Community Grants Program

The Community Grants Program is the local grantmaking program at the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln. The Program accepts funding requests for any charitable focus area in Cass, Christian, Logan, Macoupin, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, and Sangamon counties.

This program was initiated to expose donor-advised funds to funding opportunities of which they may not otherwise be aware. Donors review the grant requests submitted by nonprofit organizations through this program, potentially partner with each other, and make decisions on funding.

community leaf Total Funds Awarded

2022 Grant Awards

The Community Grants Program awarded more than $194,000 in grants in 2022, as 29 donor-advised funds helped fund 56 different programs by nonprofits in central Illinois.

Organization Purpose
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Garden Foundation For the restoration and replacement of the roof of the existing picnic and programming shelter located between the entrance to the Garden and the Nature Center
AgeLinc/Area Agency on Aging for Lincolnland To help pay for prescription medications for older adults (age 60+) and disabled adults (18-59) in the 8 applicable counties in central Illinois (Sangamon, Cass, Christian, Logan, Macoupin, Menard, Montgomery, and Morgan counties)
Ann T. Havey Foundation To provide "sleep sacks" in all new deliveries that provide a safe sleep environment and are recommended to decrease the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Another Chance Services To help continue and expand the basic household, adult and children items offered in the nonfood hygiene pantry for eligible clients ages 21 and older
Bless'It Beauty Salon, NFP To help individuals understand the importance of making your best first impression, obtain and sustain employment, increase self-love and self-esteem, and lower suicide rates
Carlinville Women's Program - Adult and Teen Challenge of Illinois Funding to underwrite the 13-month Residential Rehabilitation and Recovery program. Specifically, dollars will provide scholarships for indigent women who cannot afford the program
Central Illinois Veterans Commission To assist in the building of a new small home to be given to a local qualifying veteran
Christmas on Vinegar Hill Supports of local churches, schools and civic organizations
Community Mission Center To continue the operation of the Community Mission Center by covering utility bills, maintenance and improvements of the building, support for the programs offered at the center, and replacement flooring in the building to improve the safety of shoppers and volunteers
Compass for Kids Costs associated with running Club Compass during the 2022-2023 school year including: Site Coordinator and Backpack Feeding Program Coordinator salaries/wages and supplies such as snacks, dinners, and enrichment activities
Computer Banc To enhance the ability of special needs individuals to participate in community activities, educational events, the arts and self-improvement
Contact Ministries To purchase medications and assist with co-pays to help keep these women and children healthy. Additonally, for emergency and transitional shelter for homeless women with children
Cross Over Ministries NFP Support of anti-bullying programs
Educational Center for the Visually Impaired Providing a tandem bike experience for people with visual impairments
Enos Park Neighborhood Improvement Association/DBA Creative Reuse Marketplace Waste reduction and creating meaningful employment and job training for underserved and/or homeless women.
Eta Psi Sigma Foundation To provide free laundry service for one Saturday each month (or until funds are exhausted) through Community Laundry Days
Girl Scouts of Central Illinois To support a program that focuses on entrepreneurship and financial literacy, life skill development, outdoor education, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)
Girls on the Run of Central Illinois To support the program at three schools where an average of 72% of the students come from low-income families
Heritage Preservation Foundation Restoration of the historic Beardstown Grand Opera House
Historic Marbold Farmstead Association To restore the conditions of the basement
Humane Society of Logan County Funding for repairs, maintenance and to create more space at the shelter
Illinois Spina Bifida Association Financial assistance for individuals and families living with spina bifida
Illinois State Museum Society Support public programming for the Illinois State Museum's Day of the Dead exhibition
Illinois Symphony Orchestra Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestra program
Innovation Autism Support of the first annual public symposium
Jacksonville Main Street To initiate Start Up Downtown
Jesus Loves You Ministries /Safe Passage Initiative To cover gasoline and van expense for transporting participants to any drug treatment facility in Illinois
Kumler Outreach Ministries  To finalize the filling of raised beds with compost, social and educational events, additional fruits, picnic table, the research and development of an apprenticeship program, and funding the manager's stipend in terms of outreach
Lincoln Economic Advancement & Development, Inc. (LEAD) One year of community training events
Macoupin Center for the Developmentally Disabled Updates to the technology in classrooms, main common area, and office
Macoupin Art Collective Support of the new ArtBus
MERCY Communities, Inc. To purchase beds and other necessary household furniture items to furnish client homes prior to client entry into the transitional housing or supportive housing programs
Mini O'Beirne Crisis Nursery  To do a direct mailing to families birth to 3 (the families most at risk for parental stress), an additional billboard for use during times of low nursery use, and digital advertising to those in need
National Public Radio (NPR) Illinois, Licensee of University of Illinois Springfield Support of listening sessions and needs assessments
Our Saviour School Additional classroom space for the Pre-K program
Pregnancy Care Center of Springfield, Inc. Supporting the Center to provide services that help parents overcome barriers and also aid in positive parenting
Prevent Child Abuse Illinois To support the current prevention programs while enabling the organization to branch out and pursue other projects that will benefit children and families across Illinois
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois To support financial needs that any household would need to function including laundry services, meals, and a safe environment
Routt Catholic High School To help with the efforts in upgrading the library space
Safe Families for Children Facilitate and train the necessary volunteers needed to continue to grow Safe Families for Sangamon and Logan County
Sojourn Shelter & Services, Inc Shelter utilities/maintenance/repair
Springfield Area Reading Is Fundamental Association Funds to purchase pleasure reading books to be distributed free of charge to local schoolchildren with the goal of promoting literacy by motivating children to read and providing them with book ownership
Springfield Art Association To improve the appearance of vacant properties in downtown Springfield by installing large window clings of local artists' work and to develop OUR FOOTPRINTS, OUR STORIES.
St. Patrick School Replacing the roof at the school
The Helping Paw Project, Inc. Aiding senior dogs in dire need of major medical care at both county animal control facilities and in homes with owners on limited income
The James Project  To help foster families living in the five James Project Homes to pay their utility bills in 2022
The Parent Place To support monthly workshops,  the diaper pantry and supervised visits
The Salvation Army-Morgan County Food pantry support
United Way of Logan County Support of the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Washington Street Mission To support job and apprenticeship program to provide a sustainable model for employment
Wooden It Be Lovely Supplies to help women healing from lives of poverty, addiction, and abuse to refurbish furniture and sew unique products as they become more financially independent
WordUp of Central Illinois To support the purchase and distribution of early childhood books, called 'board books,' to low-income parents in Sangamon County
 
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