Community Impact Funds (Undesignated Funds)
Community Impact Funds provide the DeKalb County Community Foundation's Board with the greatest flexibility to help today and shape tomorrow. Through grantmaking, these Funds allow the Foundation to give where the need is most and support a variety of grantmaking mechanisms/programs including Community Needs Grants, Emergency Grants, Economic Development Grants, and Give DeKalb County (incentive pool dollars).
Through donor generosity and grantmaking, we impact the community all around us. Check out these inspiring Grants in Action stories to learn more! Together, we are Helping today...Shaping tomorrow.
To discuss your charitable interests or to give back to the community by establishing a Fund of your own, please contact Executive Director Dan Templin at 815-748-5383 or dan@dekalbccf.org.
Steven G. Anderson Community Fund
Established by Steven Anderson to provide grant resources that are directed by the Community Foundation Board.
Bothe Family Endowment Fund
Joe and Robin Bothe continue to give back to their community through this endowment, which was created in 1998. Their hope is that this fund enhances many Foundation programs in addition to supporting the ever-changing needs of DeKalb County residents.
Katherine Boulos Fund
This fund was established in 1993 and represents a significant gift of McDonald's Corporation common stock given in memory of her husband, Chris Boulos. Mrs. Boulos died in 1994 leaving a large bequest to the Foundation.
Stephen R. and Betty L. Brown Fund
This fund, established in 1999, benefits those charitable purposes determined by our Grants Committee. The fund honors lifelong Sycamore resident and founder of Brown's Supermarket, Steve Brown, who died in early 1999 and his wife Betty Brown who passed away in 2011.
Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Buckner Fund
The income from this gift of stock given in 1993 is intended to target the pressing needs and promising opportunities of the community.
Jerome and Blanche Cerny Undesignated Fund
Initiated in the latter part of 1999, this fund will benefit the greater community and exists through the generosity of a former DeKalb couple who spent many years here as previous owners of WLBK-WDEK, DeKalb Radio Studios, Inc.
Community Stewardship Fund in Memory of Charles C. Roberts
This fund was established in 2005, following the death of Charlie Roberts, with an initial gift of $250,000 from Richard Ryan, who had worked with Charlie when the two were at DeKalb AgResearch, DeKalb Genetics, and Monsanto. Mr. Ryan then challenged the community during 2006, with a dollar-for-dollar match, resulting in another $250,000 raised for this unrestricted fund. The effort was a wonderful way to memorialize Roberts, the Community Foundation's "founding father."
DeKalb County Building and Development Association Endowment Fund
This organization of area homebuilders and trade contractors established this fund during 2003, and currently it benefits the Foundation's general grantmaking. Ultimately, the DCBDA hopes to focus the fund's yearly distribution to causes matching its major interests, such as vocational education and other civic purposes.
DeKalb County Community Endowment Fund
Established in 1993 by Charlie & Mary Roberts as a means of starting the Community Foundation. Supporting community needs and opportunities, this fund provide ways for donors to make an immediate impact in the community.
George E. And Betty B. Dutton Undesignated Fund
This prominent Sycamore couple established this fund in 1998. Mr. Dutton passed away in late 1999; Betty continues to nurture the fund, which benefits the community they have supported for so many years.
James and Loretta Hipple Community Fund
Established in 2017 through the generosity of Jim and Loretta Hipple, this fund provides the Community Foundation Board of Directors with additional funds to use for needs and opportunities in the community.
E.T. and Jean B. Juday Fund
Started as a Donor Advised fund in 1997 to align with the charitable interests of E.T. (Tug) and Jean Juday. E.T. Juday, the last surviving successor advisor to the fund, passed away in March 2013 at which time the fund was renamed and became an Undesignated Fund to continue supporting charitable causes in DeKalb County.
Ronald G. Klein Community Fund
Honoring the DeKalb County Community Foundation's first Board President, this fund builds the quality of life throughout DeKalb County.
Gordon And Lucy Melms Fund
This fund was started in late 2000 by the Melms couple, shortly before Gordy completed his term as president of the DeKalb County Community Foundation. Their generosity will add to our undesignated endowment and will allow our Grants Committee to continue to meet the needs of the community.
Charles W. Otto Undesignated Fund
This DeKalb resident left part of his estate to the Community Foundation, realizing that it would distribute a portion of its proceeds to needy community causes.
Charles and Mary Roberts Family Endowment Fund
This fund is a portion of a gift from the three children of Charles and Mary Roberts, the DeKalb couple most responsible for the inception of the DeKalb County Community Foundation in 1993. The fund, started in late 2002, was spearheaded through the generosity of Douglas Roberts, John Roberts and Virginia Roberts Holt.
Bonita E. and Edward H. Seymour Fund
This fund was established in 1994 to honor the memory of the family who founded Seymour of Sycamore. The family has held a long-time interest in conservation.
Sally Stevens Community Fund
This retired Northern Illinois University secretary chose to use a life insurance policy to provide support to the Foundation. Ultimately funded from the policy's proceeds, it will allow the Foundation to support many of the causes that Sally has supported during her lifetime in the DeKalb-Sycamore area.
Albert Kerby and Helene Tink Endowment Fund
A gift of stock initiated this fund in late 1999, following Mr. Tink's death in August of that year. Mr. and Mrs. Tink have been generous to the DeKalb-area community, where they resided while Kerby worked at Northern Illinois University.
Richard and Carol Ubl Fund
This fund was started through generous gifts from present and former Board members of the DeKalb County Community Foundation, to honor our organization's first executive director, Dick Ubl, upon his retirement in 1999.
Rodney A. and Dorothy Thiele Wright Fund
Established in 1996 with a bequest of a large farm, this fund aids in the enhancement of the quality of life in DeKalb County. The intent of the donors was to give something back to the community that had been so good to them and their parents.
If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact us. We're here to help!