To be a builder of permanent charitable assets to use on behalf of the Highland area community; to act as good stewards for those funds; and to serve as a resource in meeting the changing needs of the Highland area community by taking the initiative in important charitable matters and otherwise providing philanthropic leadership for the betterment of the Highland area community.
A defining feature of Highland Area Community Foundation is its mix of large community-support grants and targeted pass-through dollars for local needs. In the recent grants list, the biggest award went to Relevant Pregnancy Options Center in Highland, Illinois, at $158,199 in 2023, followed by $114,566 to the City of Highland in 2024 for community support and various projects. That pattern shows a funder working through both public institutions and local nonprofits to address immediate needs in the Highland area. The foundation also supports education, faith-based organizations, and community service groups. Recent awards include $29,961 to St Paul Catholic School in 2024, $26,486 to American Legion Post 439 in 2023, and $15,698 to Highland Area Christian Service Min in 2023. Its stated purpose is to build permanent charitable assets for the Highland area community, act as steward of those funds, and provide philanthropic leadership for changing local needs. The grant list reflects that mandate in practice, with awards spread across schools, civic groups, health-related organizations, and community projects.
Community support is central to the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2024, it gave $114,566 to the City of Highland for community support and various projects, and in 2025 it awarded $14,858 for the same type of work. It also backed local infrastructure and public service groups, including $10,000 to Highland Pierron Fire Dept in 2024 and $7,198 to Hard Road Theatre in 2024 for community support and various projects. Education appears in several forms. The foundation gave $17,645 to Highland Cusd 5 in 2024 and $9,809 to St Paul Catholic School in 2025, both within its Highland-area grant pattern. Health and human services are also present, with $15,076 to Hshs St Josephs Hospital in 2024 and $6,000 to Caritas Family Solutions in 2024. Faith-related and civic organizations sit alongside those awards, including $15,150 to Highland Knights of Columbus in 2025.
Typical grant sizes cluster in the mid-five-figure range, with a p25 of $9,809, a median of $14,000, and a p75 of $17,645. The recent list also includes several larger awards above that band, which suggests a portfolio that mixes standard community grants with a few outsized commitments. The foundation is a community foundation with endowment-backed annual grantmaking, plus a pass-through fund and a designated endowment fund. Its annual grant programs accept unsolicited applications, while the named pass-through and designated funds do not. The recent grant list shows repeated support for the same local organizations across multiple years, pointing to ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards.
$146K
$6.4M
$702K
$835K
Most grants fall between $10K and $18K, with a median of $14K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$14K
75th Percentile
$18K
About 83% of grants go to recipients in IL.
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Grant activity is heavily concentrated in Illinois, which accounts for 83% of grants and is the top state by grant count. Most recipients are in Highland, including the City of Highland, Highland Cusd 5, Highland Knights of Columbus, and Hshs St Josephs Hospital. Other Illinois recipients appear in Edwardsville, Belleville, and Mt Zion. Outside Illinois, the recent list includes Wake Forest, North Carolina; New Braunfels, Texas; and Phoenix, Arizona, each with one grant.
The recent grants list shows support for schools, municipal and civic groups, religious organizations, health-related nonprofits, and community service providers. Examples include Highland Cusd 5, the City of Highland, Hshs St Josephs Hospital, Caritas Family Solutions, and Highland Knights of Columbus. Its stated focus areas also include health and human services, arts and culture, education, religion, civic affairs, recreation, community development, environment, conservation, and scholarships.
Yes, its annual grant programs accept unsolicited applications. The HACF Annual Grant Program and the HACF Annual Grants Program both list unsolicited applications as accepted. The named pass-through fund and designated endowment fund do not accept unsolicited requests.
Typical grants cluster around the mid-five-figure range. The provided distribution shows a p25 of $9,809, a median of $14,000, and a p75 of $17,645. Recent awards also include some substantially larger grants, such as $158,199 and $114,566.
Illinois is the main recipient state, with 83% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. The recent grants are especially concentrated in Highland, with additional Illinois awards in Edwardsville, Belleville, and Mt Zion.
