Illinois Prairie Community Foundation
Illinois Prairie Community Foundation is a public charity and community foundation based in Bloomington, Illinois. Founded in 1998 (formerly known as Community Foundation of McLean County Inc.), the organization serves as a grant-making institution dedicated to improving the lives of people in central Illinois. The foundation operates as a conduit for philanthropic giving, facilitating charitable contributions from individuals and businesses while managing endowment funds for organizations and serving as a fiscal agent for charitable community projects.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$27.5M
+12.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.1M
+63.9% YoY
Grant Count
66
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$32K
+63.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: Illinois Prairie Community Foundation connects people who care with causes that matter by offering philanthropic leadership, organization and grant-making for the long-term enrichment of our community.
The foundation addresses persistent funding gaps and structural instability that hinder nonprofit success in central Illinois. Many local organizations face fluctuating donations, limited capacity, and a lack of flexible resources to respond to urgent needs. IPCF works to close this gap by building permanent endowments, distributing strategic grants, and offering capacity-building support.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Education
- Health and Wellness
- Youth
- Human Services
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Arts & Culture
- Environment & Nature
- Jewish Education and Life
Grantmaking
IPCF operates multiple grant programs with competitive annual cycles:
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $5,009 to $1,500,000.
Review Cycle
, 22 local nonprofit programs received $101,830 in grants through the Women to Women Giving Circle, Youth Engaged in Philanthropy (YEP) cohort, and Environment & Nature Grants.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds in central Illinois, with particular focus on McLean County. Grant-making also extends to Kentucky and Iowa.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2025:
- Total Assets: $27,538,130
- Total Revenues: $6,102,537
- Total Expenses: $3,344,848
- Annual Revenue (alternate reporting): $4,172,083
Staffing: The foundation operates with a small team of 3-4 dedicated employees.
Rating: The organization holds a 97% Four-Star rating, reflecting strong performance in accountability and finance.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $27,538,130 | $24,520,199 | $21,069,782 |
| Revenue | $6,102,537 | $5,238,310 | $2,851,414 |
| Expenses | $3,344,848 | $2,746,297 | $3,682,458 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $2,815,754 | $1,512,376 | $773,978 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
7 open opportunities from Illinois Prairie Community Foundation
Fall Grants
ILLINOIS PRAIRIE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
General Grants ( Education, Health and Wellness, and Youth)
ILLINOIS PRAIRIE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
More than US $500
Deadline
Rolling / Open
IPCF's Mirza/Arts & Culture Grants
ILLINOIS PRAIRIE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
US $600 - US $5,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Erik Rankin – Chief Executive Officer & President
Mady Schutte – Development Director
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADRIAN BARR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BRIAN GARWOOD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOSH BARNETT | VICE PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| LAURA KOWALCZYK | PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| JEFF SECORD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GENA GLOVER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TURKESHA COLLINS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARY ANN WEBB | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JULIA DAVIS | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| DEL SAAM | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| NATHAN IHNES | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JOHN RASSI | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| PHANI AYTAM | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DAN IRVIN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RAVI SINGHAL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DEBORAH HALPERIN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARK JONTRY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SHANNON SMITH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BJ WILKEN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ERIK RANKIN | CEO | 40 | $9,435 |
| GREG MEYER | FORMER EXECUTIVE DIR | 40 | $109,770 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been actively awarding grants across multiple programs. Recent announcements include:
IPCF Awards 86 Grants to Local Nonprofits - Illinois Prairie Community FoundationAwards to 22 local nonprofit programs totaling $101,830 through Women to Women Giving Circle, Youth Engaged in Philanthropy (YEP), and Environment & Nature Grants
IPCF Awards Grants to 22 Local Nonprofit Programs - Illinois Prairie CommunityMultiple grant cycles awarding 66-86 grants annually to local nonprofits
IPCF Awards Grants to 22 Local Nonprofit Programs - Illinois Prairie CommunitySpecific Environment & Nature grants supporting projects such as trail navigation enhancements, native plant installations, and Purple Martin conservation initiatives
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Illinois Prairie Community Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities