ecf grantmaking history

Learn about our latest grants, March 2018 - December 2021

ECF has been making grants since 1987. Visit the 1987 — March 2018 archive to learn about previous competitive and strategic grant programs

grants

ECF's competitive and strategic grants awarded since March 2018 are listed below, by year. ECF grant programs evolve as the challenges and opportunies in Evanston evolve, so we may have a program in one year that doesn't appear in a subsequent year or preceding year.

grants awarded from May - December 2021

Art Encounter
$20,000 – Program: Nonprofit Growth & Sustainability, Category: Capacity Building
We will engage an external consultant to lead a comprehensive audit of Art Encounter in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We will assess our organization across programs and practices to create an actionable list of goals moving forward for becoming more equitable, so that we can better serve our community in Evanston and beyond

Books & Breakfast
$20,000 – Program: EC2C COVID-19, Category: Education Environment
COVID-19 has widened achievement gaps. B&B and D65 seek to advance COVID-19 reading recovery for 100 B&B students in K-2 and promote at-home reading for all 230 B&B students by 1) hiring a consultant to enhance B&B's reading program, 2) refreshing B&B libraries and book packages, and 3) equipping B&B families to support their child's literacy growth

 

$25,000 – Program: Nonprofit Growth & Sustainability, Category: Operating Support

This grant would enable B&B to continue supporting ~90 students who joined B&B during temporary online expansion for COVID-19 and remote learning. D65 has asked us to grow, our students need help as they face the long-term impact of COVID-19, and this grant would fuel our ability to sustainably add up to 3 more in-person school sites this year

Childcare Network of Evanston

$20,000 – Program: E-Town Innovation, Category: Early Childhood

This collaboration among CNE, Infant Welfare Society of Evanston, and Family Focus will implement in-person, facilitated gatherings for fathers and other male caregivers focused on making supportive connections and building confidence in their parenting skills, so that they may play an enhanced, meaningful role in their child's development

Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI)

$20,000 – Program: E-Town Innovation, Category: Equity and Access

This project seeks to develop and support a strong cadre of low-income parent civic leaders of color who effectively work with elected and appointed officials and other community stakeholders to champion programs and policies they (the parents) prioritize to improve living and learning outcomes of Evanston’s most vulnerable children

Connections for the Homeless

$20,000 – Program: E-Town Innovation, Category: Health and Wellbeing

Connections for the Homeless and Open Studio Project are delighted to partner to expand social-emotional services for people experiencing homelessness. Together, we will offer accessible arts and wellness programming that helps people heal, rebuild, and move ahead

 

$25,000 – Program: Nonprofit Growth & Sustainability, Category: Operating Support

Homelessness is solvable. With the Evanston Community Foundation’s support, Connections for the Homeless is mobilizing our community to combat systemic inequities and build innovative and responsive programs and partnerships that create a thriving community

Curt's Café

$10,500 – Program: E-Town Innovation, Category: Workforce Development

Curt’s Café will partner with the Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre to amplify Evanston Café students’ voices and stories through spoken word and poetry. The six-week program will reconnect students to each other and the Evanston community and increase students’ mental health and well-being as well as grow their leadership and communications skills

Erie Family Health Centers

$10,000 – Program: EC2C COVID-19, Category: Health and Wellbeing

The Erie Evanston/Skokie Health Center provides area youth with vital behavioral and psychiatric health services, designed with a trauma-informed lens to address causes of health inequity. An EC2C COVID-19 grant will support these services for Evanston youth ages 5-18 with funding for the site’s Child Psychiatrist and Behavioral Health Consultant

 

$25,000 – Program: Nonprofit Growth & Sustainability, Category: Operating Support

Erie Evanston/Skokie Health Center is a healthcare home for all Evanstonians in need of comprehensive medical, oral and behavioral health services. During a pandemic that places the greatest burdens on those who face systemic racism, Erie is committed to addressing health inequities so that all Evanston residents can live their healthiest lives

Evanston Cradle to Career, LLC

$14,440 – Program: Community Catalyst, Category: Other

City of Evanston, Evanston Cradle to Career, Evanston Community Foundation, Northwestern University, Evanston Early Childhood Council, Girls Play Sports, and Evanston Latinos partnered to ensure broad and diverse community participation at four resident Townhalls, seven Roundtables, an early childhood sector meeting, and a survey of ETHS youth

Evanston Latinos

$20,000 – Program: E-Town Innovation, Category: Equity and Access

Our Journey to Wholeness in Evanston program aims to document and share stories of Latino families as well as provide opportunities for community members to participate in racial healing circles

Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse

$20,000 – Program: EC2C COVID-19, Category: Equity and Access

The Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse and Evanston Township High School will partner on a workforce development initiative that raises awareness of the building trades as a fulfilling career path and supports high school youth interested in starting their careers

Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse

$25,000 – Program: Nonprofit Growth & Sustainability, Category: Capacity Building

We seek grant support to grow and sustain our fundraising strategies for the future. The development of a comprehensive fundraising assessment and strategy will ensure financial sustainability and broaden and deepen our environmental, economic, and social impact in Evanston

Evanston RoundTable Media

$17,000 – Program: Nonprofit Growth & Sustainability, Category: Capacity Building

A capacity building grant will allow the Evanston RoundTable to hire development staff to focus on building the short and long term sustainability of Evanston's free community online newspaper.  By expanding our financial sources, the organization will expand staff and coverage of in-depth community issues

Evanston Scholars

$20,000 – Program: E-Town Innovation, Category: Equity and Access

To ensure that every ETHS student with a desire to earn a college degree can make it to and through college, we want to increase awareness about college among would-be first-generation college entrants. For this new initiative, we will conduct outreach among incoming 9th graders and with local schools and youth, faith, and community organizations

Infant Welfare Society of Evanston

$25,000 – Program: Nonprofit Growth & Sustainability, Category: Operating Support

The Infant Welfare Society of Evanston is requesting support for our ongoing operations and sustainability. The Growth and Sustainability Grant award from ECF will allow IWSE to make up for operational losses due to COVID 19 and enrollment challenges as we move forward toward full capacity in 2022

Institute for Therapy through the Art

$15,000 – Program: Nonprofit Growth & Sustainability, Category: Capacity Building

A grant of $25,000 will support a merger with the Hancock Center For Dance/Movement Therapy to establish ITA as a regional leader in creative arts therapy--maximizing capacity and impact in Evanston and surrounding areas. The merger will ensure more people have opportunities to grow and heal by increasing access to creative arts therapies

James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy

$5,000 – Program: Community Catalyst, Category: Youth

Emergency funding to help offset the costs of an office flood caused by a toilet clog and overflow which caused wide spread damage

 

$10,000 – Program: EC2C COVID-19, Category: Basic Human Needs

As more families face the prospect of eviction, it is critical to expand legal services to minimize the rate of families being disparately affected, displaced, and falling into homelessness. The Moran Center proposes to hire or contract with an attorney who will primarily focus on representing and advising Evanston families confronting eviction

