Kids Need Kiwanis Grant

The St. Charles Kiwanis Foundation, operated by the Kiwanis Club of St. Charles, Illinois, provides annual grants to support nonprofit organizations serving children in the local community. Rooted in the club’s mission to serve the children of the world, the foundation prioritizes programs that directly benefit young residents in the St. Charles zip codes 60174 and 60175 or within School District 303. The grant initiative is fueled by funds raised through two major annual campaigns: Rose Day in April, which includes the delivery of hundreds of dozens of roses throughout the community, and Peanut Days in September, during which members collect donations across multiple locations. These community-based efforts sustain the foundation’s commitment to supporting targeted child-focused programming. Grant applications for the 2025–26 fiscal year will be available from July 2 to August 15, 2025. The foundation emphasizes that applications must focus on specific children’s programs rather than general administrative expenses. Ineligible costs include rent, staff salaries, gift cards, fundraising events, volunteer stipends, or general overhead. To be considered, applicants must clearly describe the program for which they are requesting funding and specify the number of eligible children served from St. Charles or School District 303. The foundation expresses a preference for unduplicated services—programs that provide unique or otherwise unavailable support within the local area. Only nonprofit organizations that operate without discrimination are eligible to apply. As part of the application, organizations must submit their most recent financial statements, including summaries of actual revenues and total assets from the prior fiscal year. Applicants are also asked to outline opportunities for Kiwanis volunteers to engage with the program, helping to foster deeper community involvement beyond financial contributions. Selected recipients may have their organization’s name and logo publicized by the St. Charles Kiwanis Foundation to recognize their partnership and promote awareness of funded programs. Notable past grantees include Big Hearts of Fox Valley, CASA Kane County, the Boy Scouts (Three Fires Council), Association for Individual Development, and the Changing Children’s Worlds Foundation. Applications must be submitted via the online form available through the foundation’s website during the open window. For questions, applicants may contact the foundation directly at kiwanisfoundationstc@gmail.com. All proposals should be prepared with care to demonstrate local impact, direct benefit to children, and alignment with the foundation’s mission to enhance life for youth in the St. Charles area.