The DeKalb County Community Foundation is supporting 22 local organizations through Community Needs Grants totaling $113,692. These grants will help organizations complete projects that benefit their communities, ranging from building and site improvements to equipment and technology needs. (Picture above: Friends of DeKalb County Treatment Courts board members accepts a Fall 2025 grant award from Community Foundation Board member Brenda Jergens, supporting repairs and enhancements at the organization’s sober living house.)

“We’ve welcomed more than 5,000 visitors to The Ruth Project Farm in DeKalb County as we engage the community in caring for foster families and children,” said Tammy McMahan, executive director of The Ruth Project. “Through connections with elementary schools, partnerships with churches, and services to foster families, we’re reaching more than 500 households across DeKalb County. Thanks to support from the Community Foundation, we’ll be able to use Grandpa’s Workshop to host families and visitors year-round.”

Community Needs Grants are distributed to eligible organizations in DeKalb County each spring and fall. Applications align with the Community Foundation’s five grantmaking interest areas: Arts & Culture, Education, Community Development, Environment & Animal Welfare, and Health & Human Services.

Fall 2025 Community Needs Grants:

• Bethlehem Lutheran Church – $6,000 to update flooring in support of hosting community-service programs
• Brightpoint – $3,500 to equip staff with technology for conducting developmental screenings and translating languages for non-native English speakers
• Children’s Learning Center – $11,205 for facility repairs, building improvements, and education material upgrades
• Clinton Township Public Library – $7,000 to revitalize the library’s outdoor space, creating an accessible learning center and community hub
• Community Coordinated Child Care – $3,000 to provide essential childcare items to families
• The Barn on Baseline – $5,000 to repair the furnace, air conditioning, and floor damage
• DeKalb Youth Football League – $2,500 to provide YFL cheerleaders with full-size, regulation competition mats
• Family Service Agency of DeKalb County – $5,000 to purchase conference room technology
• Fox Valley Community Services – $5,000 to upgrade building and technology infrastructure
• Fox Valley Family YMCA – $5,900 to install security cameras in front lobby and classrooms
• Franklin Township Park District – $7,000 to support the construction of accessible pickleball courts
• Friends of Dekalb County Drug-DUI Court – $3,000 to repair the exterior stairway
• Girls on the Run of Northwest Illinois – $1,600 to purchase a portable generator and signage
• Glidden Homestead and Historical Center – $3,600, to install a security camera system
• Kishwaukee Family YMCA – $9,000 to replace the indoor recreational pool
• Kishwaukee Special Recreation Foundation – $3,100 to install and equip a sensory room/area
• Malta Fire Protection District – $7,000 for roof and station repairs
• Network of Nations – $7,000 to support the costs of purchasing and moving to a new location
• Sandwich Opera House (ARCH) – $1,510 for gutter repair and reconstruction
• Somonauk Community Fire Protection District – $7,000 to purchase fire engine supply hoses
• Tails Humane Society – $3,277 to replace surgical instruments
• The Ruth Project Ministries – $6,500 to make barn improvements for year-round capabilities and programming

“This grant makes it immediately possible to rebuild the stairway, which is used for emergency egress,” said Jack King, board secretary of the Friends of DeKalb County Treatment Courts. “Receiving the grant enables us to complete the needed structural repairs before winter slows or stops the work and allows us to prevent future damage to the stairway, siding, roof, and gutters.”

One of several grantmaking programs at the Community Foundation, Community Needs Grants receive funding through Community Impact Funds, Field of Interest Funds, and Donor Advised Funds. Donations to Funds at the Community Foundation 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, please contact grants@dekalbccf.org.

“Thanks to the Community Foundation’s support, we will enhance the functionality and safety of our facility while mitigating heating and cooling costs—allowing more of our resources to directly support older adults and their caregivers. We are deeply grateful for this investment in the long-term sustainability of Fox Valley Community Services.” – Kara Trost, Executive Director, Fox Valley Community Services

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“The grant for our sensory sanctuary at Camp Maple Leaf will allow us to expand the use of the space and impact more campers throughout their journey to self-regulation. And the greater impact we have during camp the more they will learn for their future!” – Dawn Schaefer, Executive Director, Kishwaukee Special Recreation Foundation

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“We would like to extend our appreciation to the Community Foundation for their generous grant to support the purchase of a new camera for our Early Learning Center. This is an investment in the safety, security, and well-being of our students, staff, and visitors. The new camera will allow us to better monitor activity in and around our ELA spaces.” – Jackie Eade,VP of Advancement, Fox Valley YMCA