maximize the impact of local efforts and organizations

We make investments in organizations and projects that are poised to make a difference in the community.

In photo, a supervisor with a student, participants in the grantee organization Evanston Work Ethic (WE) Program

The Evanston Community Foundation is committed to investing in initiatives that prioritize BIPOC* voices and promote equity in the community. Through our strategic investments, we aim to create a more inclusive and vibrant Evanston that celebrates diversity.

* ECF uses the term BIPOC to highlight the unique history of oppression and continual, systemic discrimination that Black and Indigenous people experience within a U.S. context. These systems, built on white supremacy culture, impact all People of Color. As such, ECF prioritizes organizations led by and/or centered on the voices of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian community members, and those impacted by multiple intersectional systems of oppression.

I am an applicant

Match your organization's needs and opportunities with ECF's grant offerings. Access current grant applications. For help getting started with our grants system, click here for a guided tutorial.

I am a grantee

Access grantee resources for each of the Foundation's grant programs. 

we fund community groups

Does your group have a great idea but no 501c(3) status? The Foundation not only funds nonprofits but also community groups that have a fiscal sponsor. Contact us to learn more.

make grants with us!

Extending our reach, our grantmaking partners provide valuable resources, supporting many areas of interest. Read our 2022 Grant Showcase & Annual Meeting Program booklet to see how grantmaking partners extend ECF's impact.