 

$25,000 – Program: Nonprofit Growth & Sustainability, Category: Operating Support

In partnership with the Evanston Community Foundation, the Moran Center will continue to provide justice in the courtroom, access to the classroom, and restoration in the community for Evanston’s youth and families, helping community members move from crisis to stability to hope

Jennifer's Edibles Feeding the Community

$20,000 – Program: E-Town Innovation, Category: Basic Human Needs

Jennifer’s Edibles Feeding the Community collaborates with local businesses and nonprofit organizations to cook and deliver nutritious, culturally familiar meals to Evanston’s low- and moderate-income seniors and disabled adults. Our program allows our clients to remain independent and maintain dignity while strengthening the Evanston community

McGaw YMCA

$25,000 – Program: Nonprofit Growth & Sustainability, Category: Operating Support

At the McGaw YMCA, our experience navigating the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of general operating dollars to support our work both during and after crises. As we plan for the next 1-3 years of recovery, our primary financial need is general support funding that provides the flexibility to sustain our operations and programs

Next Steps for Transformation NFP

$20,000 – Program: E-Town Innovation, Category: Equity and Access

Groups, predominantly led by Black participants, identify, plan and implement a project centered around eradicating a racist policy or practice in their school. At the same time, the program builds their skills to do so by providing a queer Black feminist framework, a theory of change model, and an educational and coaching model

Open Studio Project

$10,000 – Program: EC2C COVID-19, Category: Early Childhood

As underserved Evanston families continue to recover from the pandemic, having been severely impacted with illness, economic hardship and isolation, the Open Studio Project for the 5th Ward, a wellness studio based in the Family Focus space, will serve pre-K and middle school students with an art therapy-based social-emotional learning curriculum

PEER Services, Inc.

$20,000 – Program: E-Town Innovation, Category: Mental Health

We seek to listen and learn from Black community leaders and residents in Evanston about their experiences and insights related to substance use, prevention, and treatment in order to make changes to our services and messaging about them that better serve Black residents and reduce the incidence of addiction and related consequences

YWCA Evanston/North Shore

$25,000 – Program: Nonprofit Growth & Sustainability, Category: Operating Support

After completion of a major campus expansion, YWCA Evanston/North Shore is poised to do more and become more for our community. The new facility doubles our capacity to serve and operating support from Evanston Community Foundation now will allow us to leverage our new home for growth and greater impact

March 2020 - April 2021 grants through the evanston community rapid response fund

Collective & Enduring Grants
The COVID crisis has highlighted the inequities and challenges of our society, but it has also highlighted some of Evanston’s greatest strengths: our assets of thriving nonprofit and business communities and our ability and experience of working collectively. The collective efforts that have been forged during this time will have an enduring impact on Evanston. These grants are developed through ECF working closely with community organizations and community members, and are by invitation only.

Immediate Needs Grants
The immediate impact of the crisis has been on people’s basic needs — food, supplies, and shelter. From March 23, 2020 through April 14, 2021 ECF has partnered with nonprofit and business partners to support our most vulnerable neighbors through strategic grants addressing basic needs, initially to relieve the immediate impact of the pandemic, and more recently to facilitate recovery.

Operating Grants  — Supporting and Protecting Organizations
Operating grants were designed to protect Evanston’s vital nonprofit infrastructure so it could continue to serve our community during and after the pandemic crisis. Grants supported organizations who lost earned and/or fundraising income or incurred new costs due to adapting their services and environment. ECF initially supported nonprofits by immediately removing restrictions from all previously awarded grants in mid-March 2020 so that organizations could use grant dollars in the best way to respond to the crisis and its impact. Granted in eight rounds from April 2020 to March 2021.

Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County

$12,000 – Program: ECRRF Collective & Enduring, Category: Systems Change

A broad range of partners and people with lived experience of homelessness, housing and food insecurity are collectively reviving a community-led coalition to end homelessness in Evanston. Working together with the support of a paid facilitator, we will identify the scope of our work and create an action plan to achieve our goal of eradicating homelessness in Evanston

Art Encounter

$14,500 (December 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Arts and Humanities

Books & Breakfast

$6250 (November 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category

Books & Breakfast with Y.O.U, District 65, and Northwestern University

$50,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Educational Equity

Books & Breakfast (B & B) will provide remote tutoring to at least 380 District 65 students and train Y.O.U. colleagues to use their model to tutor an additional 120. The relationship-based program offers one-to-one homework help from community volunteers and Northwestern University undergraduates trained and supervised by B & B staff. District 65 has committed an additional

C & W Market 
$482,975 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Food/Supplies
Weekly groceries for families with very young children in collaboration with Evanston Aid and District 65 Family Center. Weekly groceries for vulnerable seniors

C&W Market

$19,668 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Community Development

Assistance in pivoting business model and revenue after nine months of addressing food insecurity

Center for Independent Futures 

$12,500 (April 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

 

$10,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Transition to Adult Life

Support five ETHS Transition House graduates with intellectual/developmental disabilities and their families in planning and implementing steps and goals toward a full life in COVID environment, including employment and community engagement and living

Chef Q 
$235,126 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Food/Supplies
Two meals for families daily

 

$16,789 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Community Development Assistance in pivoting business model and revenue after nine months of addressing food insecurity

Chessman Club 
$2100 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Food/Supplies
Supplement Oakton School’s Blessings in a Backpack program to provide ingredients for one weekly family dinner through the school year

Chicago Methodist Senior Services (Senior Connections)

$2,639 (March 2021) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Seniors

Childcare Network of Evanston
$15,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Early Childhood
Basic needs for young children

Childcare Network of Evanston

$12,500 (December 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Early Childhood

$25,000 (May 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Early Childhood

Children's Advocacy Center

$25,000 (May 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Family Support

City of Evanston

$20,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Educational Equity

Transportation for families with children with significant disabilities to Park School hosted camps

Connections for the Homeless

$225,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Homelessness/Shelter/Housing
Eviction prevention services for approximately 90 households 


$14,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Homelessness/Shelter/Housing
Support for 26 new milieu assistants and housing specialists payroll that will not be reimbursed by FEMA for June and July


$37,500 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Homelessness/Shelter/Housing
Support for Housing Manager for six months to transition individuals from hotels to long-term housing

 

$25,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Homelessness/Shelter/Housing
In partnership with Curt’s Café — Housing and food for 40 families in a hotel for April

 

$37,500 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Homelessness/Shelter/Housing

Continued support for Housing Manager and Housing Specialists salaries in order to place individuals and families in permanent housing

