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Through generous donor support, the DeKalb County Community Foundation is excited to announce that $191,654 in Community Needs Grants were awarded this spring. A total of 24 local nonprofits and community organizations were supported for a variety of projects.
To date, over $20.3 million has been awarded to the community through grants and distributions since the Foundation was founded in 1993. Out of a desire to give back and love for their community, philanthropists of all ages have established and contributed to undesignated funds at the Community Foundation which provide funding for Community Needs Grants through yearly distributions that will continue forever.
Grant applications are aligned to five grantmaking interest areas of the Foundation: Arts and Culture, Education, Community Development, Environment & Animal Welfare, and Health & Human Services. Each application is reviewed by the Grants Committee, a volunteer committee consisting of Community Foundation board members and staff.
“It is both a joy and privilege to help local organizations fund the many important projects that go on around DeKalb County,” said Grants Committee Chair Amie Carey. “The Grants Committee takes the distribution of funds very seriously and spends a great deal of time working to empower as many groups as possible through our allocations.”
Following the grant allocation meeting, grant recommendations receive final approval from the full 21-member DeKalb County Community Foundation Board of Directors. The following grants were approved by the DeKalb County Community Foundation Board of Directors on April 28, 2016:
| Organization Name | Grant Purpose | Grant Amount |
| Association to Restore City Hall (Sandwich Opera House) | to replace the light board and some audio equipment that was damaged and/or needs to be updated | $4,350 |
| Celebration Chorale | to purchase sheet music and orchestration for Patriotic and Christmas Concerts | $1,870 |
| Children’s Learning Center Inc. | to replace flooring in the CLC and Growing Place and update the fire alarm system | $16,500 |
| DeKalb County Community Gardens | to purchase equipment to support the Walnut Grove Vocational Farm | $8,000 |
| DeKalb Fire Department | to purchase extrication tools for the ladder truck | $9,200 |
| *DeKalb Public Library | to support the expansion and renovation capital campaign for the DeKalb Public Library | *$10,000 |
| Ellwood House Association | to fund an architectural study that will direct the maintenance, restoration, and proper stewardship efforts for the Ellwood House mansion | $10,000 |
| First United Methodist Church | to purchase a new freezer for the Summer Lunch Program | $829 |
| Friends of Shabbona Lake State Park | to reshape, excavate, and install a drain tile in the rearing pond to support fishing at Shabbona Lake state park | $12,000 |
| Growing Place | to replace flooring in the kitchen and purchase large motor equipment for the center | $2,701 |
| Hinckley Historical Society | to fund the renovation of the front exterior of the building | $6,000 |
| Indian Creek School District – Indian Creek Elementary School | to purchase Mimio Teach bars, LCD projectors, and hardware for classrooms in Shabbona Elementary school | $5,204 |
| Indian Valley Vocational Center | to purchase equipment and improve the Graphic Design laboratory for students at IVVC | $8,500 |
| Kishwaukee College | to purchase a large metal sheet for the Welding Technology program | $15,000 |
| Live Healthy DeKalb County | to connect the trail link between Peace Road and South Prairie School to provide improved accessibility and increased safety | $7,500 |
| Malta Township Public Library | to assist in funding the replacement of brick and mortar and install new windows in the original library building | $10,000 |
| Midwest Museum of Natural History | to modernize the museum with tablets, audio stations, and a mobile app | $15,000 |
| NIU STEM Outreach | to purchase supplies and equipment for STEMFest | $8,000 |
| Northern Illinois Food Bank | to support the Take 50 Foods to Encourage program for DeKalb County Food Pantries and NIFB partners | $8,000 |
| Oaken Acres Wildlife Center | to increase and enhance the educational community programs for non-releasable raptors | $3,000 |
| Open Door Rehabilitation Center | to upgrade the fire sprinkler systems at the primary Open Door program locations | $7,500 |
| Suicide Prevention Services | to assist in providing local suicide prevention presentations | $5,000 |
| Sycamore Police Department | to purchase a Utility Terrain Vehicle for use by the Sycamore Police Department in partnership with the Sycamore Park District | $8,000 |
| Waterman Enhancement Group | to convert a grass field into a park in Waterman | $9,500 |
| Total Granted | $191,654 |
Join us in supporting nonprofits and community organizations in DeKalb County! To discuss your charitable interests, make a donation, or to learn more about the Community Foundation, please contact Dan Templin, Executive Director at 815-748-5383 or dan@dekalbccf.org.
*Additional funds became available to fully fund the request (original amount $5,000)
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