Community Foundation awards over $535k in grants to 40 area nonprofits
The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley has awarded 40 grants totaling over $535,000 to support local nonprofit organizations doing critically important work in the Fox River Valley.
These grants, awarded through the Community Foundation’s discretionary (fall 2024 and spring 2025) and Youth Engagement in Philanthropy (YEP, spring 2025) grant programs, will help improve the quality of life for Fox River Valley residents, supporting mental health care, food pantries, senior and disability care, historical preservation and more.
All 40 grantees were recognized at a reception hosted by the Community Foundation on Thursday, July 24, at Society 57 in Aurora.
“Today’s celebration is about more than just grants; it’s about the incredible work of our nonprofit partners, and the generosity of this community. Together we are making a real and lasting impact on the lives of our neighbors. We are honored to carry out the intentions of our donors and support organizations who are committed to making a difference in the lives of others throughout the Fox River Valley,” said Julie Christman, president and CEO, Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley.
The foundation’s 2024-25 Youth Engagement in Philanthropy (YEP) cohort — 41 high school students from 12 area high schools — awarded nine grants to local agencies that specifically serve youth needs, fulfilling their “Youth Helping Youth” mission.
Over the course of the 2024-25 school year, they met for monthly meetings, volunteered on group service projects, reviewed grant applications, and agreed on how to allocate $25,000 in grants, ranging from $1,000 to $4,900, among nine agencies: Aurora Eagles Inc., CASA Kane County, Community Crisis Center, Lazarus House, Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, Rising Lights Project, Spectrios Institute for Low Vision and Suicide Prevention Services of America.
The Community Foundation also awarded capital improvement grants ranging from $2,000-$50,000 to 31 Fox River Valley nonprofits through its discretionary grant cycles. Those nonprofits include: Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry, Batavia Historical Society, Batavia RSVP, Inc., Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties, Big Rock Historical Society, Chapel on the Green, Community Health Partnership of Illinois, The Conservation Foundation, Equine Dreams, Inc., ESSE Adult Day Services, Fine Line Creative Arts Center, Food for Greater Elgin, Fox Valley Food for Health, Geneva Historical Society, GiGi’s Playhouse Fox Valley, Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois, HorsePower Therapeutic Riding, Loaves & Fishes Community Services, Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, Mercy Housing Lakefront, Naperville Heritage Society, OLI Gardens, Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley, Project Canvas, Three Fires Council, Boy Scouts of America, TriCity Health Partnership, Wayside Cross Ministries, Well Child Center, and The Wong Center for Education.
The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley is the third largest community foundation in Illinois, with nearly 700 funds and over $145 million in assets.
The Community Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt public charity that allows individuals, businesses, and other nonprofit organizations to establish permanent endowment and temporary funds within the confines of one large foundation. It serves the city of Aurora, Kane County, and Kendall County.
For more information, visit cffrv.org or follow the Foundation on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.