Fortitude Community Outreach was one of 10 small nonprofits throughout Illinois selected to receive Charitable Trust grant funding.

The nonprofit serving Kankakee County’s homeless will receive $20,000.

Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs last week unveiled nearly $200,000 in Charitable Trust grants to 10 small nonprofits that help people stay in their homes and get job training.

Funding comes from fees larger nonprofits pay to file annual reports.

The nonprofits are in Kankakee, Chicago, Champaign, Metro East, Rockford, Mount Vernon, Oak Park, Lombard and Freeport.

Fortitude Executive Director Dawn Broers said the $20,000 grant will be put toward the nonprofit’s capital campaign for remodeling its 970 E. Court St. building, which costs around $250,000 in total.

“The remodeling we’re doing is preparing for the building to have individual shelter there overnight,” she said.

The final touches to complete the remodeling will be installing heating and air conditioning, she said.

Broers said Fortitude has applied for this grant in the past but not received it until now.

Fortitude is the first organization in Kankakee County to be selected for the grant, she said.

“What was appealing [in our grant application] is that we would have that new remodeled location for overnight emergency sheltering in Kankakee,” Broers said.

An independent panel chose the 10 grant recipients from 68 applicants, according to a news release.

“We are helping people who need a helping hand at a time when so many folks are struggling due to higher costs and as our federal government yanks away lifelines,” Frerichs said at a news conference at Rockford. “I’m proud to partner with nonprofit organizations that tirelessly work to improve the lives of Illinoisans in need and make our communities better places to live.”

The grant amounts are:

• Champaign: Greater Community AIDS Project of East Central Illinois - $19,870
• Chicago: GAP Community Center - $20,000
• Chicago: Jewish Free Loan Chicago Inc. - $20,000
• Freeport: Boys & Girls Club of Freeport & Stephenson County - $18,000
• Kankakee: Fortitude Community Outreach - $20,000
• Lombard: Senior Home Sharing - $20,000
• Mount Vernon: United Way of South Central Illinois - $20,000
• Oak Park: YEMBA Inc. - $20,000
• Rockford: Life Decisions - $20,000
• Wood River: Riverbend Family Ministries - $20,000

The Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund assists small nonprofits that have annual budgets of $1 million and at least one full-time employee.

Money in the fund comes from fees that not-for-profit corporations pay when filing annual reports with the Illinois Secretary of State, and not from personal or property tax dollars.

Charitable Trust grants help nonprofits fulfill their missions to serve people in need by providing housing, food, and workforce and economic development assistance.

For the spring 2025 grant cycle, funds were awarded to nonprofits in two categories: organizations that provide housing services and organizations with workforce and economic development programs.

An independent 11-member committee, which oversees the management and guidelines of the fund, selects the grant recipients.

The maximum award amount is $20,000 for each organization.

Grant applicants located in an area where pervasive poverty, unemployment and economic distress exist will be given special attention.

Previous grant recipients are eligible to apply if the term of their grant has been complete for at least one calendar year.

Since being established in 2017, the Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund program has awarded 251 grants — totaling more than $5 million — to 209 nonprofit organizations.

The Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund’s current grant application period is open until March 31 and will award grants to nonprofit charitable programs in two categories: food and economic and workforce development.

For more information, visit ilcharitabletrust.com or contact the Treasurer’s Office at (217) 836-4590.