Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation Seeking Applications for Community Grants
Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation is accepting applications for its annual Community Grants Program that has awarded about $1.2 million over the past seven years to Illinois organizations dedicated to improving children's oral health.
Applications for the 2020 Community Grants Program will be accepted from June 1 until 5 p.m. Aug. 3. The Foundation has doubled the maximum amount of the grants this year. One-year grants range from $1,000 to $20,000.
Eligible organizations focusing on children and aiming to improve oral health awareness and access to care are encouraged to apply. Organizations can learn more and apply online on Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation's website at deltadentalil.com/community-grants.
"Inadequate oral health care remains an issue for many children across Illinois, especially those in impoverished or rural areas," said Lora Vitek, executive director of the Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation. "The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the issue. We are committed to working with community organizations to ensure children in Illinois get access to the oral health education and care they need."
Applicants must have a physical presence in the state of Illinois and must do work benefiting Illinois children. They can be a public or governmental entity such as a public school or health department or a public charity exempt from federal income taxes.
The grants requested must be used for program and project costs which can include equipment, supplies and salaries. Preference will be given to those who help underserved segments of the population, fulfill a unique need, have a plan and process in place to measure and report outcomes, or have a new and innovative model that can be replicated throughout the state.
The 2020 Community Grants will be awarded this September following a review process in August.
Last year, 23 nonprofit and community organizations received grants totaling more than $200,000. The 2019 grants helped provide dental care to foster children and those with developmental disabilities, purchase a mobile dental unit to deliver oral health care to underserved children, and upgrade technology to allow telehealth referrals where access to dental specialists is limited.
Learn more about Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation and its Community Grants Program at deltadentalil.com/ddilfoundation.
About Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation
The Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation was formed in March 2008 by Delta Dental of Illinois, a not-for-profit dental service corporation with a mission to improve overall health and well-being. Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation is the 501(c)(3) charitable arm of Delta Dental of Illinois. In the past decade, combined efforts of Delta Dental of Illinois and Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation have provided more than $8 million to programs and organizations in Illinois that improve the oral health of the state's residents. For additional information about Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation, please see www.deltadentalil.com.