The Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley is a vehicle for charitable giving that builds over time substantial endowment funds for the community. We seek to bring together individuals and organizations to identify and understand community issues and grant making opportunities.
The Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley distributes grants through a mix of community funds, competitive cycles, and scholarship programs, with a recent record that includes repeated support for Harbor House, Riverside Healthcare Foundation, and United Way of Kankakee & Iroquois. Its giving reaches across human services, education, community development, fine arts, and local public-benefit work, while also administering named funds such as the Rosie Fund, Community Stewardship Fund, and Robert K. Dunn Perpetual Charitable Trust Fund grant cycle. The grant list shows a foundation that uses both responsive and program-specific funding to meet local needs, from emergency response and women’s basic needs to early childhood education, workforce development, and land-use protection. Scholarships are part of the portfolio as well, alongside grants to nonprofits and quasi-governmental organizations serving Kankakee and Iroquois counties. Recent awards also show support for organizations tied to health, youth services, food security, and community life, including Kankakee Area YMCA, Catholic Charities Diocese of Joli, Blessings in a Backpack, and The Currents of Kankakee. The overall pattern is place-based, with funding organized around county-level community priorities and multiple grant channels.
Early childhood education, workforce development, and land use and protection are each built into the Communityworks grants program, which supports projects improving quality of life in Kankakee and Iroquois Counties. The same program structure also appears in the foundation’s spring grant cycle for nonprofit and public-serving organizations. In human services, the Rosie Fund Grants support women throughout the greater Kankakee County area for needs not covered by standard programs, linking the foundation to basic-needs assistance. Scholarship Programs add another channel, with multiple scholarship funds administered or hosted by the foundation to help students from the region pursue college or vocational education. Fine arts is a separate giving lane, with grants for dance, music, painting, sculpture, and theatre through the Fine Arts Fund Grants. Across these areas, the foundation combines competitive grantmaking with fund-specific purposes rather than a single undifferentiated program.
$313K
$11.2M
$1.6M
$1M
Most grants fall between $7K and $10K, with a median of $9K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$9K
75th Percentile
$10K
JACOB LEE
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Typical grant size is modest and tightly clustered: the 25th percentile is $7,000, the median is $9,000, and the 75th percentile is $10,188. The recent grant list also shows several repeated recipients across years, including Harbor House, Riverside Healthcare Foundation, Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy, Child Network, and Kankakee County YMCA. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards only. The foundation operates as a community foundation, with grants flowing through named funds, annual grant cycles, and managed scholarship programs. Several programs accept unsolicited applications, including Rosie Fund Grants, Communityworks Grants, the Community Stewardship Fund, Fine Arts Fund Grants, and scholarship programs.
Grant recipients are concentrated in the foundation’s service counties rather than its headquarters city. The recent list names organizations in Kankakee County and the broader Kankakee-Iroquois area, with repeated awards to United Way of Kankakee & Iroquois, Kankakee Area YMCA, and Riverside Healthcare Foundation. Program descriptions point to Kankakee County and Iroquois County as the main service geography across multiple grant lines, including Communityworks, Rosie Fund, and the Robert K. Dunn cycle. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 46 grants in the United States.
The foundation supports early childhood education, workforce development, land use and conservation, fine arts, mental health, scholarships, and community development. Named grant programs also point to women’s basic needs, emergency response, and community stewardship as recurring areas of support.
Yes. Several programs accept unsolicited applications, including Rosie Fund Grants, Communityworks Grants, the Community Stewardship Fund, Fine Arts Fund Grants, scholarship programs, and the general spring and fall grant cycles tied to the Robert K. Dunn Perpetual Charitable Trust Fund.
The grant-size profile is centered around $9,000, with a 25th percentile of $7,000 and a 75th percentile of $10,188. Specific program ranges are narrower in some funds, such as $500–$4,000 for the Community Stewardship Fund and $650–$2,000 for the Fine Arts Fund Grants.
Most programs are aimed at Kankakee County and Iroquois County, with some funds specific to Kankakee County. Scholarship programs also extend to surrounding county high schools, and the Emergency Response Fund covers Kankakee County, Iroquois County, and Illinois community needs.
