The Kane County Development and Community Services Department opened applications for the 2026 Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund, with more than $800,000 available to support initiatives that enhance the county’s quality of life, according to a news release.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations and local government as they work to address needs and create lasting community impact.

Applications for a portion of $831,687 in available grant money must be submitted through the county’s online portal, ZoomGrants. The deadline to apply is midnight March 5.

Each year, the Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund provides critical funding for projects focused on education, environmental stewardship and economic development, according to the release.

Since the program began in 1997, the county received more than $175.7 million in revenue from the casino and has used it to help fund projects throughout the county.

While annual revenue peaked at more than $12 million in 2002, the county received $4.89 million in casino revenue for 2026. A portion of those funds continues to be reinvested locally each year.

In 2025, the Kane County Board awarded almost $1.1 million to 26 projects, according to the release.

These included $51,244 for tree revitalization at Plowman’’s Park for the Big Rock Plowing Match Association; $61,832 in two separate grants for the Community Crisis Center in Elgin to replace dining hall and kitchen flooring and new kitchen appliances; $72,266 for Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley for acquisition of an operations and outreach center; and $79,286 to the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Geneva for milling and resurfacing of its parking lot, documents show.

Also in 2025, the board awarded more than $3.4 million to its internal applicants, documents show.

These included $50,000 for tuition reimbursement, nearly $247,000 for drug prosecution, $1.06 million to the Child Advocacy Center, nearly $300,000 for web technical services and $750,000 for the Farmland Preservation Program.