Connections for the Homeless

$25,000 (March 2021) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

$25,000 (November 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

$25,000 (August 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

$25,000 (July 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

$25,000 (June 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

$25,000 (April 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

Cradles to Crayons

$7500 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Food/Supplies
Cradles to Crayons logistical coordination with Evanston’s Bundled Blessings to provide and distribute diapers to 650 children, using Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse’s staffed facility. Diapers distributed to families through organizations, including Infant Welfare Society of Evanston, Family Focus, Childcare Network of Evanston, District 65 Family Center, Learning Bridge Early Education Center, and Evanston Aid

Curt’s Café
$72,177 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Food/Supplies
5 meals weekly for 10 Family Focus families (60 individuals)

Curt's Café

$25,000 (August 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Workforce Development

$25,000 (April 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Workforce Development

Dementia Friendly Task Force with Meals on Wheels, City of Evanston's Senior Services, Evanston 311, Evanston Latinos, four Subsidized Senior Housing Buildings 

$5,500 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Senior Services
Pilot cross-sector collaborative initiative to support older adults and their care partners by providing provide printed resource and activity packets that are interactive, inter-generational, and designed to cognitively stimulate and engage older adults

Evanston Arts Council 

$10,000 – Program:  ECRRF Collective & Enduring, Category: Arts and Humanities

Support for public art installation at Fountain Square to inspire conversation, understanding, and tolerance

Evanston Care Network

$5000 – Program: ECRRF Collective & Enduring, Category: Collaboration

Expands collective point of entry to include Amita Health crisis hotline accessible 24/7, including training on utilizing Evanston Care Network to provide social services resources outside of Evanston Public Library and 311 hours

$5400 – Program: ECRRF Collective & Enduring, Category: Collaboration

Establishes networked platform to help residents find needed services and nonprofits coordinate referrals and efforts, using the Aunt Bertha platform. In collaboration with City of Evanston 311, City of Evanston Health and Human Services, and Evanston Public Library 

 

$7500 – Program: ECRRF Collective & Enduring, Category: Collaboration
Ongoing support for networked support system

Evanston Chamber of Commerce

$25,488 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Early Childhood

PPE and cleaning equipment for early childhood  programs with early childhood programs (IWSE, Reba Early Learning Center, Learning Bridge, Toddler Town, Childcare Network of Evanston, McGaw YMCA, Family Focus, Covenant Nursery School, Barbereux School, Puerta Abierta Preschool, Cherry Preschool, School for Little Children, Northminster Nursery School, Roycemore School, and Unity Preschool) with partial support from restricted grant from Lighthouse Rotary

$11,646 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Early Childhood

PPE and cleaning equipment for youth and family programming, with Family Focus and McGaw YMCA

Evanston Cradle to Career 

$60,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Undocumented and Mixed Status Families
Provide $500 lost wages relief to undocumented families

Evanston Cradle to Career Vaccination Communication Working Groups

$5000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Children and Families

Working with Black and brown faith leaders, business leaders, community organizers and health care workers to address community concerns about vaccines and encourage vaccinations

Evanston Cricket & Social Club 
$50,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Undocumented and Mixed Status Families
Provide $500 lost wages relief to Evanston Jamaican families (primarily undocumented)

Evanston Early Childhood Council

$22,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Early Childhood

Support for staff person to coordinate advocacy efforts and communications

 

$27,698 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Early Childhood

Support for early childhood care and education programs to purchase additional supplies necessary for safe reopening

Evanston Grows

$15,000 – Program: ECRRF Collective & Enduring, Category: Community Development

Evanston Grows is a newly formed collective of garden associations and community organizers working to increase food and health equity through increasing edible gardens — community, individual, business, and urban-gardens. The Collective partners with neighborhood groups, community centers, schools, businesses, health services, and community to grow equitable access to food, community beautification, health and education

Evanston Latinos 

$9750 – Program: ECRRF Collective & Enduring, Category: Equity and Access

Ongoing support for community engagement manager

 

$14,000 – Program: ECRRF Collective & Enduring, Category: Equity and Access
Strengthens Latino community and communications through web and text messaging platforms, translation for nonprofits for COVID resource materials, and community engagement

 

$18,000 – Program: ECRRF Collective & Enduring, Category: Equity and Access 

Ongoing support for outreach and communication to Latino community

Evanston Local Marketplace: collaboration among Black Business Consortium Evanston North Shore, Evanston Chamber of Commerce, Evanston Community Foundation, and Evanston Latinos

$100,000 – Program: ECRRF Collective & Enduring , Category: Collaboration 

Creation and administration of the Evanston Local Marketplace, an online platform to promote minority and women owned business, advance collective purchasing, and connect local business with institutional buyers

Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse

$2500 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Early Childhood

Organization and distribution of PPE and cleaning equipment to early childhood and family programs

 

$48,768 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Transition to Adult Life

Enrolling Evanston residents in ERW workforce training program for building trades

Evanston Scholars

$25,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Transition to Adult Life

Support Scholar-Designed Internship program to replace lost summer jobs, internships, and wages due to COVID-19

Evanston Symphony Orchestra

$3,050 (June 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Arts and Humanities

Executive Service Corps

$2500 – Program: ECRRF Collective & Enduring, Category: Collaboration

Assistance to nonprofits in applying for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)

Family Focus 
$15,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Early Childhood
Basic needs for young children

Family Focus Evanston

$25,000 (June 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Equity and Access

Family Promise

$8000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Homelessness/Shelter/Housing
Housing and food for families in April

Family Promise Chicago North Shore

$18,332 (May 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project (FLAP)
$400,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Undocumented and Mixed Status Families
Working closely with Evanston Cradle to Career to provide $500 lost wages relief to Evanston Latinx families (primarily undocumented)

Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project (FLAP)

$25,000 (June 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

$10,000 (April 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

Girls Play Sports, Inc. NFP

$9,025 (July 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Youth

Gyros Planet and Taqueria

$164,785 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Food/Supplies
Meals for 100 Latinx Evanstonians from St. Nicholas Church and District 65

Gyros Planet and Taqueria

$24,205 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Community Development Assistance in pivoting business model and revenue after nine months of addressing food insecurity

Haitian Congress 
$100,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Undocumented and Mixed Status Families
Provide $500 lost wages relief to Evanston Haitian families (primarily undocumented)

Hillside Food Pantry

$2000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Food/Supplies
Additional food for April

Housing Opportunities Development Corporation (HODC)
$3250 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Homelessness/Shelter/Housing
House and feed Claridge apartment resident temporarily displaced by Jan 2021 fire

Impact Behavioral Health Partners

$14,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Mental Health

Impact is bridging the technology gap for 110 participants with internet connected devices which will allow improved access to telehealth services and allow more opportunities and access to services in a digitally dependent world

Infant Welfare Society of Evanston

$41,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Early Childhood
Basic needs for young children, in collaboration with Evanston Latinos and Evanston Past, Present, and Future

Infant Welfare Society of Evanston

$25,000 (March 2021) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Early Childhood

