Join us for the first-ever VIRTUAL CFNIL Scholarship Award Night! 144 students from 27 local high schools were awarded 176 scholarships totaling over $300,000 this year. Tune in to celebrate the exceptional accomplishments of this year's recipients and the generosity of community members who established these scholarships. Hear testimonials from recipients, encouraging words from special guests, and cheer on the scholars in your family or from your school!

United Way of Rock River Valley was awarded $250,000 from the Illinois COVID Response Fund to be distributed to nonprofits in support of services provided to residents of Winnebago County. These funds will be distributed in the third round of grants via the Emerging Needs Fund.

United Way of Rock River Valley in collaboration with the 815 Community Response Team, has awarded nearly $250,000 in the second round of grants from its COVID-19 Emerging Needs Fund to 31 non-profit organizations in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago Counties.

In Youth We Trust is celebrating 25 years of youth leadership and philanthropy! This year the IYWT Council is awarding grants totaling over $24,000 for seven youth-led projects that will benefit the youth of northern Illinois. Join us for a virtual Grants Reception Watch Party, created by and featuring IYWT Council members, testimonials from the grant recipients, and lots of celebrating! The video will premiere from CFNIL's Facebook main page at 7:00 p.m.

In Youth We Trust, the youth philanthropy program of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, has announced the recipients of the 2020 IYWT Grants cycle. The IYWT Council awarded seven youth-led projects over $24,000 for the benefit of youth in northern Illinois:

The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) is pleased to announce its 2020 scholarship recipients: 176 scholarships worth up to $305,046 to local students. The scholarships will support the post-secondary educational aspirations of 144 students from 27 local high schools.

CFNIL lost one of its most enthusiastic volunteers last month when Paula Capriola, a member of Women of Today’s Manufacturing’s (WOTM) scholarship committee and part of the team that started the Howard D. Colman Scholarship program, passed away. Paula’s passion was to help others better themselves through building their careers, and she was a vocal supporter of CFNIL’s scholarships as a way to support our community’s students.

The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois has kept faith with its mission to serve as a catalyst for giving in order to attract, preserve, and grow an endowment for the current and future needs of the people of Northern Illinois for more than 65 years. This uneasy time facing a global pandemic is no different; in fact, it is the foresight and generosity of past generations that allows CFNIL to respond now with both targeted and general support for the challenges facing our local communities.

United Way of Rock River Valley (UWRRV) announced it, in collaboration with the 815 Community Response Team, has awarded $250,000 in the first round of grants from its COVID-19 Emerging Needs Fund to 33 non-profit organizations in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago Counties that are responding pragmatically to the needs of individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences.

The Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund (ICRF) announced today it has distributed more than $5.5 million to 30 nonprofit organizations across the state, marking the first grants since launching. The Fund established by the United Way of Illinois and the Alliance of Illinois Community Foundations, in collaboration with the Office of the Governor, today also announced it has raised more than $28 million from nearly 2000 donors since its launch on March 26.

The Office of Illinois State Treasurer Michael W. Frerichs distributed this information via press release April 9, 2020. Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today announced that non-profit organizations interested in applying for grants through the Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund now have until April 30 to submit their paperwork. Frerichs decided to give organizations more time to apply given the impact of COVID-19.

On March 27, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Details are still a bit unclear, but here is what we know up to now.

Dear Colleagues and Friends, Thank you to those of you that continue to provide essential services to people in need, and to others who have suspended programs and services to help reduce the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is an extremely difficult time for all nonprofit providers as vital programs are disrupted, daily operations altered, dollars are stretched by an increased demand for services, and cancellations of revenue generating programs and events create anxiety. These are unprecedented circumstances that fill our future with uncertainty.

On Tuesday, March 17th, NICNE (Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence) administered a survey for local nonprofits requesting information about staff, volunteers, program and event cancellations, and organizational needs. More than 115 nonprofits submitted responses from organizations of varying sizes and budget sizes.

Update on COVID-19 impact on CFNIL operations:  In light of updated directives from the State of Illinois and in order to reduce the risk to our staff, partners, and community as guided by public health officials, CFNIL offices will be closed until further notice. Staff will be working remotely and available by email during this time; staff will check voicemail on a regular basis and return calls as quickly as possible. The Neighborhood Grants application deadline has been extended until May 1st. 

Due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, the deadline to apply for 2020 Neighborhood Grants has been extended to May 1, 2020. This detail has been updated in the original press release below. Questions about the Neighborhood Grants Program may be directed to CFNIL Program Director James Patterson, jpatterson@cfnil.org. 

Dear CFNIL Partners,  The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois has closed our offices and switched to operating remotely to mitigate the risk of virus transmissions in the midst of concerns surrounding the coronavirus. As the situation evolves, our focus is on two guiding priorities: 

In response to the latest news about COVID-19 in our region and in order to reduce the risk to our staff, partners, and community, CFNIL offices will be closed through the end of March. Staff will be working from home and available by email during this time; we will check voicemail on a regular basis and return calls as quickly as possible. The Neighborhood Grants cycle will proceed as scheduled. Staff will communicate directly with committees and other groups regarding upcoming meetings to schedule conference calls or web-based meetings whenever possible.

Jon Bates, President of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL), has announced his intention to retire at the end of CFNIL’s fiscal year, June 30, 2020. “It has been an honor and a privilege to experience firsthand the generosity, caring, and brilliance that characterize the people of northern Illinois and the volunteers and staff who guide the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois in our stewardship and grantmaking,” said Bates.

The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) has awarded Circle of Change a $10,000 Community Grant, supported by the Dr. Louis & Violet Rubin Fund. The grant will support Veteran Dog Program classes, which are offered in both Rockford and Davis Junction. The grant, which is one of twelve made in the Human Services Focus Area, perfectly reflects the specific intent of Human Service Focus Area grants: to serve the basic needs of individuals and families, and to provide services to persons with disabilities, especially activities that promote inclusion.

NW HomeStart and the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) are accepting applications for the Neighborhood Grants Program until 5 p.m. on Monday, April 1. This program is available to neighborhood-based groups and nonprofit organizations operating in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago Counties.