Volunteer with CFNIL
Community Investment, Community Driven.
Advisors, CFNIL's term for volunteers, are an essential part of CFNIL's work. Scholarship Advisors review and recommend recipients for every CFNIL scholarship fund. Grant Advisors review grant proposals and make allocation recommendations for available grant dollars from CFNIL's Community Grants Program.
All prospective advisors are asked to attend an in-person Advisor Recruitment session to learn more about the Community Foundation and what their role will entail. While much of the work of an advisor is completed at home, all advisors also participate in in-person* committee meetings to discuss and compare the applications they have reviewed. As a result of these requirements and the need for familiarity with the communities of northern Illinois, all advisors must be current residents of Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, or Winnebago County. Occasional exceptions may be made at staff discretion for non-resident scholarship fund representatives.
Scholarship Advisors recommend recipients for scholarship funds by reviewing and scoring applications based on a set of criteria established by the fund’s donor. Advisors typically commit 15-20 hours to the scholarship process in the spring.
PROCESS:
- Attend an introductory “Advisor Recruitment” meeting to learn more about CFNIL and the scholarship program.
- Review and score batch of applications online.
- Attend one in-person meeting to discuss scores with small committee and recommend recipients.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR SCHOLARSHIP ADVISORS
| Advisor Recruitment Meeting | September 7, 2023 |
| Main/Winter Scholarship Application Opens: | December 1, 2023 |
| Community Scholarship Fair: | December 5, 2023 |
| Advisor Recruitment Meeting | January 25, 2024 |
| Main/Winter Scholarship Application Closes | February 1, 2024 |
| Scholarship Advisor Trainings | Mid-February 2024 |
| Selection Committee Meetings | March - April 2024 |
| Scholarship Recipients Announced | May 1, 2024 |
| Advisor Recruitment Meeting | May 2, 2024 |
| Scholarship Award Night | June 20, 2024 |
| Advisor Recruitment Meeting | September 5, 2024 |
Grant Advisors review and assess grant requests and recommend grant awards for proposals submitted through the Community Grants Program. Advisors typically commit 15-20 hours to the grants process in the fall.
PROCESS:
- Attend an introductory “Advisor Recruitment” meeting to learn more about CFNIL and the Community Grants program.
- Assigned to a grant focus area committee.
- Review and score batch of applications online.
- Attend one in-person meeting to discuss applications with committee and recommend recipients.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR GRANT ADVISORS
| Advisor Recruitment Meeting: | September 7, 2023 |
| Grant Advisor Trainings: | Mid-September 2023 |
| Applications Open for Review: | September |
| Grant Committee Review Meetings: | October 2023 |
| Board Approves Recommendations: | November 15, 2023 |
| Advisor Recruitment Meeting | January 25, 2024 |
| Advisor Recruitment Meeting | May 2, 2024 |
| Community Grant Application Opens | June 2024 |
| Community Grant Application Closes | August 15, 2024 |
| Advisor Recruitment Meeting | September 5, 2024 |
Questions about being a Scholarship or Grant Advisor? Contact Lisa!
