To inspire endowment and promote philanthropy for the current and future needs of the people of Northern Illinois.
Community Foundation of Northern IL channels much of its recent grantmaking through committee-based and named funds tied to local needs in Northern Illinois. A large portion of the recent record points to community grantmaking in Rockford and nearby places, alongside donor-restricted gifts that support education, health, youth, and long-term local capacity. The foundation’s portfolio includes grants to CFNIL Education - Career Pathways Focus Committee, CFNIL Youth & Families Focus Committee, and CFNIL Sustainable Communities Focus Committee, showing a structure that funds through issue-specific committees as well as individual grant agreements. Its recent activity also shows support for institutions that anchor the region’s civic and educational life. Rockford University appears more than once in the grant list, and the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford is also among the recipients. The foundation’s approach includes both flexible community distributions and more specific purpose grants, with awards written to the terms of a grant application, fund agreement, or gift instrument. Across the record, the pattern is local, program-specific, and tied to Northern Illinois communities rather than a broad national footprint.
Education appears in several forms. CFNIL Education - Career Pathways Focus Committee received $289,444 in 2025, and Rock Valley College Foundation received $161,631 in 2023, alongside a scholarship program that administers 130+ unique scholarships through a single application. Youth and family work is another clear thread. CFNIL Youth & Families Focus Committee received $258,976 in 2025, while the In Youth We Trust grants support youth-led and youth-serving projects in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties. Health and human services also show up in the recent record. CFNIL Health Focus Committee received $152,339 in 2025, and CFNIL Human Services 2 Focus Committee (Basic Needs Compassionate Support) received $106,637 in 2025. Community development and sustainability round out the mix. CFNIL Sustainable Communities Focus Committee received $182,807 in 2025, and The MILL Foundation received $325,132 in 2025.
Typical grants cluster in the middle five figures, with a p25 of $11,279, a median of $20,238, and a p75 of $36,933. The recent record also includes larger committee and pass-through awards, which helps explain the gap between the median and the largest grants. This is a community foundation, and the data show both donor-directed and restricted grants, with terms set by application, fund agreement, or gift instrument. Recipients appear across multiple years: Rockford University and Illinois Growth Enterprises each received grants in more than one year, suggesting ongoing relationships rather than one-off support. The foundation accepts unsolicited applications in several active programs.
$8.6M
$156.3M
$14.8M
$5.5M
Most grants fall between $11K and $37K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$37K
DAN ROSS
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Grantmaking is overwhelmingly local: 97% of grants go to recipients in Illinois, and the recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based. Rockford is the main city in the recent grants list, with additional awards to Loves Park, Galesburg, Franklin Grove, and DeKalb. The program geography also extends to Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties, with several initiatives focused on the Rockford area and nearby Northern Illinois communities.
The foundation supports arts and humanities, education, health, human services, sustainable communities, youth and families, and scholarships. Recent grants also show committee-based funding for career pathways, youth and families, sustainable communities, health, and human services.
It uses a mix of donor-directed and grant-specific gifts, with terms restricted to the application, fund agreement, or gift instrument. The foundation also operates named programs and focus committees, including community grants, scholarship streams, and issue-based grantmaking.
Yes. Several active programs are marked as accepting unsolicited applications, including the Community Opportunities fund, the CFNIL Scholarship Program, In Youth We Trust grants, and the Carroll H. Starr Endowment Challenge.
The grant-size distribution is centered in the lower five figures: p25 is $11,279, median is $20,238, and p75 is $36,933. Recent awards also include larger committee and pass-through grants, but the middle of the distribution stays in that range.
Yes. The scope of giving is local, 97% of grants go to recipients in Illinois, and the recipient-country distribution is 100% U.S. In the recent grant list, Rockford appears most often, with additional grants in nearby Northern Illinois cities and counties.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Community Foundation of Northern Il that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: 501(c)(3) nonprofits located in and/or serving Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago Counties.
