More than $113,000 was distributed to almost two dozen DeKalb County area organizations recently to benefit programs that provide services to local families.

The DeKalb County Community Foundation recently distributed $113,692 to 22 area organizations through its Community Needs Grant program.

The grants help organizations complete projects that benefit their communities, ranging from building and site improvements to equipment and technology needs, according to a news release.

“We’ve welcomed more than 5,000 visitors to The Ruth Project Farm in DeKalb County as we engage the community in caring for foster families and children,” Tammy McMahan, executive director of The Ruth Project, said in a news release. “Through connections with elementary schools, partnerships with churches, and services to foster families, we’re reaching more than 500 households across DeKalb County. Thanks to support from the Community Foundation, we’ll be able to use Grandpa’s Workshop to host families and visitors year-round.”

Community Needs Grants are distributed to eligible organizations in DeKalb County each spring and fall. Applications align with the Community Foundation’s five grantmaking interest areas: Arts and Culture, Education, Community Development, Environment and Animal Welfare and Health and Human Services.

Fall 2025 Community Needs Grants:

• Bethlehem Lutheran Church - $6,000 to update flooring in support of hosting community-service programs
• Brightpoint - $3,500 to equip staff with technology for conducting developmental screenings and translating languages for nonnative English speakers
• Children’s Learning Center - $11,205 for facility repairs, building improvements, and education material upgrades
• Clinton Township Public Library - $7,000 to revitalize the library’s outdoor space, creating an accessible learning center and community hub
• Community Coordinated Child Care - $3,000 to provide essential childcare items to families
• The Barn on Baseline - $5,000 to repair the furnace, air conditioning, and floor damage
• DeKalb Youth Football League - $2,500 to provide YFL cheerleaders with full-size, regulation competition mats
• Family Service Agency of DeKalb County - $5,000 to buy conference room technology
• Fox Valley Community Services - $5,000 to upgrade building and technology infrastructure
• Fox Valley Family YMCA - $5,900 to install security cameras in front lobby and classrooms
• Franklin Township Park District - $7,000 to support the construction of accessible pickleball courts
• Friends of Dekalb County Drug-DUI Court - $3,000 to repair the exterior stairway
• Girls on the Run of Northwest Illinois - $1,600 to buy a portable generator and signage
• Glidden Homestead and Historical Center - $3,600, to install a security camera system
• Kishwaukee Family YMCA - $9,000 to replace the indoor recreational pool
• Kishwaukee Special Recreation Foundation - $3,100 to install and equip a sensory room/area
• Malta Fire Protection District - $7,000 for roof and station repairs
• Network of Nations - $7,000 to support the costs of buying and moving to a new location
• Sandwich Opera House (ARCH) - $1,510 for gutter repair and reconstruction
• Somonauk Community Fire Protection District - $7,000 to buy fire engine supply hoses
• Tails Humane Society - $3,277 to replace surgical instruments
• The Ruth Project Ministries - $6,500 to make barn improvements for year-round capabilities and programming

“This grant makes it immediately possible to rebuild the stairway, which is used for emergency egress,” Jack King, board secretary of the Friends of DeKalb County Treatment Courts, said in a release. “Receiving the grant enables us to complete the needed structural repairs before winter slows or stops the work and allows us to prevent future damage to the stairway, siding, roof, and gutters.”

One of several grantmaking programs at the Community Foundation, Community Needs Grants receive funding through Community Impact Funds, Field of Interest Funds, and Donor Advised Funds.

Donations to Funds at the Community Foundation can be made online at dekalbccf.org/donate or by mail to the DeKalb County Community Foundation, 475 DeKalb Ave., Sycamore. For questions or additional information, contact grants@dekalbccf.org.