$25,000 (December 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Early Childhood

$25,000 (July 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Early Childhood

$25,000 (June 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Early Childhood

$25,000 (April 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Early Childhood

Interfaith Action

$7500 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Food/Supplies
Increased costs for coordination of 10 soup kitchens and food

Interfaith Action of Evanston
$13,386 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Homelessness/Shelter/Housing
Support for winter day shelter for homeless

Interfaith Action of Evanston

$13,434 (March 2021) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy

$25,000 (November 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Social Justice

$25,000 (May 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Social Justice

Jennifer’s Edibles
$139,938 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Senior Services

Two meals daily for 100 to 200 seniors

 

$12,870 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Community Development

Assistance in pivoting business model and revenue after nine months of addressing food insecurity

Learning Bridge Early Education Center 
$20,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Early Childhood
Basic needs for young children

Learning Bridge Early Education Center

$25,000 (July 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Early Childhood

Literacy Works

$22,700 – Program: ECRRF Collective & Enduring, Category: Systems Change

Assistance for nonprofits and other institutions in making communications clearer, especially for those who have barriers to basic literacy or English language skills

McGaw YMCA

$25,000 (December 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

$25,000 (November 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

$25,000 (August 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

$25,000 (July 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

$25,000 (April 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois

$76,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Senior Services
Supporting 30% increase in number of people served

Metropolitan Family Services

$25,000 (December 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Basic Human Needs

Mitchell Museum of the American Indian

$11,041 (November 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Arts and Humanities

Mudlark Theater

$17,000 (April 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Arts and Humanities

NAMI CCNS

$16,791 (May 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Mental Health

Northlight Theatre

$25,000 (December 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Arts and Humanities

Open Communities

$25,000 (May 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Affordable Housing

Open Studio Project

$9,166 (April 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Arts and Humanities

Open Studio Project

$9,166 (November 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Arts and Humanities

PEER Services

$25,000 (March 2021) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Health and Wellbeing

$25,000 (August 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Health and Wellbeing

$25,000 (May 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Health and Wellbeing

Piven Theatre Workshop

$9,875 (November 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Arts and Humanities

PTA Equity Project
$50,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Children and Families
Basic human needs for 630 District 65 families, managed by school principals and social workers. In collaboration with Evanston/Skokie Council of PTAs, individual District 65 school PTAs, Foundation 65, and Evanston Baseball & Softball Association

$14,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Children and Families
Collaboration with PTA Equity Project and Foundation 65 to provide 200 laptops to District 65 students. Tech support available through District 65 and Evanston Public Library

Puerta Abierta

$18,750 (August 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Early Childhood
$18,750 (May 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Early Childhood

Rainbows for All Children

$10,000 (July 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Youth

Reba Early Learning Center 
$30,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Early Childhood
Basic needs for 30 families with young children

Reba Early Learning Center

$25,000 (June 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Early Childhood

$25,000 (May 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Early Childhood

Reba Place Development Corporation

$15,208 (May 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Affordable Housing

Reparations Stakeholder Authority of Evanston (RSAE)

$100,000 – Program: ECRRF Collective & Enduring, Category: Social Justice

The RSAE is a stakeholder organization convened to develop proposals for reparations and disburse benefits to the Black community of Evanston.  We are committed to representing the Black community and taking reparative action in response to our collective priorities

Soul & Smoke

Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Food/Supplies
$382,500 – Meals for 400 people, including District 65 referred families and seniors in 2300 Noyes building

$30,000 – Meals for 150-200 people daily for April

 

$36,709 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Community Development

Assistance in pivoting business model and revenue after nine months of addressing food insecurity.

STEM School Evanston with District 65 and the City of Evanston Reparations Subcommittee

$25,000 – Program: ECRRF Collective & Enduring, Category: Equity and Access 

Creation of initial feasibility study, comparative modeling, and investigation of multiple funding strategy by Equity Schools for the development of a new school in Evanston’s central core which would primarily serve that community

 

$25,000 – Program: ECRRF Collective & Enduring, Category: Equity and Access 

Support for 2nd phase of feasibility study

The Actors Gymnasium

$12,500 (March 2021) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Arts and Humanities

Trilogy Behavioral Health

$15,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Mental Health
In collaboration with Connections for the Homeless, expansion and adaptation of access to mental health diagnosis and care for participants in Connections for the Homeless Hilda's Place

Warren W. Cherry Preschool

$12,500 (August 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Early Childhood

Youth & Opportunity United

$25,000 (July 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Education

Youth Job Center with James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy and Curt’s Café

$45,000 – Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Transition to Adult Life

Personalized support for 100 recent ETHS graduates without plans for education or employment

YWCA Evanston/North Shore

$45,000 - Program: ECRRF Immediate Needs, Category: Homelessness/Shelter/Housing
Safe housing and food for domestic abuse survivors

YWCA Evanston/North Shore

$25,000 (July 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Equity and Access

$25,000 (May 2020) – Program: Operating Grants, Category: Equity and Access

2020 grants not related to evanston community rapid response fund programs

Art Encounter
$3,500 – Program: Rolling,  Category: Arts and Humanities
Art Encounter will collaborate with the Center for Independent Futures to provide 36 weeks of immersive art workshops for adults with intellectual and developmental disorders. Through discussion of professional artworks, hands-on projects, and visits to artists’ studios, the program will foster independence, risk-taking, and improved confidence
Citizens Greener Evanston
$4,850 – Program: Rolling, Category: Community Development
"We are Water Evanston" is a community collaborative project to advance a water identity for Evanston. Through conversation, we invite the community to define ourselves as a water-resilient community. Our mission is to allow water, often invisible, to be the medium through which we connect and solve complex problems through joy and imagination
Evanston History Center
$2,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Arts and Humanities
EHC is respectfully requesting $2,000 from ECF for the 2-phase plan to update the Evanston Women’s History Project website evanstonwomen.org.  The website was created when the project began in 2008 and has not been updated. The database for hundreds of women and women’s organizations also needs to be updated and rehoused in a more stable format
Learning Bridge Early Childhood Education Center
$5,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Early Childhood
Technological Equity at Learning Bridge will build the strategic, data-driven systems required to positively engage and sustain relationships with constituents and measure service outcomes. As a result, low-income and working parents will have easier access to the resources that their children need to be prepared on the first day of kindergarten
McGaw YMCA
$20,000 – Program: Communityworks, Category: Youth
Y Readers Summer Program: Specialized literacy instruction from reading specialists and teachers for rising 1st to 3rd graders in a six week summer program
PEER Services, Inc.
$5,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Youth
PEER Services respectfully requests $5,000 to support a collaborative pilot program that pairs PEER with 4-5 Evanston organizations who serve youth. We will provide 5 hours of consultation to each organization and 1 staff training event for all organizations about how to address new, widespread legal access to marijuana in Illinois
Perspective Group and Gallery
$2,500 – Program: Rolling, Category Basic Human Needs
Through honest photographic portraiture and personal narratives, See My Story is a compelling call to arms to the Evanston community to understand homelessness more deeply and to reach out and help those affected.  The project acts as a catalyst to initiate a deeply layered conversation around the causes, conditions and solutions to homelessness
YWCA Evanston/North Shore
$14580 – Program: Savings for Success Grants, Category: Early Childhood
For 2020, the YWCA will take the lead on S4S design and implementation with continued advisory support from ECF. ECF will continue to provide and manage the matching and incentive contributions to 529 accounts