Deadline: Rolling application cycle.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Grants Annual Grant Pass-Thru | Rockford, IL | $998,872 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Ronald F Peterson Area Economic Development | Rockford, IL | $411,485 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| The MILL Foundation | Loves Park, IL | $325,132 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| CFNIL Education - Career Pathways Focus Committee | Rockford, IL | $289,444 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Robert A Schlichting Family | Rockford, IL | $262,717 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| CFNIL Youth & Families Focus Committee | Rockford, IL | $258,976 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Ronald F Peterson Area Economic Development | Rockford, IL | $205,743 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Illinois Growth Enterprises | Loves Park, IL | $195,887 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Community Grants Annual Grant Pass-Thru | Rockford, IL | $191,974 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| CFNIL Sustainable Communities Focus Committee | Rockford, IL | $182,807 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| CFNIL Health Focus Committee | Rockford, IL | $152,339 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| CFNIL Arts & Humanities Focus Committee | Rockford, IL | $137,105 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| The Kjellstrom Family Foundation | Rockford, IL | $132,205 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| CFNIL Human Services 2 Focus Committee (Basic Needs Compassionate Support) | Rockford, IL | $106,637 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| William and Catherine McCoy Scholarship | Rockford, IL | $105,461 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Walter D Williams Operating | Rockford, IL | $105,155 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Stateline Down Syndrome Foundation Director Designated | Rockford, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Carroll H Starr Endowment Challenge | Rockford, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Friends of Nachusa Grasslands | Franklin Grove, IL | $99,667 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Jeremiah Development Endowment | Rockford, IL | $89,195 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Ernest A Schlichting Scholarship | Rockford, IL | $87,572 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Boylan Catholic High School | Rockford, IL | $80,176 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Rockford University | Rockford, IL | $77,967 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| United Way of Rock River Valley | Rockford, IL | $77,920 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Rockford University | Rockford, IL | $76,341 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Brightpoint | Chicago, IL | $75,000 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Rock Valley College Foundation | Rockford, IL | $71,450 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Rock Valley College Foundation | Rockford, IL | $70,986 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Rochelle Area Community Foundation | Rochelle, IL | $57,780 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| KFACT | Rockford, IL | $57,500 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Community Life Center of Rockford | Rockford, IL | $57,204 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Carpenter's Place | Rockford, IL | $50,973 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Community Grants Annual Grant Pass-Thru | Rockford, IL | $50,089 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| The Arc of Winnebago Boone and Ogle Counties Endowment | Rockford, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Friends Endowment for Nachusa Grasslands | Rockford, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Rockford Public Schools #205 | Rockford, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Rockford University | Rockford, IL | $47,415 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Oregon CUSD 220 | Oregon, IL | $46,000 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Community Grants Annual Grant Pass-Thru | Rockford, IL | $42,085 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity Inc | Loves Park, IL | $40,154 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Habitat for Humanity of Boone County | Belvidere, IL | $40,000 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Alignment Rockford | Rockford, IL | $40,000 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Comprehensive Community Solutions Inc | Rockford, IL | $40,000 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| The Liam Foundation | Rockford, IL | $39,000 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Community Grants Annual Grant Pass-Thru | Rockford, IL | $38,239 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Diocese of Rockford | Rockford, IL | $37,134 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| The Sandquist Family | Rockford, IL | $36,725 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| CFNIL Education - Complementary Education Focus Committee | Rockford, IL | $35,222 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Burpee Museum of Natural History | Rockford, IL | $34,939 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
| Youth Services Network | Rockford, IL | $34,500 | 2025 | For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument. |
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
The MILL Foundation
$325,132For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Illinois Growth Enterprises
$195,887For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
The Kjellstrom Family Foundation
$132,205For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Friends of Nachusa Grasslands
$99,667For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Boylan Catholic High School
$80,176For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Rockford University
$77,967For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Rockford University
$76,341For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Rochelle Area Community Foundation
$57,780For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
KFACT
$57,500For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Community Life Center of Rockford
$57,204For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Rockford Public Schools #205
$50,000For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Rockford University
$47,415For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Oregon CUSD 220
$46,000For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity Inc
$40,154For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Habitat for Humanity of Boone County
$40,000For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Alignment Rockford
$40,000For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Comprehensive Community Solutions Inc
$40,000For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
The Liam Foundation
$39,000For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Diocese of Rockford
$37,134For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Burpee Museum of Natural History
$34,939For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
Youth Services Network
$34,500For purposes as specified in a grant application, fund agreement or gift instrument.
