MISSION
Our mission is to mobilize community resources to drive systemic social change and build a thriving and resilient Evanston. We achieve this by:
- Investing in the community with a sustainable and long-term perspective
- Empowering leaders to foster innovation and collaboration
- Prioritizing community voice and choice
VISION
We envision a vibrant, just and equitable Evanston, where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging.
HISTORY
Our roots:
Founded in 1986, the Evanston Community Foundation has been a hub for community connection and support. We collaborate with donors, fund advisors, social movements, and the broader community to dismantle structural barriers, advance racial equity, and improve socioeconomic outcomes for everyone in Evanston.
Our future:
Inclusion, opportunity, and a commitment to justice are always present in our vision of the Evanston we are building.
OUR STRATEGIC PLAN
UBUNTU IN ACTION
In late 2021, the ECF Board of Directors approved a bold new strategic plan with one central goal: to promote and advocate for systemic racial justice.
To achieve this, the Community Foundation is committed to uniting partners from philanthropy, nonprofits, businesses and government to permanently strengthen our community.
The development of an equitable community in Evanston depends on the elevation of leaders and voices from across the community. ECF must be equitable and inclusive in our programming and grantmaking, and expand our leadership, outreach, advocacy, and educational offerings, especially to communities that have been historically excluded. This is how we will do it:
- Raise underrepresented voices in community listening, program development, advocacy, and grantmaking.
- Expand our signature program, Leadership Evanston, to a Leadership Institute, with a focus on new models of community leadership, previously underserved audiences, including youth and people of color, preparing the next generation of active, informed and concerned citizen leadership within Evanston.
- Prioritize addressing barriers to equity and justice in our grantmaking.
- Support community advocacy efforts and collective impact initiatives.
Nonprofit organizations are the heart and soul of Evanston. A strong, vibrant, and collaborative nonprofit sector is absolutely crucial to building an equitable, healthy community and maintaining a strong quality of life. Here's what we'll do to help achieve this:
- Spearhead opportunities for shared operations and efficiencies among Evanston nonprofits, empowering organizations to more strongly fulfill their missions.
- Expand ECF's nonprofit learning series to better meet current and future needs, including managing through transition, stabilizing the nonprofit workforce, and building a just and equitable nonprofit sector.
- Support nonprofit organizations in building capacity to effectively serve the Evanston community.
The pandemic highlighted the huge disparities in resources and opportunities that exist in Evanston. And while the initial crisis has in some ways passed, we know that many of these disparities have existed for generations and many Evanston families continue to struggle. We need to strengthen everyone in our community to face whatever challenges the future brings. Here's how we'll take it one step further:
- Build and collaborate on programs that will specifically improve family economic stability in communities of color, including supporting and expanding reparations work in Evanston.
- Play a leadership role in creating and funding a permanent guaranteed basic income program in Evanston.
- Relocate ECF offices to a community where we can serve as an economic anchor, including partnering with local businesses owned by women and people of color.
- Play a leadership role in the Savings for Success early childhood education savings program.
Using the principles of Ubuntu, we commit to continuing to build a connected and equitable organization by implementing the lessons learned from our past.
POLICIES AND REPORTS
Browse through our important policies and annual reports.
ANNUAL REPORTS
Rooted in Legacy, Prepared For Growth
This year we are reflecting on our deeply rooted history as a catalyst for collaboration and impact in the Evanston community. We invite you to read our 2022 Annual Report titled Rooted in Legacy, Prepared for Growth to explore the rich history of your community foundation. For nearly 40 years, the Community Foundation has embraced a spirit of togetherness and worked alongside our neighbors to address the community's most pressing issues. Today, we dig deeper into those roots to help make Evanston a vibrant, just, equitable and inclusive community for now, forever, and for everyone.
Your Vision. Our Mission.
This year we are reflecting on our efforts to better connect with community. We invite you to read our 2023 Annual Report titled "Your Vision. Our Mission." to explore the intentional work of the foundation to bring our community a newly refreshed visual identity, website, mission, and vision statements.
FINANCIAL RESULTS + INVESTMENTS
As reported by the ECF Investment Council.
Evanston Community Foundation, Inc. and Subsidiaries Statements December 31, 2019 and 2018
The ECF Investment and Expenditure Policy codifies the principles that the Investment Council must follow in the execution of its responsibilities. It is reviewed and adopted annually by the Board. The policy outlines the ECF's spending philosophy and investment objectives, and includes investment allocation guidelines and benchmarks for evaluating portfolio performance.
KEY DOCUMENTS + POLICIES
Evanston Community Foundation was incorporated on September 29, 1986.
The Statutes of the Foundation, modified by the Board of Trustees on November 9, 2022.
ECF board and committee members, staff, students, and volunteers adhere to these policies: Confidentiality agreement (approved: November 11, 2003; revised December 13, 2005, October 26, 2010), Equal access and opportunities policy(adopted March 13, 2002), and Whistleblowing and Fraud Policy (approved May 21, 2007; updated July 2, 2012).
This policy, adopted on September 10, 2003, defines the terms by which ECF strives to maintain the highest ethical standards in all of its policies, procedures and programs and to avoid conflicts of interest. Each director, officer, member of a committee with powers delegated to the board, employee or contractor must annually sign a declaration in the Annual Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement.
These policies are designed to provide guidance for fundraising events, direct mail campaigns, and/or other types of solicitations to raise money by donors who have established donor-advised funds at ECF. Approved in April 2018.
Consistent with its mission as a philanthropic organization, the Foundation will actively solicit donations to further its charitable purposes and help donors develop and fulfill their charitable aspirations. Provisions of this policy include criteria for acceptance of gifts, protection of donor interests, authority to accept gifts, compliance with IRS regulations, ethical standards and conflicts of interest, types of gifts accepted and other related provisions, as well as the definition of the fund. options. Adopted September 10, 2003; revised June 2012.
This policy codifies the principles to be followed by the Investment Council (the Council) in the execution of its responsibilities. Both the Council and the Board are required to fulfill their continuing fiduciary responsibility to evaluate the performance of ECF assets and expenses and, at least annually, re-adopt this Policy with changes as appropriate. Ratified by the ECF Board of Directors on September 8, 2021.
This document describes the Foundation's policy regarding the public availability of IRS 990 and how it periodically makes information about its programs and finances available through print publications and press releases, as well as on its website.
These guidelines provide the Foundation with a framework to consider, evaluate and act on leadership capacities within the community. Approved on February 21, 2018.
It is the policy of the Evanston Community Foundation that social media communications that represent the mission, values and goals of the organization must be vetted and adhere to the guidelines set forth in this policy document. Approved in April 2018.