 

2019

Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County
$7,500 – Program: Responsive, Category: Basic Human Needs
Coordinated Entry for Homeless Services is a highly efficient regional system to improve service delivery, better target limited resources and create a streamlined, transparent process for vulnerable residents to access homeless services and housing
Art Encounter
$15,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Arts and Humanities
Art Encounter requests funding to partially support three community mural projects for our 2019 season of EMAP: 1) an exterior mural with the four youth organizations at Family Focus; 2) an exterior mural on Grove St. with middle and high schoolers across Evanston schools; and 3) an interior mural for the Gibbs Morrison Center with mixed ages
Books & Breakfast
$20,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Capacity Building
B&B seeks funding to build the capacity of our morning program in order to reach additional Evanston students in need of additional support. In the 2019-2020 school year, we will add the first dedicated development staff member to our team (a part-time development director) and expand our morning program from four to five District 65 schools
Books & Breakfast
$5,000 – Program: root2fruit Alumni, Category: Equity and Access
In order to continue expanding our program to more District 65 students and schools, B&B is exploring additional funding streams including access to federal and state-level funding. To this end, B&B seeks to upgrade our financial systems and processes to the level necessary to apply for and maintain federal and state-level grants
Center for Independent Futures
$10,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Education
ETHS Transition House & Evanston Day School students with disabilities will learn and practice community safety strategies for accessing community and interacting with first responders. ETHS special educators, safety officers & parents will receive Crisis Intervention Team training regarding disability. Online and video resources will be developed
Center for Independent Futures
$5,000 – Program: root2fruit Alumni, Category: Youth
Conducting a Capital Campaign Feasibility Study to guide fundraising efforts for the construction of an 8-story mixed-use accessible building to serve CIF's participant community
Childcare Network of Evanston
$20,000 - Program: Building the Future, Category: Early Childhood
Today at CNE, we are working towards a future where all children enter kindergarten ready to learn. This involves engaging not only children, but families and early educators in pursuit of this goal
Children's Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County
$15,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Family Support and Counseling
The Childhood Trauma Treatment Program provides highly specialized, trauma-focused therapy services in Evanston for young children, birth through age five, who have experienced abuse and/or been exposed to domestic or community violence.  The Program also provides support and intervention for the child's  parents or caregivers and siblings
Children's Home & Aid Society of Illinois
$20,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Youth
A grant of $20,000 will be used to support training in the evidence-based Collaborative Problem Solving approach, Tier 2, at the Rice Child + Family Center, which is a residential treatment center in Evanston for foster youth impacted by histories of trauma
Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI)
$20,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Equity
COFI seeks funding to continue to recruit, teach, and engage evermore low-income parents (particularly mothers of color) as change agents in Evanston.  The parent leaders, in turn, will continue their work focused on economic security for their families and on increasing equitable outcomes for low-income children and families
Connections for the Homeless
$12,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Basic Human Needs
To ensure everyone in Evanston has a safe place to sleep each night, we must develop a plan to expand our programming, especially our shelter services. As a first step, Connections will partner with a capital campaign consultant to assess our fundraising efforts and the feasibility of a campaign that can support and sustain this growth
Connections for the Homeless
$5,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Capacity Building
Connections is preparing for an agency-wide equity assessment conducted by the YWCA Evanston/North Shore. With their analysis and support, we are committed to executing strategies and actions that help build a more equitable organization
Dementia Friendly Task Force / City of Evanston
$1,010 – Program: Community Catalyst, Category: Seniors
Our "Facing Dementia " event  was a terrific event that had 100 participants attending. Dr. Shah's presentation on the how and why creating Dementia Friendly communities reduces stigma across the board and builds kinder and more responsive communities was the stand out for me
Erie Family Health Centers
$18,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Youth
In 2019, Erie Evanston/Skokie Health Center proposes to expand the Teen Hub that we created in 2018, through three activities: 1) facility and provider expansion that will increase the number of teens we serve; 2) increasing STI walk-in sessions for teens from one day per week to two days per week; and 3) increasing community outreach activities
Evanston Arts Council of the City of Evanston
$2,200 – Program: Rolling, Category: Equity
Train the EAC Equity subcommittee in racial equity concepts and how to organize for change, to bring an equity lens to everything the EAC does. This will empower them to ensure that both financial support and recognition of the arts across the whole of Evanston becomes more equitable and inclusive
Evanston Public Library
$4,000 – Program: Communityworks, Category: Education
Board books for home visitors for distribution to families; literacy programs for home visiting families
Evanston Public Library
$12,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Education
The proposed Evanston Public Library Resource Center seeks to provide residents of the Fifth Ward with direct access to Library services. In partnership with Family Focus and Evanston Community Bank & Trust, the Library will design a Resource Center that responds to community needs and will test a pilot project focused on financial literacy
Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse
$25,000 – Program: Building the Future, Category: Workforce Development
Our vision is to provide a better alternative to living in a disposable society. The long term impact we hope to realize in Evanston is a model community that lives out the value of sustainability - not only by sustaining the environment but by sustaining the people who live here to financially support themselves and their families
Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse
$20,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Workforce Development
We seek grant support to grow employment pathways for our workforce training program. We will develop a working group of employers from across the building trades that will provide mentoring, interview readiness, shadow work days, and job placements for our trainees
Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse
$5,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Capacity Building
Developing a strategic plan in order to chart a course for the Warehouse's future, including mission & vision, goals, strategies, and outcomes
Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse
$5,000 – Program: root2fruit Alumni, Category: Community Development
