The Heart of Illinois Community Foundation (HICF) is accepting online submissions from established nonprofit organizations and schools in its service area seeking grant awards from the CommunityWorks Endowment Fund.
Total available funding for this grant program in 2026 is $100,000, with maximum requests per organization totaling $20,000 and a minimum request of $5,000.
The overall purpose of CommunityWorks is to provide a coordinated, systems-based approach toward the achievement of community aspirations. Grants support three main areas: education, environment, and workforce development, based on the belief that by improving these areas, the program can directly impact the quality of life in the community.
Qualified organizations are able to access the HICF Grant Portal online via an established user account* at https://bit.ly/HICFGrants. All submissions related to the CommunityWorks Grant Program must be received by established deadlines via the grant portal.
For this grant program, funding is restricted to programs that prioritize one of the specified funding areas. Organizations pursuing one of these grants must submit a proposal for a new program or further development of an existing program for the chosen funding area. Included below are some sample projects and guidelines.
Education
Increase access to quality, affordable education
Expand availability of quality child care facilities and early childhood development
Strengthen educational programs and management capacities aimed at student success
Environment – land use and protection
Protection and restoration of natural lands and waterways
Development of clean renewable energy and prevention of pollution
Expansion and connection of preserved natural lands
Land use management and strategies that promote economic vitality and environmental health
Public education related to the above issues
Workforce development
Job creation or job retention and career advancement, including clear workforce pathways
Access and transportation options to jobs
Adult literacy and skill development
For questions related to the HICF CommunityWorks Grant Program and grant portal account establishment for organizations and qualified users, contact Andrea Gerhard, director of scholarships and grants, at agerhard@heartofillinois.org or 217.429.3000.
This content is sourced from
Heart of Illinois Community Foundation
. It reflects the author's views and has not been edited by our newsroom. It may have been generated using AI assistance.
