DeKalb County COVID-19 Response Fund

In uncertain times one thing remains constant — it's best to face challenges together. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March 2020, our community moved forward with the intent to do what we could to protect the health, safety, and welfare of our fellow citizens, especially the most vulnerable among us.

In this spirit of togetherness, local organizational funders worked together to plan and respond to priority needs and issues in DeKalb County. These funders partnered to create the DeKalb County COVID-19 Response Fund (DCCRF) advisory committee. Funders in this committee included the DeKalb County Community Foundation, Kishwaukee United Way, Douglas C. & Lynn M. Roberts Family Foundation, DeKalb County Community Mental Health Board, IDEAL Foundation, Horizons Unlimited Foundation, and the DeKalb County Nonprofit Partnership (DCNP).

To aid in their response to areas of needs due to the pandemic, a new Fund was created. The DeKalb County COVID-19 Response Fund expedited charitable resources to nonprofit and community organizations responding to COVID-19 related needs throughout DeKalb County. Resources were granted where they were needed most, with an initial focus on the basic needs of those most significantly impacted by this crisis.

Learn more about the local organizational funders >

Thank you!

Thank you to the many donors contributed to the DeKalb County COVID-19 Response Fund. And thank you to the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund for the multiple grants, totaling $175,000, that boosted the amount we were able to give in response to local needs. From April 2020 to August 2021, we distributed $729,135 in assistance to organizations serving DeKalb County.

Grant impact from the DeKalb County COVID-19 Response Fund >

Donors

DeKalb County COVID-19 Response Grants

The DeKalb County COVID-19 Response Grant program was designed to assist with the needs of nonprofit and public sector service providers that are in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Priority areas for funding included requests that met basic human needs of residents in the county, including but not limited to emergency food and basic supplies, interim housing and shelter, primary health care services, utility and financial assistance, supports for children and other vulnerable populations, and nonprofit safety and operations assistance.

Learn more about COVID-19 Response Grants >