Through generous donor support, the DeKalb County Community Foundation is excited to announce the distribution of $125,617 in Community Needs Grants this fall. The grants provide support to 23 organizations for a variety of programs and projects that impact DeKalb County.

Fall 2020 Grants Awarded:

• 4-C: Community Coordinated Child Care – $3,000 to provide supplies to at-home daycare providers
• Association for Individual Development – $4,000 to support a mental health program for youth
• Ben Gordon Center – $5,000 to provide assistance to children with behavioral health needs
• Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project – $2,100 to provide legal education and supplies for the Latinx community
• Genoa Township Park District – $1,369 to purchase archery equipment
• Girls on the Run of Northwest Illinois – $2,600 to provide supplies for a girls exercise program
• Greater Elgin Family Care Center – $7,700 to purchase equipment for rapid testing for COVID-19
• Just Make It Happen – $4,110 to provide music education for grade school students
• Kirkland Community Fire District – $12,000 to purchase a power-operated cot for patient transportation
• Kirkland Historical Society – $12,000 to purchase property
• Kishwaukee Valley Art League (KVAL) – $7,038 to purchase equipment for art presentations
• North Grove School Association (NGSA) – $12,500 to assist with funding a windows renovation project
• Oaken Acres Wildlife Center – $2,400 to purchase new incubators
• Opportunity House, Inc. – $6,000 to replace the rooftop heating and air conditioning unit
• Pay-It-Forward House – $700 to assist with funding the maintenance and beautification of the exterior and grounds of the House
• Pushing Together – $1,500 to purchase skateboarding gear for children of low income families
• RAMP – $1,000 to support a youth education and advocacy program
• Sandwich Park District – $4,200 to purchase a new ADA water fountain and new picnic tables
• Stage Coach Players, Inc. – $7,400 to upgrade the sound system in the theater
• Sycamore Police Department – $7,050 to provide Crisis Intervention Team training to all DeKalb County law enforcement officers
• Sycamore Public Library – $2,750 to purchase hotspots for Sycamore Public Library to loan to local schools
• TAILS Humane Society – $2,200 to purchase a new animal intake exam table
• Voluntary Action Center of DeKalb County – $17,000 to purchase a hot shot vehicle for the delivery of meals to seniors and individuals with disabilities

Each spring and fall, organizations who benefit community residents, collaborate with others, and meet unmet needs apply for an receive Community Needs Grants. Grants are awarded to align with the Foundation’s mission to enhance the quality of life in DeKalb County by proactively addressing community needs and expanding, managing, and distributing philanthropic resources. Applications are available to nonprofit organizations and eligible public sector direct service organizations in early January and July of each year.

Funding for the Community Needs Grants program is made possible by donor generosity to Community Impact Funds, Field of Interest Funds, and Donor Advised Funds at the Community Foundation. Donations to any of these Funds can be made online at dekalbccf.org/donate, or by mail to the DeKalb County Community Foundation, 475 DeKalb Avenue, Sycamore, IL 60178. For questions or additional information on grants, please contact Grants Director Tiffany McQueen Lewis at 815-748-5383 or tiffany@dekalbccf.org.

Pictured: A fall 2020 grant to Pushing Together allows the organization to purchase safety equipment for children of low income families. The mission of Pushing Together is to provide the youth within our community the opportunity to be creative through skateboarding and arts.