Unite community members to mobilize resources to advance a racially just society and equitable outcomes for residents of Oak Park, River Forest and surrounding communities.
Oak Park-river Forest Community Foundation has built a local grantmaking pattern that reaches from youth mental health to arts, education, and community safety in Oak Park, River Forest, and nearby West Cook County. Among the foundation’s recent commitments, recurring support for Heph Foundation stands out: it received $500,000 in 2023, $402,500 in 2024, and $400,000 in 2025. That scale sits alongside a broader portfolio of community grants that includes support for organizations such as Animal Care League, Thrive Counseling Center, and Seven Generations Ahead. The foundation’s work is organized around racial equity and justice, youth mental and behavioral health, education and scholarships, community safety and belonging, arts and cultural programming, and environmental sustainability. It also operates as a mixed community foundation, which aligns with a grantmaking model that combines broad community support with named program funds. Recent grants show both general operating support and project-specific charitable purposes, suggesting a flexible approach that can sustain established local nonprofits while also backing targeted initiatives. The recipient base is overwhelmingly Illinois-centered, reflecting a strong emphasis on the Oak Park-River Forest area and surrounding communities.
Youth-focused giving appears in several parts of the foundation’s portfolio. The Future Philanthropists Fund is a youth-led collective giving model for programs that explicitly involve or benefit youth and young adults in Oak Park, River Forest, and West Cook County. The Fund Futures program also invests in youth and future leaders through grants or funded initiatives for young people in the OPRF community. Arts and enrichment show up through the Laura Southwick Award, which provides $500–$1,000 to encourage work in the fine and applied arts, and the Tom Neumann Summer Learning Fund, which supports academic, cultural, or travel enrichment between junior and senior year of high school. Community well-being is another clear theme. The Community Grants Cohort has prioritized mental and behavioral health for youth and young adults, including workforce pipeline development and access to services, while the Emerging Needs Fund supports new projects and emerging needs serving neighbors in the greater West Side.
$7.3M
$55.6M
$6.1M
$4.6M
Most grants fall between $9K and $25K, with a median of $12K.
25th Percentile
$9K
Median
$12K
75th Percentile
$25K
About 92% of grants go to recipients in IL.
ANTONIO MARTINEZ JR
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Typical awards are modest: the grant-size distribution is $9,188 at the 25th percentile, $12,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile. That sits below several large recent awards, which suggests a mix of routine community grants and occasional larger commitments. The foundation shows continuity across years rather than one-off giving. Several recipients appear in multiple recent cycles, including Heph Foundation, University of Notre Dame, Animal Care League, Thrive Counseling Center, and Seven Generations Ahead. As a mixed community foundation, it also uses named funds and collective giving programs alongside general grantmaking. Unsolicited applications are accepted for some programs, including the Laura Southwick Award, Russell & Josephine Kott Memorial Charitable Trust grant, Dring Language Fellowship, and Tom Neumann Summer Learning Fund.
Giving is highly concentrated in Illinois: 92% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s home state, and the top giving state by count is IL. Recent grants land most often in Oak Park and Chicago, with additional awards in River Forest, Maywood, and Downers Grove. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 212 grants in the United States. Program geography is local, centered on Oak Park, River Forest, West Cook County, and the greater West Side.
The foundation supports racial equity and justice, youth mental and behavioral health, education and scholarships, community safety and belonging, arts and cultural programming, and environmental sustainability. Its named programs also point to youth leadership, mental health access, enrichment scholarships, and emerging community needs.
Typical grant size is $9,188 at the 25th percentile, $12,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile. Some programs are smaller, such as awards of $500–$1,000 for the Laura Southwick Award, while others can reach $15,000–$20,000 through Women Leaders in Philanthropy grants.
Its geographic scope is local, with most grants going to Illinois recipients. The foundation’s work centers on Oak Park, River Forest, West Cook County, and nearby communities, and 92% of grants go to recipients in Illinois.
Yes. The Laura Southwick Award, Russell & Josephine Kott Memorial Charitable Trust grant, Dring Language Fellowship, and Tom Neumann Summer Learning Fund all accept unsolicited applications. Other programs listed, including Fund Futures and General Grants, do not accept unsolicited applications.
