Emergency Solutions Grants Program

The Community Foundation of Will County (CFWC) is accepting applications for its FY2024 Community Partner Grant Cycle, an initiative central to the foundation's mission of enhancing the quality of life in Will County. This program aligns directly with CFWC's core purpose of supporting not-for-profit organizations that address a broad array of charitable needs within the area, including healthcare, human services, education, and cultural arts. By offering these grants annually, the CFWC demonstrates its commitment to being a responsive and proactive community partner with the local not-for-profit sector, fostering a vibrant and supportive environment for community development. The Community Partner Grants specifically target not-for-profit organizations operating within Will County, Illinois. The impact goals of this program are to address critical community needs, foster collaborative partnerships, and build the organizational capacity of the non-profit sector. While the CFWC does not provide general funding for daily operations, it strategically offers support for essential administrative costs to launch or conduct specific projects. This approach ensures that funding directly contributes to impactful initiatives rather than routine expenses, maximizing the grant's reach and effectiveness. The program prioritizes projects that reflect a strategic collaborative partnership, encouraging not-for-profits to work together to address wider community needs. It also focuses on initiatives that tackle critical issues impacting a significant segment of the community, ensuring that the grants address pervasive challenges. A key focus is also on building the organizational capacity of non-profits, enabling them to operate more effectively and efficiently in their vital work. This strategic emphasis helps strengthen the entire non-profit ecosystem in Will County. Expected outcomes include the successful implementation of projects that address identified community needs, the formation of stronger collaborative networks among local non-profits, and an increase in the overall effectiveness and efficiency of participating organizations. While specific measurable results are not detailed in the provided information, the focus on addressing critical needs and building capacity suggests that successful projects would demonstrate tangible improvements in the areas they serve. The CFWC's strategic priorities are rooted in being a community partner that not only responds to existing needs but also proactively supports the growth and development of the non-profit sector. This theory of change suggests that by investing in collaborative, need-based, and capacity-building projects, the foundation can create lasting positive change and significantly enhance the quality of life for residents across Will County.