Connecting people who care with causes that matter — making a sustainable philanthropic impact in central Illinois by building permanent endowments, facilitating donor-directed philanthropy, awarding grants, and supporting scholarships and community initiatives.
A pair of large unrestricted grants to CFCI anchor Peoria Area Community Foundation’s recent profile: $1,304,881 in 2023 and $1,265,109 in 2024, both to the foundation’s own community infrastructure. That pattern points to a funder that works through a community foundation model, combining donor-directed philanthropy, permanent endowments, scholarships, and competitive local grants. In the latest grants list, the foundation also made sizable awards to Morton Community Foundation, Trillium Place, and Central Illinois Friends of Pwa Inc, all within central Illinois, alongside support for organizations serving arts, health, human services, education, and workforce needs. The mix of grant sizes suggests a funder that moves from major institutional support to smaller program grants. At the upper end, awards near $1 million appear, while many 2025 grants sit in the tens of thousands. The foundation’s stated purpose is to connect people who care with causes that matter and build sustainable philanthropic impact in central Illinois. Its recent grant record shows that purpose expressed through broad community support, scholarship activity, and recurring local philanthropy rather than a single program line.
Education and scholarships are a clear throughline. The CFCI Scholarship Program uses a universal scholarship application for students in central Illinois, with most scholarships opening in the first week of January and due the first Wednesday of March. Related education support also appears in grants to Peoria Public Schools Foundation, Illinois Central College Educational Foundation, and Peoria Promise Foundation. Arts funding is another visible strand. The foundation runs annual Community Arts Grants for mission-aligned arts programming, including arts education, performing arts, musical and cultural activities, sculpture and visual fine arts for display, and art therapy initiatives. Related support in the grants list includes Peoria Riverfront Museum, Artspartners of Central Illinois Inc, and Youth Music Illinois. Human services and health-oriented giving also show up in the recent grants, with awards to Neighborhood House, Center for Prevention of Abuse, Ronald Mcdonald House Charities of Central Illinois, and Hult Center for Healthy Living Inc.
$7M
$82.4M
$7.5M
$8.5M
Most grants fall between $10K and $21K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$21K
MARK ROBERTS
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Typical grant size is modest but flexible: the p25 is $9,992, the median is $15,000, and the p75 is $21,264. The recent record also includes much larger institutional awards, showing that the foundation uses both small and substantial grants. Its structure is that of a community foundation, with permanent endowments, donor-directed philanthropy, scholarships, and community initiatives all part of the model. The recent grants list shows repeat activity in 2023 through 2025, including multiple grants to the foundation itself and a broad set of local organizations, which suggests ongoing local grantmaking rather than one-off awards. The foundation also accepts unsolicited applications for several active grant programs.
Giving is heavily concentrated in Illinois, with 92% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. The strongest place-based pattern is central Illinois, especially the Peoria area and nearby communities. Peoria appears repeatedly in the recent grants list, along with Morton, East Peoria, West Peoria, Dunlap, Galesburg, and Manito. A small number of grants also reach outside Illinois, including recipients in Denver and Dallas, but the recipient base remains overwhelmingly local.
Its CFCI Scholarship Program uses a centralized Universal Scholarship Application that lets students determine eligibility and apply for multiple scholarships at once. Most scholarships open the first week of January and are due the first Wednesday of March.
The Community Arts Grants support mission-aligned arts programs, including arts education, performing arts, musical and cultural activities, sculpture and visual fine arts for display, and art therapy initiatives. The foundation also lists The Arts Mean Business Fund for arts tourism, arts businesses, and community participation in the arts.
Typical awards are in the mid-five-figure range: p25 is $9,992, median grant size is $15,000, and p75 is $21,264. The recent record also includes larger institutional grants, including awards near $1 million.
Its giving is local and overwhelmingly concentrated in Illinois. Ninety-two percent of grants go to recipients in IL, with recent recipients clustered in Peoria, Morton, West Peoria, East Peoria, Dunlap, Galesburg, and Manito.
Recent grants support education, arts, health, human services, and community improvement. Examples in the data include Peoria Public Schools Foundation, Peoria Riverfront Museum, Center for Prevention of Abuse, Ronald Mcdonald House Charities of Central Illinois, and Neighborhood House.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Peoria Area Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations in the CFCI service area facing unexpected disruptions to essential services. One request may be submitted every 12 months.
Deadline: Ongoing
Who can apply: Available to organizations in the CFCI service area facing unexpected disruptions to essential services. One request may be submitted every 12 months.
