Illinois Capacity Building Grants

The FY 2025 Early Childhood Block Grant (ECBG) RFP, managed by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), targets new and current grantees looking to increase service capacity. The grant focuses on preschool education and prevention initiatives, supporting entities outside of Chicago in providing educational, health, social, and child development services to young children and their families. Applications must meet GATA prequalification requirements and are due by 4:00 p.m. on May 16, 2024. Grant renewed every year.

The Envisioning Justice Grants program, supported by Illinois Humanities, focuses on leveraging the arts and humanities to foster a truly just society. This initiative aligns with the foundation's broader mission to create understanding about mass incarceration and its profound impact on communities throughout Illinois. By funding impactful initiatives that use creative and intellectual approaches, Illinois Humanities seeks to build more affirming, engaged, and empowered communities, ultimately contributing to a more equitable and just society. The program targets a diverse range of beneficiaries, specifically prioritizing currently or formerly incarcerated individuals, people serving long-term sentences, justice-involved young people, women (particularly women of color and/or those impacted by gendered violence), the LGBTQAI+ community, migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, immigrants, elderly populations, people with disabilities, and Indigenous populations. Furthermore, the grants prioritize projects that focus on communities that are sites of prisons or jails, experiencing significant incarceration, and/or undergoing significant demographic change due to the criminal legal system. The overarching impact goal is to facilitate understanding of mass incarceration and support those working to mitigate its effects. Envisioning Justice Grants prioritize projects that are regional or statewide in scope and partnership-oriented, emphasizing collaborative efforts to address complex issues. The funded initiatives include prison education programs, independent media, community dialogues, and conferences. These efforts are designed to create spaces for critical reflection, artistic expression, and humanistic inquiry, which are central to the foundation's strategic priorities. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed beyond "create understanding" and "build more affirming, engaged, and empowered communities," the program implicitly aims for increased community engagement, enhanced public discourse on carceral issues, and improved conditions for affected populations. Organizations can apply for grants of up to $10,000, with no matching funds required, making the program accessible to a wide range of groups. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations or those with a fiscal sponsor, based anywhere in Illinois. While all Illinois applicants are eligible, individuals from East St. Louis, Decatur, Carbondale, Galesburg, Urbana-Champaign, and the Bloomington-Normal Metro Area are particularly encouraged to apply. This geographic focus, coupled with the thematic priorities, underscores Illinois Humanities' theory of change: that by supporting arts and humanities initiatives, particularly in highly impacted areas and among vulnerable populations, they can drive meaningful social change and foster a more just and informed citizenry.

This grant provides funding to organizations working on sustainable development initiatives that alleviate poverty in specific areas, including international locations, the Greater Metropolitan St. Louis region, and West Central Illinois.

This funding opportunity provides unrestricted financial support to nonprofit organizations in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois that focus on grassroots advocacy, community organizing, and policy initiatives aimed at achieving racial equity and community well-being.

This funding initiative supports community organizations in Chicago that promote equitable access to health resources, focusing on projects that enhance physical activity, healthy eating, and mental wellness, particularly for historically marginalized communities.

This funding program provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that deliver essential social services to residents of Naperville, Illinois, with a focus on areas such as emergency assistance, mental health, and support for seniors, youth, and individuals with disabilities.

The Consolidated Communications Fund for Economic Development and Community Leadership Grants, provided by the Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation, offers financial support to nonprofit organizations in Coles County, Illinois, that aim to enhance workforce skills, entrepreneurship, and business development environment, with a focus on projects that build organizational strength and leadership capacity in areas like fundraising, governance, finance, marketing, and technology.

This program provides funding to emerging nonprofit theater organizations in Chicago to help them strengthen their operations and ensure long-term sustainability through capacity building and strategic development.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and government entities in Illinois to strengthen community networks that improve access to mental and behavioral health services for families and children.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to local health departments and eligible organizations for developing partnerships and implementing public health initiatives that address health disparities in communities outside of Cook County and Chicago.

This funding initiative provides support to experienced organizations in Illinois to enhance the capacity and sustainability of local communities and land banks, focusing on revitalizing vacant properties and improving housing quality.

This program provides tailored consulting services to nonprofit organizations in Iowa and select counties in Illinois and Wisconsin, helping them improve operational efficiency and community impact without offering direct financial support.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that improve transportation options for seniors and individuals with disabilities in the St. Louis region.

This grant provides flexible funding to nonprofit organizations in Scott County, Iowa, and Rock Island County, Illinois, to support their operations or specific programs that address community needs and promote equity.

This program provides financial incentives to Illinois farmers for adopting sustainable no-till and strip-till agricultural practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This funding opportunity provides financial assistance to conservation land trusts in Illinois for stewardship and restoration activities on protected natural lands, focusing on urgent ecological needs and enhancing conservation efforts.

This program provides funding to local nonprofit organizations and public entities in DeKalb County, Illinois, to support the construction and expansion of facilities that address community needs.

This grant provides $100,000 to Chicago-based nonprofit organizations for impactful projects that address critical social issues, including culture, education, family support, health, and sustainability.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit reproductive health care organizations in Illinois facing security risks related to abortion and reproductive health services, enabling them to enhance their safety measures and operational security.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to various organizations to create after-school programs that enhance academic achievement and offer enrichment activities for children in low-income and underperforming schools.