Eighteen local organizations will receive a share of $119,900 in Community Needs Grants from the DeKalb County Community Foundation this spring. From expanding access to food to enriching organizational programming with new curriculum and educational materials, these grants reflect the Community Foundation’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life in DeKalb County. (Picture above: Ashley Davis, principal of St. Mary School in DeKalb, pictured right, accepts a Spring 2026 grant award from DeKalb County Community Foundation Board member Lizy Garcia Ramirez. Funding will help increase security measures at the school.)

“This grant is instrumental to the Meals on Wheels program serving southern DeKalb County in addressing malnutrition, food insecurity, and social isolation for so many,” said Ellen Rogers, Grants Management Director at Voluntary Action Center. “The generous support of the Foundation donors, Board of Directors, and staff have long made a tremendous difference to VAC and the communities it serves throughout DeKalb County.”

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

Spring 2026 Community Needs Grants:

• Adventure Works of DeKalb County, Inc. – $10,000 to install outdoor lighting to improve safety and expand service hours
• Children’s Community Theatre – $4,200 to purchase organization units and seating to furnish their newly acquired building
• League of Women Voters of DeKalb County – $2,000 to purchase equipment for their Every Vote Matters campaign
• Northwestern Medicine Ben Gordon Center – $2,800 to purchase furniture for the Living Room program
• Open Door Rehabilitation Center – $8,100 to purchase equipment for a new west workshop classroom and a wood workshop
• Opportunity House, Inc. – $20,000 to purchase technology and curriculum for vocational education and training
• Preservation of Egyptian Theatre, Inc. – $5,000 to improve dressing room spaces and install a new hospitality area
• RAMP – $5,500 to purchase equipment and supplies for the RAMP Mobile Career Simulation Lab
• St. Mary School – DeKalb – $7,100 to install increased safety measures in high traffic areas of school facilities
• Sweet Life Garden Group, Inc. – $1,900 to create an on-site food pantry garden in collaboration with Elder Care Services
• Voluntary Action Center of Northern Illinois – $8,000 to support the purchase of updated refrigeration units for the VAC kitchen located within Fox Valley Community Services in Sandwich.
• DeKalb County Community Mental Health Board – $1,000 to bring the LGBTQ+ history “Legacy Wall” exhibit to DeKalb County
• Kishwaukee College Foundation – $13,000 for technology upgrades in Kishwaukee Community College’s greenhouse
• Lee Community Fire Protection District – $13,000 to purchase turnout gear
• NIU STEAM – $4,000 to purchase technology needs for the NextGen Huskies: Youth-Led Media & Storytelling Initiative
• Shabbona Community Fire Department – $3,000 to replace old or missing address signs to ensure fast and accurate response time
• Village of Shabbona – $5,000 to install a digital display for resident communication
• Village of Waterman – $6,300 to construct a gazebo in Garfield Park

“We are deeply grateful for the awarded funds, which will help support our voter education program, ‘Every Vote Matters,’” said Christi Slavenas, President of the League of Women Voters of DeKalb County. “Whether engaging children at elementary schools, families at community celebrations, or adults at voter registration events, we see energy, curiosity, and critical thinking at work. Regardless of our political backgrounds, we are all in this together, and the more we can empower voters, the stronger our community will be.”

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 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.