Deadline: Ongoing
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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.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOOK IT'S MY BOOK | PEORIA, IL | $1,947,808 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS | PEORIA, IL | $1,015,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| TRILLIUM PLACE | WEST PEORIA, IL | $883,952 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS | SPRINGFIELD, IL | $819,379 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| MORTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | MORTON, IL | $488,500 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREATER PEORIA INC | PEORIA, IL | $264,400 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| UNIVERSITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | PEORIA, IL | $179,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH | PEORIA, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| FORMAN VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | MANITO, IL | $91,031 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION | PEORIA, IL | $60,546 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| TRI-COUNTY URBAN LEAGUE | PEORIA, IL | $58,068 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| ARTISTS REENVISIONING TOMORROW INC (ART INC) | PEORIA, IL | $42,500 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| PEORIA RIVERFRONT MUSEUM | PEORIA, IL | $36,228 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE | PEORIA, IL | $33,258 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| BIG PICTURE INITIATIVE | PEORIA, IL | $33,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| WHEELS O' TIME MUSEUM | DUNLAP, IL | $31,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| WILDLIFE PRAIRIE PARK | HANNA CITY, IL | $29,979 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| CENTER FOR PREVENTION OF ABUSE | PEORIA, IL | $27,784 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| ROTARY CLUB OF PEORIA (DOWNTOWN) | PEORIA, IL | $26,500 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| HULT CENTER FOR HEALTHY LIVING INC | PEORIA, IL | $24,602 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| TAZEWELL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT | TREMONT, IL | $23,800 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| PEORIA FRIENDSHIP HOUSE OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE | PEORIA, IL | $23,592 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| DREAM CENTER OF PEORIA NFP | PEORIA, IL | $23,092 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| PEORIA PROMISE FOUNDATION | PEORIA, IL | $21,800 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH | PERU, IL | $21,284 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| HEART OF ILLINOIS UNITED WAY | PEORIA, IL | $20,933 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| PEORIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | PEORIA, IL | $20,887 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| WASHINGTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, IL | $20,300 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| SOULSIDE HEALING ARTS | PEORIA, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| LOVING BOTTOMS DIAPER BANK | GALESBURG, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| HEART OF IL BIG BROTHERSBIG SISTERS | PEORIA, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER ASSOCIATION | PEORIA, IL | $19,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| CAMP BIG SKY | FARMINGTON, IL | $17,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| SOUTH SIDE MISSION OF PEORIA | PEORIA, IL | $16,447 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| LIFELINE INC | PEORIA, IL | $15,525 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| FREEDOM HOUSE | PRINCETON, IL | $15,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| GRACELAND CENTER FOR PURPOSEFUL AGING | PEORIA, IL | $15,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| FOSTER VILLAGE PEORIA | PEORIA, IL | $15,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| PRAIRIE STATE LEGAL SERVICES INC | ROCKFORD, IL | $15,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| FIVE POINTS WASHINGTON | WASHINGTON, IL | $13,469 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| THE SALVATION ARMY | PEORIA, IL | $13,263 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN SCHOOL | PEKIN, IL | $13,242 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| WASHINGTON HELPS ITS PEOPLE | WASHINGTON, IL | $12,671 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | PEORIA, IL | $12,600 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| PEORIA ACADEMY | PEORIA, IL | $12,500 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| EAST BLUFF COMMUNITY CENTER | PEORIA, IL | $12,118 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| ST JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH - SAND PRAIRIE | GREEN VALLEY, IL | $12,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| PUBLIC INTEREST LAW INITIATIVE | CHICAGO, IL | $12,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| ST JUDE CATHOLIC SCHOOL | PEORIA, IL | $11,466 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
| PEORIA ART GUILD | PEORIA, IL | $10,896 | 2026 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION |
LOOK IT'S MY BOOK
$1,947,808TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS
$1,015,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
TRILLIUM PLACE
$883,952TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
UNIVERSITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
$179,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH
$100,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
FORMAN VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$91,031TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
$60,546TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
ARTISTS REENVISIONING TOMORROW INC (ART INC)
$42,500TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
PEORIA RIVERFRONT MUSEUM
$36,228TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE
$33,258TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
BIG PICTURE INITIATIVE
$33,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
WHEELS O' TIME MUSEUM
$31,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
ROTARY CLUB OF PEORIA (DOWNTOWN)
$26,500TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
HULT CENTER FOR HEALTHY LIVING INC
$24,602TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
TAZEWELL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
$23,800TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
PEORIA FRIENDSHIP HOUSE OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE
$23,592TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
PEORIA PROMISE FOUNDATION
$21,800TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH
$21,284TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
WASHINGTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$20,300TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
SOULSIDE HEALING ARTS
$20,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
LOVING BOTTOMS DIAPER BANK
$20,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
HEART OF IL BIG BROTHERSBIG SISTERS
$20,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER ASSOCIATION
$19,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
CAMP BIG SKY
$17,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
SOUTH SIDE MISSION OF PEORIA
$16,447TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
LIFELINE INC
$15,525TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
GRACELAND CENTER FOR PURPOSEFUL AGING
$15,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
FOSTER VILLAGE PEORIA
$15,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
FIVE POINTS WASHINGTON
$13,469TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
THE SALVATION ARMY
$13,263TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN SCHOOL
$13,242TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
WASHINGTON HELPS ITS PEOPLE
$12,671TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$12,600TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
PEORIA ACADEMY
$12,500TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
EAST BLUFF COMMUNITY CENTER
$12,118TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
ST JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH - SAND PRAIRIE
$12,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
ST JUDE CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$11,466TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
PEORIA ART GUILD
$10,896TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION