Illinois Credit Union Foundation

Public charity · Grantmaker Naperville, IL EIN: 36-2994028

The Illinois Credit Union Foundation is a public charity based in Naperville, Illinois. It supports charitable and educational goals related to state- and federally chartered credit unions, including grants to help credit unions provide employee health care plans and to support professional development and financial health initiatives.

Key facts about Illinois Credit Union Foundation

In short: Illinois Credit Union Foundation gave $653K across 42 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.

EIN
36-2994028
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$652,690
Grants made (2024)
42
Average grant
$15,540
Median grant
$10,000
Total assets
$2,723,110
Primary geography
Illinois (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$2.7M

+33.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$653K

+224.6% YoY

Grant Count

42

+162.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$16K

+23.7% YoY

How Illinois Credit Union Foundation gives

  • 13% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 656% from 2021 to 2024. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The Foundation’s stated mission is to “Promote charitable and educational goals as they relate to State and Federally chartered Credit Unions.” Its filing describes grants to help establish and launch a group health care plan for credit union employees, with the aim of achieving economies of scale. It also describes grants to small credit unions for professional development and special projects promoting financial health and well-being initiatives.

The Foundation says grants are provided for educational or charitable purposes in the credit union industry and are subject to specific guidelines. Its filing identifies the Illinois Credit Union League as a supported organization.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 42 grants totaling $652,690. Grant amounts ranged from $5,073 to $107,167, with a median of $10,000. Many of the largest itemized grants supported an associated health care plan. These included $61,407 to Midwest Members CU, $47,613 to Encurage Financial Network, and $31,547 to Commonwealth CU. The largest itemized entry was $107,167 to “Various,” described as “Various grants under 5,000.”

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

All reported grant dollars in filing year 2024 went to recipients in Illinois.

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.

States

Cities

BloomingtonNapervilleBourbonnaisChicagoDanvilleDecaturMorton GroveChampaignDeKalbEdwardsvilleJolietKankakeeLoves ParkPeoriaRantoulRockfordAltonArlington HeightsAuroraBannockburn

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$200K$400K$600K$800K7 grants2020 3 grants2021 5 grants2022 16 grants2023 42 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $86K (2021) to $653K (2024). In 2024 it made 42 grants totaling $653K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Midwest Members CU: $61KMidwest Members CU$61KEncurage Financial Network: $48KEncurage Financial Network$48KCommonwealth CU: $32KCommonwealth CU$32KRedbrand CU: $31KRedbrand CU$31KThe Credit Union For All CU: $25KThe Credit Union For All CU$25KCommunity Plus FCU: $23K across 2 grantsCommunity Plus FCU$23K · 2 grantsU S Employees CU: $21KU S Employees CU$21KAccess CU: $20KAccess CU$20KUnited Equity CU: $20KUnited Equity CU$20KTee Pak CU: $19K across 2 grantsTee Pak CU$19K · 2 grants

The largest 2024 recipient was Midwest Members CU ($61K). Together the top 10 received $298K.

Grant Size Distribution

73 grants across all recorded years

67<$50K4$50–100K1$100–250K1$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 67 grants of 73 (92%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Various Naperviile, ILVarious grants under 5,000$107,167
Midwest Members CU Wood River, ILAssociated HealthCare Plan$61,407
Encurage Financial Network Chicago, ILAssociated HealthCare Plan$47,613
Commonwealth CU Bourbonnais, ILAssociated HealthCare Plan$31,547
Redbrand CU Bartonville, ILAssociated HealthCare Plan$31,295
The Credit Union For All CU Bloomington, ILAssociated HealthCare Plan$24,633
U S Employees CU Chicago, ILAssociated HealthCare Plan$21,148
Access CU Broadview, ILAssociated HealthCare Plan$19,825
United Equity CU Decatur, ILAssociated HealthCare Plan$19,613
Education Personnel CU Danville, ILAssociated HealthCare Plan$18,107

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $2,723,110 $1,352,214 $668,148 $652,690
2023 $2,039,044 $1,094,945 $251,219 $201,053
2022 $1,195,318 $361,867 $167,889 $120,357

The Foundation reported 42 grants in 2024, 16 in 2023, and 5 in 2022.

Revenue
Expenses
Net Investment Income
$0$500K$1M$1.5M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$2,723,110$2,039,044$1,195,318
Revenue$1,352,214$1,094,945$361,867
Expenses$668,148$251,219$167,889
Net Investment Income$85,457$56,423$15,272

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 2, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Michelle Balog as Chair, Kerriann Mills as Vice Chair, and Susan Toalson as Secretary. Directors listed are Lou Bicanic, Geraldine Burek, John Fiore, John Hansen, Michael Lee, Thomas Pierce, and Amber Scott.

Illinois Credit Union Foundation is led by Melanie Murphy, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 17 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Melanie Murphy

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2020

    35 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michelle Balog

    Chair

    Secretary → Vice Chair, 2022

    Vice Chair → Chair, 2024

    On filings since 2021

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • John Fiore

    Director

    Chairman → Director, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • John Hansen

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lou Bicanic

    Director

    Vice Chairman → Chairman, 2022

    Chairman → Director, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michael Lee

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Thomas Pierce

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Geraldine Burek

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sarah Vega

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Amber Scott

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jose Garcia

    Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Joseph Kregul

    Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michael Abraham

    Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Pete Fauth

    Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tom Kane

    Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kerriann Mills

    Vice Chair

    Director → Secretary, 2022

    Secretary → Vice Chair, 2024

    On filings since 2021

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Susan Toalson

    Secretary

    Director → Secretary, 2024

    On filings since 2022

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (5)
  • Former: Wendy Erhart (2021–2022) — Director
  • Former: Matt McCombs (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Ann Dubie (2020) — Director
  • Former: Thomas Lex (2020) — Director
  • Former: Thor Dolan (2020) — Secretary & Treasurer

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: 1807 W Diehl Rd, Naperville, IL 60563-1890

Frequently asked questions about Illinois Credit Union Foundation

How much does Illinois Credit Union Foundation give each year?

Illinois Credit Union Foundation gave $653K across 42 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $201K across 16 grants.

What is Illinois Credit Union Foundation's typical grant size?

Illinois Credit Union Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $15,540, across 42 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.

Where does Illinois Credit Union Foundation give grants?

Illinois Credit Union Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (4 grants), Bourbonnais, IL (3 grants), Danville, IL (3 grants) and Decatur, IL (3 grants).

Does Illinois Credit Union Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 42 grants with a stated purpose on Illinois Credit Union Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Associated HealthCare Plan" (24 grants) and "Grant" (16 grants).

Who are Illinois Credit Union Foundation's largest grantees?

Illinois Credit Union Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Midwest Members CU ($61,407), Encurage Financial Network ($47,613) and Commonwealth CU ($31,547), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Illinois Credit Union Foundation?

Illinois Credit Union Foundation reported $2.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.4M.

What does Illinois Credit Union Foundation fund?

The Foundation’s stated mission is to “Promote charitable and educational goals as they relate to State and Federally chartered Credit Unions.” Its filing describes grants to help establish and launch a group health care plan for credit union employees, with the aim of achieving economies of scale. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Illinois Credit Union Foundation?

Illinois Credit Union Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.

What is Illinois Credit Union Foundation's EIN?

Illinois Credit Union Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-2994028. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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