The DeKalb County Community Foundation is accepting applications for fall 2024 (1) Community Needs Grants, (2) Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation Fund Grants, and (3) Promise Grants. Nonprofit and public sector organizations are encouraged to apply.

(1) Community Needs Grants

• • Support the capital needs (such as equipment or other tangible items) of charitable, local nonprofit and public sector organizations. Funding for this grant program is made possible through ongoing donor generosity to the Community Foundation..
  • Applicants requesting $20,000 or more must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) by August 1 for the fall grant cycle. The maximum number of consecutive Community Needs grants awarded to the same organization is limited to three years, regardless of the specific projects funded during those years. Once an organization has received grants for three consecutive years, they must then wait for one year (two grant cycles) before they are eligible to reapply for additional funding. To verify your organization’s eligibility, please contact grants staff at grants@dekalbccf.org or call 815-748-5383.
  • Last year, this grant program provided over $379,930 to address needs and support projects in DeKalb County. The application deadline is September 1 at 11:59 p.m.
    Community Needs Grant guidelines and application >

(2) Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation Fund Grants

• Support music education provided by nonprofit and public sector organizations in DeKalb County and the greater Chicagoland area. Funding for this grant program is made possible through the Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation Fund at the Community Foundation.
• Because of Wurlitzer’s local heritage, preference is given to schools and organizations serving DeKalb County residents. Last year, this grant program provided over $250,000 to support music education. The application deadline is September 1 at 11:59 p.m.
• For questions or more information, please contact please contact Arts & Culture Consultant George Buck at george@dekalbccf.org.
  Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation Fund Grant guidelines and application >
  

(3) Promise Grants – Subvención de Promesa

• Support charitable community organizations that provide services to underserved and often dismissed populations throughout DeKalb County and projects related to healthcare and affordable housing within DeKalb Township. The Promise Grant program aims to inspire, educate, and empower individuals who may experience extraordinary challenges due to their ethnicity, immigration status, and abilities.
• The application deadline is October 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.
• For questions or additional information, please contact the Community Foundation at 815-748-5383 or grants@dekalbccf.org.Promise Grant guidelines and application >

For questions on grant programs or additional assistance, please contact our grants staff at 815-748-5383 or grants@dekalbccf.org.

Pictured above: A fall 2023 Community Needs Grant ($4,100) to Stage Coach Players, Inc. helped to accommodate persons who use wheelchairs to sit in the front row of the theatre.