The Arts for Illinois Relief Fund, a statewide effort to support Illinois arts organizations impacted by COVID-19, has engaged with community foundations across the state to leverage matching fund dollars. The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois and Kjellstrom Family Foundation have jointly contributed to activate the AIRF matching dollars specifically for arts orgs in northern Illinois.The new funds, with $60,000 designated for arts organizations in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago Counties, will be made available via the AIRF portal starting today, Wednesday, June 24, 2020.

This fund provides unrestricted general operating support to arts organizations that are struggling with immediate lost revenue and non-recoverable expenses due to COVID-19. Requests are being accepted from arts organizations in the following Illinois counties: Boone, Bureau, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Effingham, Jasper, Knox, LaSalle, Marion, Ogle, Putnam, Richland. Shelby, Stephenson, Warren, and Winnebago. (Counties in bold indicate where CFNIL/Kjellstrom dollars will be applied)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• All funding will be unrestricted.

• New applications are being accepted from arts organizations operating in and serving the counties listed above. We will also be considering existing applications previously submitted to the Arts for Illinois Relief Fund by arts orgs from the community foundation partner service areas.

• Organizations must hold 501c3 nonprofit status from the IRS.

• Grant size will be determined by available funding and based on the organizational budget and the extent of lost revenue and non-recoverable expenses incurred due to COVID-19.

• Organizations that have previously received a grant from the Arts for Illinois Relief Fund are not eligible.

• Priority will be given to organizations whose primary mission is the arts, and to those organizations who have lost revenue due to cancelled shows and events.

• The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, July 13, 2020.

A short application will require the following information:

• Completion of the Chicago Community Trust’s organizational profile. Please review these instructions for completing the organization profile before you begin.

• A description of the impact COVID-19 has had on immediate lost revenue or non-recoverable expenses to your organization.

• Any additional information you would like to provide about your organization's current situation.

TO APPLY:

• For more information and to apply, click HERE and navigate to the Funding Opportunities tab.

• Grant application portal opens June 24, 2020.