Lake County foundation announces grants
The Lake County Community Foundation, an affiliate of The Chicago Community Trust, recently announced $213,600 in grants to local nonprofit organizations that serve the needs of the most vulnerable individuals and families in the county.
The award of $135,000 to the Leadership Task Force and its coalition of organizations will fund the next phase of work as it transforms into a viable human services council.
It was the single greatest investment by the foundation since it began making grants to Lake County nonprofits in 2004.
The Task Force, a coalition of 20 Lake County health and human services agencies, was launched by the foundation in 2010 to explore opportunities to enhance Lake County’s health and human services delivery system and increase the sector’s capacity to serve residents of the county.
Donors Forum and Executive Service Corps of Chicago will provide technical assistance and planning support during the coalition’s yearlong process.
Also, with the use of a countywide case management and client referral database — ServicePoint — the Task Force will begin to implement and sustain a unified system of human services delivery in Lake County.
“The county joined with the foundation in this public/private partnership around ServicePoint implementation in order to create a more efficient and effective system across our county,” said Aaron Lawlor, Lake County Board member from Vernon Hills and chair of the county board’s health and community services committee.
Other grant awards were to BENNU Legal Services, $9,600 to support the customization of CRM fundraising software, and Chicago Botanic Garden, $5,000 to support the North Chicago Green Youth Farm program.
The foundation’s priorities of alleviating hunger, homelessness and stemming the cycle of poverty were highlighted in the grant awards, along with workforce development and efforts to strengthen the nonprofit sector.
“The foundation’s recent initiative to convene and fund the Leadership Task Force is another example of how the foundation continues to systematically improve the safety net by funding community demographic research, fostering interagency collaboration, providing leadership training and education, and facilitating strategic planning,” said Sylvia M. Zaldivar-Sykes, executive director of The Lake County Community Foundation.
Ultimately, the coalition seeks to ensure that all Lake County human services agencies have the resources and capacities to effectively meet the needs of the county’s diverse communities.