Community Foundation of Northern Illinois

Confirmed in Compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations

Grants

Margaret K. Aldeen Christian Ministry Fund

The fund shall exist "to meet the food, housing and medical needs of the poor, primarily through organizations with a Christian emphasis." - Margaret K. Aldeen

Eligibility

To be eligible for funding, an applicant must:

Be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization or an organized group carrying out a charitable purpose for the public good in an efficient manner
Provide services within the greater Rockford area, which includes the Illinois counties of Winnebago,
Boone, Ogle, and Stephenson
Be operated and organized in such a manner that no applicable anti-discrimination laws are violated

We Look For

The Christian Ministry Grant Committee of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois will give priority to organizations that have a Christian emphasis or background, as specified by the donor. The committee looks for projects that:

Address the needs of the economically disadvantaged, especially with regard to their food, shelter,
and medical needs
address the root causes of hunger, homelessness, inadequate medical care and a lack of other basic needs for the underprivileged
Build positively on the rich diversity of our community
Present innovative, creative, clear and practical proposals which build on community strengths
Present clear work plans which show the ability to achieve the project’s goal
Encourage cooperation and reduce duplication of services
Demonstrate leadership and develop the leadership potential of the community
Demonstrate quality, vision, effectiveness, collaboration and good management
Provide long-range fund development planning beyond the funding period

Grant Cycle

The deadlines for submitting all applications are July 1st (Fall Cycle) and Jan 1st (Spring Cycle) of each year. If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, proposals are due on the next business day. Grants are typically awarded toward the end of September and March. Grant amounts typically will range between $1,000 and $2,000. Those wishing to apply should click on the link at the bottom of this page to access our online application.

Only one proposal to the Margaret K. Aldeen Christian Ministry Fund per organization will be funded within the Community Foundation’s fiscal year (7/1-6/30) with one exception. Organizations that participate in a collaborative may receive funds once as a member of a collaborative and once either by itself or as part of a second collaborative.

The Christian Ministry Grant Committee, who reviews proposals, comprises Foundation board members and community leaders. Final approval of grants rests with the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

All grant recipients are required to submit a final report upon completion of the project for which the grant was made. This report must include the outcomes achieved by the project and a detailed budget that explains how the dollars were used. The report may also include an oral presentation or other components as deemed necessary by the Community Foundation. Past grant recipients will be excluded from future grant consideration if a report has not been completed for prior funding. If an organization submits an additional application while a CFNIL funded project is still in progress, an interim report must be completed and returned by the grant cycle deadline. Evaluations are due within one month of program or project's completion.

Grants are usually made for one year only; but when circumstances warrant, a multi-year commitment may be considered.

To provide further information about Foundation grant programs, the Foundation offers regular Grant Seekers meetings on the 1st Tuesday of every May and November at 9am. The meetings are held at the Foundation offices within the Marlowe Center of Philanthropy at 946 N. Second Street. Call 962-2110 ext. 11 to make a reservation.

Exclusions

In general, grants are not made from the Margaret K. Aldeen Christian Ministry Fund for the following:

Ongoing operating and project support
Annual & capital campaigns
Budget deficit
Endowments
Individuals
Regranting of funds
Projects and programs that promote a religion or require participation in a religious activity as a condition for receiving services. However, grants may be made to faith-based organizations for other purposes.

Online Application

Please Note: As the Community Foundation strives for complete accuracy in its grant programs, we reserve the right to update grant application forms 60 days before the deadline. Only applications started within 60 days of deadline will be accepted. While you may browse the online application at any time, you are reminded to check your calendar before you begin filling out any grant application.

To start a new application, click New Application .

To access an application that you chose to save and finish later, click Saved Application.

Please Note: Your computer must use one of the following commonly used internet browsers and have cookies enabled in order to access the online application.

Internet Explorer version 5.5 SP-2 or higher
Netscape 6.2.2 or higher
Netscape Communicator 4.76 or higher
Internet Explorer 5.1.4 for Mac OS X

Budget Worksheet: For your convenience, we are providing a budget worksheet that you can download by clicking the link below. You may find it easier to complete this worksheet in paper form before entering the information into the online form.

Budget Worksheet

If you have questions, please contact Linda Sandquist, Program Officer at (815) 962-2110 ext 12 or lsandquist@cfnil.org.