Yes. The recent grant list shows multiple recipients appearing in more than one year, including Harbor House in 2024 and 2025, Riverside Healthcare Foundation in 2023 and 2025, Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy in 2023 and 2024, and Child Network and Kankakee County YMCA in more than one year.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VARIOUS | — | $170,733 | 2025 | — |
| UNITED WAY OF KANKAKEE & IROQUOIS | — | $28,284 | 2025 | — |
| KANKAKEE AREA YMCA | — | $27,315 | 2025 | — |
| HARBOR HOUSE | — | $12,250 | 2025 | — |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE OF JOLI | — | $9,500 | 2025 | — |
| RIVERSIDE HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION | — | $9,250 | 2025 | — |
| LET'S KETCHUP | — | $8,700 | 2025 | — |
| CENTRAL CITIZENS' LIBRARY DISTRICT | — | $7,500 | 2025 | — |
| BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK | — | $7,000 | 2025 | — |
| THE SALVATION ARMY OF KANKAKEE COUN | — | $7,000 | 2025 | — |
| CHILD NETWORK | — | $7,000 | 2025 | — |
| KANKAKEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPT | — | $7,000 | 2025 | — |
| PLEDGE FOR LIFE PARTNERSHIP | — | $6,225 | 2025 | — |
| VIPERS TRACK CLUB | — | $5,500 | 2025 | — |
| VARIOUS | — | $104,050 | 2024 | — |
| UNITED WAY OF KANKAKEE & IROQUOIS | — | $25,500 | 2024 | — |
| FARMWORKER AND LANDSCAPER ADVOCACY | — | $15,000 | 2024 | — |
| HARBOR HOUSE | — | $12,250 | 2024 | — |
| KANKAKEE COUNTY YMCA | — | $11,750 | 2024 | — |
| RIVERSIDE HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION | — | $10,250 | 2024 | — |
| BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK | — | $10,000 | 2024 | — |
| THE CURRENTS OF KANKAKEE | — | $10,000 | 2024 | — |
| CHILD NETWORK | — | $9,000 | 2024 | — |
| BONFIELD EUMC | — | $8,384 | 2024 | — |
| EASTERSEALS - JOLIET REGION | — | $7,000 | 2024 | — |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE OF JOLI | — | $7,000 | 2024 | — |
| PLEDGE FOR LIFE PARTNERSHIP | — | $6,750 | 2024 | — |
| KANKAKEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPT | — | $6,000 | 2024 | — |
| AGAPE COMMUNITY OUTREACH MISSION | — | $5,800 | 2024 | — |
| TRAVIS KOLE JONES | — | $5,750 | 2024 | — |
| CAMP SHAW-WA-NAS-SEE | — | $5,500 | 2024 | — |
| EMERY KAY ROBINSON | — | $5,350 | 2024 | — |
| VARIOUS | — | $339,045 | 2023 | — |
| FARMWORKER AND LANDSCAPER ADVOCACY | — | $12,000 | 2023 | — |
| STATE'S ATTORNEY'S COMMUNITY FOUNDA | — | $10,000 | 2023 | — |
| KANKAKEE RIVERFRONT SOCIETY | — | $10,000 | 2023 | — |
| KANKAKEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPT | — | $10,000 | 2023 | — |
| HARBOR HOUSE | — | $9,914 | 2023 | — |
| SOUTH POINTE YOUTH FOR CHRIST | — | $9,328 | 2023 | — |
| RIVERSIDE HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION | — | $9,250 | 2023 | — |
| KANKAKEE JAYCEES LITTLE LEAGUE ORG | — | $9,000 | 2023 | — |
| KANKAKEE COUNTY YOUTH INTERVENTION | — | $8,715 | 2023 | — |
| CHILD NETWORK | — | $8,000 | 2023 | — |
| KANKAKEE COUNTY YMCA | — | $7,750 | 2023 | — |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE OF JOLI | — | $7,000 | 2023 | — |
| PLEDGE FOR LIFE PARTNERSHIP | — | $6,025 | 2023 | — |
VARIOUS
$170,733UNITED WAY OF KANKAKEE & IROQUOIS
$28,284KANKAKEE AREA YMCA
$27,315HARBOR HOUSE
$12,250CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE OF JOLI
$9,500RIVERSIDE HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION
$9,250LET'S KETCHUP
$8,700CENTRAL CITIZENS' LIBRARY DISTRICT
$7,500BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK
$7,000THE SALVATION ARMY OF KANKAKEE COUN
$7,000CHILD NETWORK
$7,000KANKAKEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPT
$7,000PLEDGE FOR LIFE PARTNERSHIP
$6,225VIPERS TRACK CLUB
$5,500VARIOUS
$104,050UNITED WAY OF KANKAKEE & IROQUOIS
$25,500FARMWORKER AND LANDSCAPER ADVOCACY
$15,000HARBOR HOUSE
$12,250KANKAKEE COUNTY YMCA
$11,750RIVERSIDE HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION
$10,250BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK
$10,000THE CURRENTS OF KANKAKEE
$10,000CHILD NETWORK
$9,000BONFIELD EUMC
$8,384EASTERSEALS - JOLIET REGION
$7,000CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE OF JOLI
$7,000PLEDGE FOR LIFE PARTNERSHIP
$6,750KANKAKEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPT
$6,000AGAPE COMMUNITY OUTREACH MISSION
$5,800TRAVIS KOLE JONES
$5,750CAMP SHAW-WA-NAS-SEE
$5,500EMERY KAY ROBINSON
$5,350VARIOUS
$339,045FARMWORKER AND LANDSCAPER ADVOCACY
$12,000STATE'S ATTORNEY'S COMMUNITY FOUNDA
$10,000KANKAKEE RIVERFRONT SOCIETY
$10,000KANKAKEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPT
$10,000HARBOR HOUSE
$9,914SOUTH POINTE YOUTH FOR CHRIST
$9,328RIVERSIDE HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION
$9,250KANKAKEE JAYCEES LITTLE LEAGUE ORG
$9,000KANKAKEE COUNTY YOUTH INTERVENTION
$8,715CHILD NETWORK
$8,000KANKAKEE COUNTY YMCA
$7,750CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE OF JOLI
$7,000PLEDGE FOR LIFE PARTNERSHIP
$6,025Current and upcoming funding from Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Grants are awarded to 501(c)(3) organizations and government entities serving Kankakee and Iroquois Counties, including quasi-governmental agencies such as school districts, libraries, and park districts.
Deadline: Next Fall Grant cycle begins July 31, 2026. Applications must be submitted by September 11, 2026.
Who can apply: Grants are awarded to 501(c)(3) organizations and government entities serving Kankakee and Iroquois Counties, including quasi-governmental agencies such as school districts, libraries, and park districts.
Deadline: Next Fall Grant cycle begins July 31, 2026. Applications must be submitted by September 11, 2026.
Who can apply: Grants are awarded to 501(c)(3) organizations and government entities serving Kankakee and Iroquois Counties, including quasi-governmental agencies such as school districts, libraries, and park districts.
Deadline: Next Fall Grant cycle begins July 31, 2026. Applications must be submitted by September 11, 2026.
Who can apply: Awards are made only to organizations with charitable 501(c)(3) status or to quasi-governmental agencies serving Kankakee and Iroquois Counties.
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