Most organizations only have one birthday, but the Community Foundation celebrates two! In 2024, the Community Foundation’s predecessor organization, the Sangamon County Foundation, celebrated its 100th anniversary. To mark the milestone, the Foundation is awarding $100,000 in grants to county fairs and the Illinois State Fair. Read more HERE.
Springfieldian Karen Siciliano was inspired to establish the Ann Karen Siciliano Fund, a field of interest fund at the Community Foundation, by her ancestors and her Catholic faith. “My grandparents were immigrants from Italy,” she says. “They had nothing in Europe and they dreamed of coming to America to make a better life.” With no knowledge of English and no one to help them, they succeeded. Read more HERE.
Women are more likely to be jobless and homeless than men in the year before their arrest as well as after their prison release,” says Susan Little Allen. “They are more than three times likely as men to be sexually victimized by prison staff. Yet, fewer post-release programs are available to women than men.” To aid this overlooked issue and honor her sister, Susan established The Mary E. Little Memorial Fund, a field of interest fund at the Community Foundation, to assist formerly incarcerated women rebuild their lives. Read more HERE.
With roots in Springfield going back to George Pasfield, one of the city’s prominent early settlers, Sarah Thomas has always called the Land of Lincoln home, even when she lived elsewhere. “Springfield has been part of me for so long, I wanted to give back,” she says about why she established the Sarah Thomas Fund, a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation. Read more HERE.
Alfred Ryder was a bit of a mystery to his family. After he passed away, they got quite a surprise. “Low and behold, he had about 2,000 acres of land in Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa.” Ryder’s sister and his nieces and nephews decided to use assets from the estate to set up the Alfred K. Ryder Memorial Fund in his memory. Learn more HERE.
There are many ways to give through the Community Foundation.
Illinois Gives Tax Credit Program – A tax-saving incentive to encourage charitable giving and offers a 25% State of Illinois tax credit to Illinois taxpayers who make a gift to eligible endowment funds at the Community Foundation.
In order to issue a grant from your fund, a donor recommendation form must be submitted.
The Donor Portal provides donors with 24/7 access to their fund.
Login Here
To register for the donor portal, please contact Betsy Weidner at 217-789-4431 or weidner@CFLL.org