COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AWARDS $83,381 TO 28 ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH COMMUNITY COMMITMENT GRANTS
Champaign, IL, January 3, 2019 – The Community Foundation of East Central Illinois continues to improve the quality of life for residents living in its service area. This month, the Foundation was pleased to award $83,381 in grant funding to 28 organizations through their Community Commitment Grants.
The Community Commitment Grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations annually for the purchase of durable goods or capital items not typically covered by other granting bodies. The grants are funded primarily by the annual earnings from endowment funds established by donors with the Community Foundation.
Organizations apply for the Community Commitment Grants and a committee of community members and members from the Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees visit the organizations and meet to award funding based on several criteria, including greatest need.
Altrusa Club, Boys & Girls Club of Danville, CASA of Vermilion & Edgar Co, Champaign Co CASA, Champaign Co Children’s Advocacy Center, Champaign Urbana Public Health Department, The Chorale, Community Center for the Arts, Community Choices, Community Resource & Counseling Center, Crisis Nursery, DLO Musical Theatre, Eastern IL Foodbank, Family Advocacy, Girl Scouts of Central IL, Grace Lutheran Church, Grand Prairie Friends, Greater Champaign Co AMBUCS, Hoopeston Multi-Agency Service Center, Peer Court, Piatt Co Mental Health, RACES, SBL Peace Meal, Sistering CU, Sola Gratia Farm, Urbana Neighborhood Connections, Vermilion Co Rape Crisis Center and Wesley Food Pantry all received grant funding from the Foundation’s Community Commitment Grants this year.
The Community Commitment Grants are just one part of the Community Foundation’s annual granting. In August, four local organizations (Champaign County Crime Stoppers, Champaign County Forest Preserve, Grand Prairie Friends and the University YMCA) received funding for their staff and board members to use toward professional development through the Foundation’s Capacity-Building Microgrants. Also in August, four local organizations (Clark Lindsey Village, Family Service Senior Resource Center, Forest Preserve Friends Foundation and Urbana Neighborhood Connection Center) received funding to provide services to enhance the lives of seniors, beautify Champaign-Urbana and surrounding areas and promote excellence in reading and writing through the Foundation’s Marajen Stevick Foundation Grants.
Community Foundation President and CEO, Joan Dixon said, “As the size of our available granting dollars has grown, our granting strategy has evolved to reflect our commitment to using our donors’ dollars wisely to make sustainable differences in our area. We believe the combination of grants we offer serve as tools that will yield measurable and lasting impact results from our investment.”
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS
Established in 1972, the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois has distributed nearly $18 million in charitable grants to over 400 nonprofit organizations working to improve the quality of life in communities throughout the area. These charitable distributions include designated and undesignated gifts from endowments, field of interest funds, Donor-Advised funds and scholarships.
The Community Foundation stewards more than 140 funds and its total assets have grown from $1,300 in 1972 to more than $27 million today. Administering additional grant dollars on behalf of the Marajen Stevick Foundation and in collaboration with the Lumpkin Family Foundation, the Community Foundation distributes nearly $1 million annually to nonprofit organizations providing vital services and enrichment to residents living in east central Illinois.
For more information about the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois, visit our website at www.cfeci.org or find us on Facebook (CFECI).