Developing a series of classes that provide skills on how to do basic repairs and create fun experiences that involve re-purposing materials saved from landfills
Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse
$5,000 – Program: root2fruit Alumni, Category: Environment
We seek support to build an e-commerce website that will display a highlighted inventory of reclaimed building materials, and make it easy for customers to shop online and pick up in the store. Our goal is to grow our material sales by building a stronger technology infrastructure for selling and marketing our products
Evanston Scholars
$15,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Education
To help more Evanston students succeed in college, we are seeking funding for a pilot program to implement College Success best practices within other Evanston youth organizations.  The scope includes a collaboration with the Chessman Club, working within the framework of the Club’s existing mission, scope, and resources
Evanston Symphony Orchestra Association
$8,500 – Program: Responsive, Category: Education
ESO will enhance Music In Your World for D65’s HeadStart, Pre-K and Early HeadStart to help disadvantaged children be “kindergarten ready.”  Music and singing are key to language and social/emotional development and will help eliminate the educational achievement gap between low income children of color and their economically advantaged peers
Evanston Wilmette Golf Course Association
$15,000 – Program: root2fruit, Category: Youth
Canal Shores will be a community resource for all of Evanston, with strong financial capacity, more diverse participation particularly among youth, and greater visibility and volunteer leadership
Family Promise Chicago North Shore
$10,000 – Program: Building the Future, Category: Family Support
Our vision is that families raising children are able to find a temporary home in the community while addressing some of the barriers that caused them to be homeless, supported by people to help them return to stability in a hospitable and supportive environment. We hope to interrupt the housing crisis to focus on the root causes of homelessness and help families move from focusing on the temporary crisis to active participation in developing long-term plans for stability
Farmworker & Landscaper Advocacy Project -FLAP- Ayuda para Trabajadores
$4,000 – Program: root2fruit Alumni, Category: Community Development
Purchase and conduct training on new donor management software in order to increase efficiency and flexibility to start new programs and expand current ones
Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project -FLAP- Ayuda para Trabajadores
$5,000 – Program: root2fruit, Category: Social Justice
FLAP is heavily dependent on private foundations and earned income to cover operating and program costs, leaving little income for sustainability. Starting its first individual major and planned giving program will enable FLAP to build financial capacity for today and tomorrow without undue reliance on any one type of income source
Fellowship of Afro-American Men (FAAM)
$5,000 – Program: root2fruit Alumni, Category: Youth
To better serve our constituents, we seek to update the design and structure of our website. The upgrade will also improve our data collection for tracking our programs, athletes, coaches, volunteers, donors and sponsors while allowing more efficient management of administrative functions
Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana
$7,700 – Program: Responsive, Category: Women and Girls
ALL IN: Girl Scouting for Every Evanston Girl aims to serve girls facing socio-economic barriers. Staff launch and facilitate troops, and if a volunteer is secured, they provide mentorship and added support to transition the volunteer into a role of confident leadership and the troop to volunteer-led. Some troops remain staff-led indefinitely
Housing Opportunities for Women
$13,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Basic Human Needs
With its new building in Evanston, HOW will offer 16 units of affordable housing to approximately 25 clients when they move into the community in the summer or 2019. This project would support a dedicated case manager who will assist clients in accessing the services and support they need, from the range or providers in Evanston and beyond
Institute for Therapy through the Arts
$25,000 – Program: Building the Future, Category: Mental Health
ITA envisions a world where evidence-based Creative Arts Therapy is recognized by providers, insurance companies (including Medicare and Medicaid), and the general public as the first-choice level of treatment for a variety of psychological, physical, and cognitive conditions. To bring this dream into reality, ITA is creating and ensuring best practices, setting the standard for treatment, practice, and training on a national level
Interfaith Action of Evanston
$19,200 – Program: Responsive, Category: Basic Human Needs
IAE's Emergency Overnight Shelter provides a safe, warm place for our homeless people to sleep during the winter months. IAE plans to expand operation of the EOS so that it is open every night from Dec.-Feb. with additional nights possible in late November and early March
James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy
$20,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Youth
The Moran Center proposes to partner with the Evanston Police Dept. to continue Project Bridge, which repairs and rebuilds relationships between law enforcement and youth of color; and to launch Project Bridge 2.0, which aims to build relationships between veteran and new police officers, explore fears and biases, and teach restorative practices
James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy
$5,000 – Program: root2fruit Alumni, Category: Social Justice
The Moran Center requests funding for technical assistance and training to customize our LegalServer case management system to increase efficiencies and create useful reports for program management, evaluation and fundraising purposes. Such enhancements will enable us to better communicate success metrics to funders and to the Evanston community
JusBelieve Inc
$3,400 – Program: Rolling, Category: Education
JusBelieve gives students an opportunity to gain real world media experience through exposure to--and their own creation of--cable, radio, and Internet programming. The purpose of the program is to help students develop motivation and practical knowledge plus leadership skills they may use as a vehicle to enter college and for life after college
Learning Bridge Early Childhood Education Center
$11,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Education
The Whole Child, Healthy Child program applies a multifaceted approach to integrate occupational therapy, classroom teacher training, and parent and volunteer coaching to create a scaffold of support for very young, at-risk children with social, emotional, and cognitive delays. Intervening now means more children enter kindergarten ready to learn
Literacy Works
$8,000 – Program: Communityworks, Category: Education
Learn workshops for parents of children in home visiting at District 65 and Childcare Network of Evanston
McGaw YMCA
$20,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Education
This project aims to serve 180 low-income children and youth of color with innovative STEM activities at our expanded Foster site at the Family Focus building in the 5th Ward. This grant would support the development and integration of STEM curricular programming in Head Start (preschool) through MetaMedia (middle school) at this site
Meals on Wheels / Meals at Home
$25,000 – Program: Building the Future, Category: Seniors
