,395.79 | ||