The recent list shows repeated support for several organizations across multiple years, including the City of Highland, St Paul Catholic School, Highland Knights of Columbus, Cdh International, and Highland Area Christian Service Min. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships and multi-year support alongside individual project grants.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RELEVANT PREGNANCY OPTIONS | HIGHLAND, IL | $65,788 | 2025 | — |
| CDH INTERNATIONAL | WAKE FOREST, NC | $40,000 | 2025 | — |
| HIGHLAND KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS | HIGHLAND, IL | $15,150 | 2025 | — |
| CITY OF HIGHLAND | HIGHLAND, IL | $14,858 | 2025 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS |
| ST PAUL CATHOLIC SCHOOL | HIGHLAND, IL | $9,809 | 2025 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS |
| CITY OF HIGHLAND | HIGHLAND, IL | $114,566 | 2024 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS |
| CDH INTERNATIONAL | WAKE FOREST, NC | $30,000 | 2024 | — |
| ST PAUL CATHOLIC SCHOOL | HIGHLAND, IL | $29,961 | 2024 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS |
| HIGHLAND CUSD 5 | HIGHLAND, IL | $17,645 | 2024 | — |
| HSHS ST JOSEPHS HOSPITAL | HIGHLAND, IL | $15,076 | 2024 | — |
| OPERATION FINALLY HOME | NEW BRAUNFELS, TX | $14,000 | 2024 | — |
| HIGHLAND KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS | HIGHLAND, IL | $11,250 | 2024 | — |
| HIGHLAND PIERRON FIRE DEPT | HIGHLAND, IL | $10,000 | 2024 | — |
| HIGHLAND MASONIC LODGE 583 | HIGHLAND, IL | $10,000 | 2024 | — |
| TURNING POINT USA | PHOENIX, AZ | $10,000 | 2024 | — |
| STEWARDS OF HOPE INTERNATIONAL | HIGHLAND, IL | $9,000 | 2024 | — |
| HIGHLAND AREA CHRISTIAN SERVICE MIN | HIGHLAND, IL | $8,000 | 2024 | — |
| HARD ROAD THEATRE | HIGHLAND, IL | $7,198 | 2024 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS |
| CARITAS FAMILY SOLUTIONS | BELLEVILLE, IL | $6,000 | 2024 | — |
| RELEVANT PREGNANCY OPTIONS CENTER | HIGHLAND, IL | $158,199 | 2023 | — |
| AMERICAN LEGION POST 439 | HIGHLAND, IL | $26,486 | 2023 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS |
| ST PAUL CATHOLIC SCHOOL | HIGHLAND, IL | $16,325 | 2023 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS |
| CITY OF HIGHLAND | HIGHLAND, IL | $15,800 | 2023 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS |
| HIGHLAND AREA CHRISTIAN SERVICE MIN | HIGHLAND, IL | $15,698 | 2023 | — |
| CDH INTERNATIONAL | WAKE FOREST, NC | $12,000 | 2023 | — |
| SIU-EDWARDSVILLE | EDWARDSVILLE, IL | $10,000 | 2023 | — |
| BOY SCOUT TROOP 8040 | HIGHLAND, IL | $6,771 | 2023 | — |
| BOY SCOUT TROOP 43 | MT ZION, IL | $6,571 | 2023 | — |
| HIGHLAND KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS | HIGHLAND, IL | $5,500 | 2023 | — |
RELEVANT PREGNANCY OPTIONS
$65,788CDH INTERNATIONAL
$40,000HIGHLAND KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
$15,150CITY OF HIGHLAND
$14,858COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS
ST PAUL CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$9,809COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS
CITY OF HIGHLAND
$114,566COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS
CDH INTERNATIONAL
$30,000ST PAUL CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$29,961COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS
HIGHLAND CUSD 5
$17,645HSHS ST JOSEPHS HOSPITAL
$15,076OPERATION FINALLY HOME
$14,000HIGHLAND KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
$11,250HIGHLAND PIERRON FIRE DEPT
$10,000HIGHLAND MASONIC LODGE 583
$10,000TURNING POINT USA
$10,000STEWARDS OF HOPE INTERNATIONAL
$9,000HIGHLAND AREA CHRISTIAN SERVICE MIN
$8,000HARD ROAD THEATRE
$7,198COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS
CARITAS FAMILY SOLUTIONS
$6,000RELEVANT PREGNANCY OPTIONS CENTER
$158,199AMERICAN LEGION POST 439
$26,486COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS
ST PAUL CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$16,325COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS
CITY OF HIGHLAND
$15,800COMMUNITY SUPPORT - VARIOUS PROJECTS
HIGHLAND AREA CHRISTIAN SERVICE MIN
$15,698CDH INTERNATIONAL
$12,000SIU-EDWARDSVILLE
$10,000BOY SCOUT TROOP 8040
$6,771BOY SCOUT TROOP 43
$6,571HIGHLAND KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
$5,500Current and upcoming funding from Highland Area Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Grants are awarded for not-for-profit purposes to organizations or groups that provide community services within the Highland Community Unit School District, St. Jacob and Marine townships, and St. Rose Township. Specific criteria are listed on the grant application form.
Deadline: Deadline for submittal is June 30.
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