We are building toward a future when: we can serve every older adult in our service area who is need of meals, regardless of their ability to pay; we are hub for the community engaged in the fight against food insecurity; we are collaborating with other nonprofits in Evanston to help strength all of our missions, such as job training and nutritional education; and, as an organization we are fiscally strong and steadily building the reserves
Metropolitan Family Services
$5,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Family Support and Counseling
Parenting Fundamentals – Fathers’ Series:  Weekly 2-hour classes held for 8 weeks during which fathers will learn positive parenting skills, i.e. nurturing and connecting with their children, supporting school success, effective discipline and parent self-care. Developed in 1996, PF is listed in the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs
Mudlark Theater
$10,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Arts and Humanities
Mudlark will partner with Shorefront, Art of Evolution, and other local organizations to create and produce an original play about desegregation in Evanston schools and the closing of Foster School. Set in both the 1960s and the present, the show will use interviews and historical research to examine how these events still impact our community
PEER Services, Inc.
$10,000 – Program: Building the Future, Category: Health and Wellbeing
PEER Services is a non-profit, community substance abuse agency serving low-income residents of Evanston and the northern suburbs of Cook County. We provide substance abuse prevention education to ETHS and District 65 schools and onsite substance abuse counseling at ETHS
PTA Equity Project Fund/Evanston Skokie Council of PTAs
$5,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Equity
Evanston/Skokie Families for Equity is launching a first of its kind D65 Parent/Guardian Antiracism and Equity Orientation pilot program. At the very start of their journey with D65, parents & guardians will have the opportunity to understand the equity shortfalls & goals of the district & learn about their role in achieving a more equitable D65
Open Communities
$5,000 – Program: root2fruit Alumni, Category: Community Development
Purchase a Donor Management Software system and hire an Informational Technology Consultant to harmonize and speed up existing computer equipment and software.
Open Communities
$25,000 – Program: Nonprofit Growth & Sustainability, Category: Capacity Building
Open Communities will conduct an equity audit and strategic plan. Both are essential to ensure Open Communities is providing what is necessary and equitable for all with housing services in Evanston
Open Studio Project
$2,500 – Program: Rolling, Category: Capacity Building
OSP seeks funding for technical assistance to make major design, functionality, search engine optimization and user experience changes to its website.
Piven Theatre Workshop
$7,700 – Program: Responsive, Category: Arts and Humanities
Building on unprecedented success in our most recent season and believing that sharing the stories of those who are underrepresented can facilitate positive community healing, Piven Theatre seeks to support Evanston's efforts to become a resilient, trauma-informed city
Puerta Abierta Preschool
$10,000 – Program: root2fruit, Category: Early Childhood
Enriching children's language and experience cross-culture development through a play-based, child-centered curriculum
Reba Early Learning Center
$5,000 – Program: root2fruit Alumni, Category: Early Childhood
The impact of Reba 2.0 is to increase our capacity to serve children and families, strengthen community collaborations and increase fundraising capabilities. RELC would achieve this goal by significantly upgrading our technology
Reba Place Development Corp.
$10,000 – Program: root2fruit, Category: Housing
Enable a fundraising strategy for the years 2019-2021 as three phases of growth to expand the stock of affordable housing offered to the Evanston community
Ridgeville Park District
$12,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Youth
Ridgeville Park District and the City of Evanston are working together to provide after school opportunities to youth in South Evanston. The Kamen Park After School Program allows middle school-age students to spend their afternoons in a safe, structured and supervised environment
Sounds Good! Choir, NFP
$5,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Seniors
The Good Memories Choir is an upbeat community, led by a professional conductor, where people with early-stage memory loss and their care partners sing together in weekly rehearsals leading to a free public concert. The choir provides joy, connection, and social engagement, combating the isolation that so often follows a dementia diagnosis
The Actors Gymnasium
$10,000 – Program: root2fruit, Category: Arts and Humanities
Expanding human potential through the vital forms of circus arts through artistic and educational programs that push the limits of physical, emotional, and creative expression
The Lilac Tree
$3,200 – Program: root2fruit Alumni, Category: Women and Girls
Replacing computers and purchasing new printers in order to reduce printing costs by 70% and more effectively administer programs, promote the organization and serve clients
The Musical Offering
$250 – Program: Community Catalyst, Category: Arts and Humanities
Advancing musical composition by young women, particularly young women of color, with an opportunity to participate in a Young Women's Composition Competition. Winning submissions will be performed in concert as part of the Musical Offering's Music on Madison series in April of 2020
Trilogy, Inc.
$15,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Basic Human Needs
Trilogy seeks support to expand collaboration with Connections for the Homeless (Hilda’s Place). This will allow us to increase our intake assessments among the agency's clients and help them access our services with rental assistance, application fees, and locating specific housing supports, and provide linkages to mental and primary healthcare
Trilogy, Inc.
$5,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Youth
The Evanston School-Based Mental Health Services project aims to provide mental health assessments and therapeutic services, in the school, to students within District 65 in Evanston. These services target high-needs youth who face a lack of mental health services and are unable to obtain services in a timely manner or convenient location
Young, Black & Lit
$5,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Education
Young, Black & Lit will partner with a local Evanston school to identify and select 1 - 2 classrooms and provide each student in those classrooms 1 - 2 age and level appropriate books per month for the entire school year. Our goal is to provide a consistent touch point for students to encourage reading, learning and curiosity
Young, Black & Lit
$15,000 – Program: root2fruit, Category: Capacity Building
Young, Black, & Lit will have a strong organizational foundation that will lead to a sustainable model for growth, the ability to hire a full-time executive director to drive the work of the organization, and a strategic plan to guide growth
Y.O.U. (Youth & Opportunity United)
$20,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Youth
We seek to deliver mental health services for 200 low-income youth by expanding our trauma-informed, psychoeducational groups to ensure access and efficacy for low-income, immigrant, and refugee youth in our out-of-school time programs
Youth Job Center
$20,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Youth
This newly created partnership is collaborating to educate young adults (18-26) on wealth development. This grant will provide us with an opportunity to step back and look at each of our organizations, to consider the strengths and challenges we each bring to this collaboration, and to define strategies to maximize the impact of our efforts

