FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Akilah Wilson 

Email: wilson@evanstonforever.org 

ECF Launches First Bilingual Grant Application in 39-year History 

EVANSTON, IL, December 30, 2024- The Evanston Community Foundation (ECF) Launched its first bilingual grant application in the organization’s 39-year history. Beginning in 2025, ECF will offer its community-led grantmaking opportunities in Spanish and in English. This move comes with accessibility in mind as the foundation seeks to ensure that local Spanish speaking organizations can engage with the application process in the language, they are most comfortable with.  

“As a foundation we aim to be a beacon of support in Evanston for now, forever, and everyone,” said Akilah Wilson, a spokesperson for ECF. “This means that the support we provide must be accessible to everyone in Evanston, and unfortunately, prior to this change in our grantmaking process, there was an entire section of the community that we were missing. We hope these efforts are taken in good faith of our commitment to pursue a more vibrant, just, and equitable Evanston.” 

Looking ahead, grant applicants can expect to see both the Foundation’s Fall & Spring Community-Led Grant cycles to be a fully bilingual process from application to review.  

### 

About the Evanston Community Foundation

The Evanston Community Foundation’s 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