Community foundations are hidden gems in the communities they serve. Across the state and country, community foundations provide vital support to nonprofits through grants, scholarships for students, and leadership for community initiatives. Much of this work happens behind the scenes, often without the community even knowing! The Community Foundation of Grundy County (CFGC) is no exception.

The mission of the Community Foundation of Grundy County is to preserve and enhance the quality of life in Grundy County. The Foundation does this in four key ways:

1) Providing leadership to identify needs and opportunities

2) Using grant-making to respond to those needs

3) Partnering with local nonprofits to strengthen their ability to serve residents

4) Partnering with donors to receive and manage funds that will support the community.

What does this look like?

Over the years, CFGC has convened local planning officials, nonprofit staff, and community members through workshops and discussions such as Challenges of the Future, Grundy Area Planners, Nonprofit Tools for Success, and various townhall meetings. The meetings not only help identify community needs and priorities, but also provide opportunities to bring in experts to educate local leaders. Topics such as aging in place, stormwater management, grant writing, and nonprofit human resources-all with the goal of equipping local leaders with the tools and knowledge to continue serving Grundy County.

CFGC staff also dedicates their time to local and statewide committees to stay engaged in key issues affecting our community. Some of our current and past involvement includes:

· Illinois Attorney General, Kwame Raoul’s Charitable Advisory Council

· Chicago Council on Planned Giving

· Grundy County Drug Court

· COALER Drive Community Mapping Team

· Birth to 5 Illinois Action Council

· Alliance of Illinois Community Foundations

· Behavioral Health Alliance of Grundy County

· Grundy County Estate Planning Council

· Grundy County Justice Assistance Board

· Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD)

· Integrated Referral and Intake System (IRIS)

· And so many more!

Community foundations, including CFGC, are perhaps best known for their grantmaking. Since 2020, the CFGC has made a significant financial impact in Grundy County by supporting numerous community organizations. The following are just a few of the many organizations that have benefited from funds at CFGC:

· Morris Hospital Auxiliary & Foundation- $704,000

· Morris Hospital YMCA- $568,00

· School districts serving Grundy County students- $395,000

· Grundy Eunoia Wellness Center- $280,00

· Local municipalities- $229,000

· Libraries serving Grundy County- $190,000

· We Care of Grundy County- $137,000

· Grundy County Health Department- $109,000

· Mental Health Matters Fund- $64,000

· Illinois Valley Industries- $55,000

· Beans-and-Bites- $34,000

· CASA of River Valley- $31,000

It is important to know a few things about the numbers above. First, they are approximate and rounded for ease of reading. Secondly, the majority of these grants have come from a donor fund, rather than CFGC’s competitive grants program, which awards $55,000 annually. For example, $616,000 of the $704,000 granted to Morris Hospital is from the Morris Hospital Fund in Memory of Jim & Carol Baum. Lastly, it is important to know that some of these organizations have not been around since 2020. For example, Beans-and-Bites first grant from CFGC was in 2023.

Community foundations can help donors meet their philanthropic goals by offering various fund options. Through community foundations, donors can create funds that benefit specific topics such as mental health, specific geographic areas such as their hometown, or even specific organizations they hold near and dear. Foundations are here to be a vehicle to give through, not to!

Scholarship funds are one of the many options donors have at CFGC. Over the last decade, the number of scholarships offered through CFGC has more than doubled. More scholarship funds mean more financial support for Grundy County students. Since 2020, CFGC has awarded more than $200,000 to support local students!

CFGC staff have been instrumental in keeping the 100+ Women Who Care of Grundy County up and running, providing back end accounting support at no cost. 100+ Women is a women’s giving circle open to any women who would like to make an impact in Grundy County. We meet quarterly, with each woman or team of women donating $100 at each meeting. The collective funds are then donated to an organization voted on by those in attendance. Since 2020, $95,000 has been granted to nonprofits serving Grundy County! This group has consistently had forty women involved; we would love to grow this to 100+ members!

The Community Foundation staff and Board of Trustees recognize that this work is only possible through collaboration. The saying “it takes a village” applies not only to raising a child, but also

to building a stronger community. We are grateful for our village of partners who work alongside us and the donors who have chosen to give through the Community Foundation of Grundy County. If you would like to know more about CFGC, visit our website, www.cfgrundycounty.com, or find us on Facebook!