Yes. Several grantees appear in multiple recent years, including Heph Foundation, University of Notre Dame, Animal Care League, Thrive Counseling Center, and Seven Generations Ahead. That pattern suggests ongoing support rather than strictly one-time awards.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HEPH FOUNDATION | OAK PARK, IL | $400,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME | NOTRE DAME, IN | $222,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| ANIMAL CARE LEAGUE | OAK PARK, IL | $142,001 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CHICAGO PUBLIC MEDIA INC | CHICAGO, IL | $125,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| LAWRENCE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $100,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| THRIVE COUNSELING CENTER | OAK PARK, IL | $81,837 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| SEVEN GENERATIONS AHEAD | OAK PARK, IL | $81,036 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT TRUST | CHICAGO, IL | $57,619 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS FUND | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $30,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CHICAGO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS | CHICAGO, IL | $30,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| OAK PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY | OAK PARK, IL | $26,123 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| TED FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| COLLABORATION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION | OAK PARK, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| BEYOND HUNGER | OAK PARK, IL | $24,500 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| NINETEENTH CENTURY CHARITABLE ASSOCIATION | OAK PARK, IL | $23,579 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL | RIVER FOREST, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| FIRST UNITED CHURCH OF OAK PARK | OAK PARK, IL | $19,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL | RIVER FOREST, IL | $18,450 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| COMMUNITY OF CONGREGATIONS | OAK PARK, IL | $18,203 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| PROVIDING INSTRUMENTS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION | OAK PARK, IL | $17,782 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA NFP | OAK PARK, IL | $16,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| OAK PARK AND RIVER FOREST INFANT WELFARE SOCIETY | OAK PARK, IL | $15,250 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| THE CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD INC | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $14,876 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| HOUSING FORWARD | MAYWOOD, IL | $14,703 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $13,809 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| SPECULATIVE LITERATURE FOUNDATION | OAK PARK, IL | $12,753 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| OAK PARK TEMPLE B'NAI ABRAHAM ZION | OAK PARK, IL | $11,800 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| NEW MOMS INC | CHICAGO, IL | $11,514 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| FRIENDS OF THE OAK PARK CONSERVATORY | OAK PARK, IL | $11,455 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| PARK DISTRICT OF OAK PARK | OAK PARK, IL | $11,212 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| FAMILY SERVICE AND MENTAL HEALTH CENTER | CICERO, IL | $11,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| REAL FOODS COLLECTIVE | MAYWOOD, IL | $11,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| SISTERHOUSE | OAK PARK, IL | $11,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CORNERSTONE ACADEMY | OAK PARK, IL | $11,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| ST GILES CHURCH | OAK PARK, IL | $10,700 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| WEST SUBURBAN SPECIAL RECREATION ASSOCIATION | FRANKLIN PARK, IL | $10,626 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN - CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $10,550 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| THE NEHEMIAH COMMUNITY PROJECT | MAYWOOD, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| INSTITUTE FOR NONVIOLENCE CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| PARKS FOUNDATION OF OAK PARK | OAK PARK, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| UNITED WAY OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $10,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CHILDREN'S RESEARCH TRIANGLE | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT | EVANSTON, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| DEFY VENTURES INC | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| QUINN CENTER OF SAINT EULALIA | MAYWOOD, IL | $9,200 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CHICAGO WEST COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $9,150 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
| SUBURBAN UNITY ALLIANCE | OAK PARK, IL | $8,500 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES |
HEPH FOUNDATION
$400,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
$222,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
ANIMAL CARE LEAGUE
$142,001TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
CHICAGO PUBLIC MEDIA INC
$125,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
LAWRENCE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
$100,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
THRIVE COUNSELING CENTER
$81,837TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
SEVEN GENERATIONS AHEAD
$81,036TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT TRUST
$57,619TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS FUND
$50,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP OF CHICAGO
$30,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
CHICAGO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS
$30,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
OAK PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY
$26,123TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY
$25,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
TED FOUNDATION INC
$25,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
COLLABORATION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION
$25,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
BEYOND HUNGER
$24,500TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
NINETEENTH CENTURY CHARITABLE ASSOCIATION
$23,579TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL
$20,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
FIRST UNITED CHURCH OF OAK PARK
$19,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL
$18,450TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
COMMUNITY OF CONGREGATIONS
$18,203TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
PROVIDING INSTRUMENTS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
$17,782TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA NFP
$16,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
OAK PARK AND RIVER FOREST INFANT WELFARE SOCIETY
$15,250TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
THE CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD INC
$14,876TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
HOUSING FORWARD
$14,703TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
$13,809TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
SPECULATIVE LITERATURE FOUNDATION
$12,753TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
OAK PARK TEMPLE B'NAI ABRAHAM ZION
$11,800TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
NEW MOMS INC
$11,514TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
FRIENDS OF THE OAK PARK CONSERVATORY
$11,455TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
PARK DISTRICT OF OAK PARK
$11,212TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
FAMILY SERVICE AND MENTAL HEALTH CENTER
$11,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
REAL FOODS COLLECTIVE
$11,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
SISTERHOUSE
$11,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
CORNERSTONE ACADEMY
$11,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
ST GILES CHURCH
$10,700TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
WEST SUBURBAN SPECIAL RECREATION ASSOCIATION
$10,626TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN - CHICAGO
$10,550TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
THE NEHEMIAH COMMUNITY PROJECT
$10,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
INSTITUTE FOR NONVIOLENCE CHICAGO
$10,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
PARKS FOUNDATION OF OAK PARK
$10,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
UNITED WAY OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO
$10,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION
$10,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
CHILDREN'S RESEARCH TRIANGLE
$10,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
$10,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
DEFY VENTURES INC
$10,000TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
QUINN CENTER OF SAINT EULALIA
$9,200TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
CHICAGO WEST COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER
$9,150TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
SUBURBAN UNITY ALLIANCE
$8,500TO SUPPORT GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES
Current and upcoming funding from Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations and programs that explicitly involve or benefit youth and young adults. Grant priorities are determined by student cohorts.
Deadline: 2026 grant application period closed (no specific public deadline listed).
Track these deadlines, get reminders, and see how well your nonprofit fits — free with a Kindora account.
Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.