 

2018

Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County
$1,000 – Program: Community Catalyst, Category: Basic Human Needs
Offsetting travel costs for Evanston-serving attendees to Rapid Result Institue's 100-Day launch session in Miami in November 2018
Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County
$10,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Housing
Improving the efficiency, speed, and quality of homeless service delivery through a coordinated entry system
Argentium Care
$5,206 – Program: Responsive, Category: Seniors
Training for home care providers to increase their understanding of and sensitivity to LBGTQ clients
Art Encounter
$5,000 – Program: Rolling Category, Arts and Humanities
Collaboration of the Girl Scouts and Art Encounter to create a community mural project celebrating the “Power of Girlhood” at Lake Street and Sherman Avenue
Books & Breakfast
$20,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Early Childhood
Expanding Books & Breakfast program to a fourth school, Lincoln Elementary School, and expanding staff capacity
Caring Outreach by Parents in Evanston (COPE)
$1,000 – Program: Community Catalyst,Category: Education
Purchasing backpacks as part of D65's School Supply Drive
Caring Outreach by Parents in Evanston (COPE)
$320 – Program: Special Project, Category: Education
Funding for backpacks as part of D65's School Supply Drive 
Center for Independent Futures
$10,175 – Program: Responsive, Category: Family Support and Counseling
Travel training for individuals with disabilities to facilitate their ability to lead independent and productive lives
Children's Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County
$7,500 – Program: Responsive, Category: Youth
Services for young children experiencing trauma, including assessment, case coordination, and trauma-focused individual and family therapy services
Children's Home & Aid Society of Illinois
$9,644 – Program: Responsive, Category: Family Support and Counseling
Training and development of train the trainer model in the evidence-based Collaborative Problem Solving approach at Rice Child + Family Center
City of Evanston - Age-Friendly Task Force/Housing Committee
$5,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Housing
Feasibility study/market assessment of senior housing in Evanston
City of Evanston - Youth & Young Adult Division
$2,400 – Program: Communityworks, Category: Youth
Junior Kingian Nonviolence conflict reconciliation project for young people engaged in summer programming
City of Evanston, Evanston Police Department
$1,900 – Program: Special Project, Category: Basic Human Needs
Reimbursement for gun buy-back program
Connections for the Homeless
$1,000 – Program: Community Catalyst, Category: Basic Human Needs
Offsetting emergency living expenses for clients in need.
Connections for the Homeless
$20,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Basic Human Needs
Building a private prevention fund to support people who are behind on rent or utilities by providing financial assistance that helps them avoid evictions
Curt's Café
$9,700 – Program: Responsive, Category: Workforce Development
Improving the database system to enhance resource development efforts that provide program support
Erie Family Health Center
$17,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Health
Creating services customized for adolescents and youth at the Erie Evanston/Skokie Health Center
Evanston Dance Ensemble
$1,500 – Program: Rolling, Category: Arts and Humanities
Conduct two diversity training sessions, one in May 2018 and the other in October 2018, with the Evanston Dance Ensemble board
Evanston In-School Music Association
$2,300 – Program: Rolling, Category: Youth
Expanding the fall and spring EISMA school performances by two free public concerts
Evanston Public Library
$4,000 – Program: Communityworks, Category: Early Childhood
Distributing 140 books and providing educational programs to Infant Welfare Society of Evanston, District 65 Family Center, and Family Focus: EPL, in order to ensure all children are supported in their early literacy development and are ready for kindertarten
Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse
$5,000 – Program: Community Catalyst, Category: Environment
Diverting construction & demolition waste diverted from landfills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions; reducing lead based paint and other harmful dust from demolition in the air; and increasing job creation and Evanston residents employed in green careers such as deconstruction.
Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse
$5,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Workforce Development
Develop new branding and redesign logo and identity system
Evanston Scholars
$15,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Education
Improving access to internships and support for Evanston Scholars enrolled in college
Evanston Symphony Orchestra Association
$7,630 – Program: Responsive, Category: Arts and Humanities
Enhancing free music programs for children enrolled in District 65 HeadStart and Early HeadStart programs
Evanston Symphony Orchestra Association
$2,250 – Program: Rolling, Category: Arts and Humanities
Make D65's orchestra program more equitable for all its students by providing necessary resources for scholarship instruments, materials, and unique, inspring performance opportunities
Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Family Center
$20,750 - Program: Communityworks, Category: Education
Developing programs to support parents in changing their mindsets in regards to their ability to thrive and succeed in this country
Farmworker & Landscaper Advocacy Project (FLAP- Ayuda para Trabajadores)
$4,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Workforce Development
Collaboration with the Mexican Consulate of Chicago to pilot the first year-long series of bi-monthly Community Education workshops in Evanston to focus exclusively on  issues of importance to low-income Latinas, including human labor trafficking, wage left, gender discrimination, spousal relations, and domestic violence
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
$15,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Education
Summer support for children in Evanston, particularly from the 5th Ward, through a research-based, multicultural curriculum
Girls Play Sports, Inc. NFP
$15,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Women and Girls
Expanding Girls Play Sports staff in order to build resource development efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of the program
Housing Opportunities for Women
$20,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Women and Girls
Outreach and collaborative efforts to support new housing for low-income women in Evanston
Impact Behavioral Health Partners
$15,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Housing
Continuing development of the Client Assistance Fund and staff training in order to enhance the care of program participants
Infant Welfare Society of Evanston
$43,900 – Program: Communityworks, Category: Early Childhood
Providing support for Home Visiting Services with the goal to decrease stress on families and identify developmental delays in young children, and make referrals to early intervention services
Interfaith Action of Evanston
$12,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Housing
Support for continuing expansion of overnight emergency shelter during the winter months
James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy
$10,345 – Program: Responsive, Community Development
Training for parents and guardians of children with special needs to help them understand educational rights and processes, and become advocates
Learning Bridge Early Childhood Education Center
$10,000 – Program: Communityworks, Category: Early Childhood
Salary for a Program Manager position in the Learning bridge Infant Toddler Program, to provide support the success of low-income families and the development of infants and toddlers
Literacy Works
$8,000 – Program: Communityworks, Category: Early Childhood
Center and home-based early childhood programming that promotes the role of parents as primary educators of their children
McGaw YMCA
$20,000 – Program: Communityworks, Category: Education
Y Readers Summer Program with specialized literacy instruction from reading specialists and teachers for rising first through third graders in a six week summer program
Next Step Planning Committee
$5,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Community Development
Providing an educational program that helps members of Evanston/Skokie School District 65 members gain a broader knowledge of the many and layered ways race shapes gaps in student opportunities to  achieve, deepen understanding of how individual actions and school policies maintain those gaps in achievement, and shift thinking toward a "common good" framework
North Shore Senior Center
$10,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Seniors
Providing assistance for older adults to identify applicable benefit programs and helping them to secure those benefits
Northlight Theater
$10,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Arts and Humanities
Support for a capital campaign consultant to help facilitate Northlight's move to Evanston
Northlight Theater
$5,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Arts and Humanities
Working with Evanston youth to develop their presentation and communications skills through the use of theater games and activities in order to better prepare them for successful job and college interviews
Open Communities
$2,500 – Program: Rolling, Category: Housing
Improving information technology infrastructure by installing a Client Management System and Donor Management System
Open Studio Project
$4,945 – Program: Rolling, Category: Arts and Humanities
Providing workshops to the caregivers of children in the SELA program that will equip them to be in a better position to help their children
PEER Services, Inc.
$11,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Health
Active outreach to persons presenting challenges with substance abuse at hospitals or with public safety personnel
PEER Services, Inc.
$5,000 – Program: Rolling, Category: Health
Modernizing IT infrastructure through an agency-wide migration of emails and calendars to a cloud-based system
Rainbows for All Children
$3,600 – Program: Rolling, Category: Youth
Training for fourteen staff members at McGaw YMCA to equip them to provide trauma-informed, peer support, so they may provide skilled support to children and adults suffering traumatic loss through the launch of peer support groups
The Harbour
$15,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Youth
Improved use of technology and expanded staff hours to ensure greater access for youth in need of shelter and support
Warren W. Cherry Preschool
$10,000 – Program: Communityworks, Category: Early Childhood
Scholarships for preschool enrollment and returning students who were graduates of home visiting programs, for a high quality early childhood program
Warren W. Cherry Preschool
$10,500 – Program: Responsive, Category: Early Childhood
Bridge funding for scholarships for new and continuing students at Cherry Preschool
Y.O.U. (Youth & Opportunity United)
$15,000 - Program: Responsive, Category: Family Support and Counseling
Integrating clinical services into out-of-school programs to destigmatize counseling and address the unmet mental health needs of youth
Youth Job Center
$25,000 – Program: Communityworks, Category: Youth
Literacy skill development for 110 rising kindergarteners utilizing teen workers, trained and supervized by teachers. Partnership with Evanston/Skokie School District 65 JEH Center, Family Focus/Fleetwod-Jourdain, Learning Bridge Early Education Center, and Reba Early Learning Center
Youth Job Center
$11,800 – Program: Responsive, Category: Education
Expanding the summer tutors program in order to allow more youth to participate
YWCA Evanston/North Shore
$15,000 – Program: Responsive, Category: Women and Girls
Development of training to support local residents in developing advocacy skills