Project First Rate
Organized trades council
Project First Rate at a glance
In short: Project First Rate gave $9K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $8,500
- -65.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- -66.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,500
- +3.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $8,500
- Total assets
- $126,201
- -6.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Project First Rate funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Growth Dimensions for Belvidere & Boone County Inc ($9K).
Grant Size Distribution
10 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 10 grants of 10 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
How Project First Rate gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+13%). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $8K (2022) to $47K (2023). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $9K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Growth Dimensions for Belvidere & Boone County Inc Belvidere, IL | General Support | $8,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $126,201 | $295,209 | $304,593 | $8,500 | 1 |
| 2024 | $135,528 | $283,255 | $305,596 | $24,740 | 3 |
| 2023 | $158,029 | $264,057 | $292,661 | $47,300 | 5 |
| 2022 | $186,327 | $238,761 | $196,912 | $7,500 | 1 |
| 2021 | $144,231 | $174,833 | $188,889 | — | — |
| 2020 | $159,589 | $188,191 | $202,898 | — | — |
| 2019 | $173,708 | $185,178 | $159,307 | — | — |
About Project First Rate
Based on IRS filings
Project First Rate is a public charity focused on Community Improvement & Capacity Building, based in Rockford, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $126K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $9K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Project First Rate is led by Paul Nolley, Executive Director on every filing since 2022; 1 of 24 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Paul Nolley
Executive Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$73K (2022) → $95K (2025)
Brad Long
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Anspaugh
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Debra Sullivan
Treasurer
Board Treasurer → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fortunato Salamone
Co-Chair
Board Co-Chairman → Co-Chair, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Cook
Board Member
Board Secretary → Board Secretary-Past & Member-New, 2020
Board Secretary-Past & Member-New → Board Member, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Travis Gorman
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Palmer
Board Member
Board Member - Past → Board Member - New, 2024
Board Member - New → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Szula
Board Member - Past
Board Member → Board Member - Past, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bill Sprague
Co-Chair
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles Barrett
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Keith Gahl
Secretary
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Linda McHugh
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Shuga
Board Member
Board Member - New → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erik Calvert
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Art Sturms
Board Member - Past
Board Member - New → Board Member - Past, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Frank Tarara
Board Member - Past
Board Member - New → Board Member - Past, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Greg Harle
Board Member - Past
Board Member - New → Board Member - Past, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Larry Rowlett
Board Member
Board Member - New → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Len Saunders
Board Member
Board Member - New → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matt Trieloff
Board Member - New
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Getzelman
Board Member - New
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ryan Marshall
Board Member - New
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Matus
Board Member - New
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (11)
- Former: Alan Golden (2019–2024) — Board Member - Past
- Former: Jamie Stanley (2019–2024) — Board Member - Past
- Former: Andy Kwiatkowski (2022–2024) — Board Member - Past
- Former: Joe Maring (2022–2024) — Board Member - Past
- Former: Tim Huff (2022–2024) — Board Member - Past
- Former: John Penney (2020–2022) — Board Member - Past
- Former: Mark Richeson (2019–2021) — Board Member - Past
- Former: Lewis Maffioli (2019–2020) — Board Co-Chairman - Past
- Former: Rick Lundvall (2019–2020) — Board Member - Past
- Former: Jack Battel (2019) — Board Member - Past
- Former: Todd Byxbe (2019) — Board Member - Past
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $95K, to Paul Nolley (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Project First Rate
How much does Project First Rate give each year?
Project First Rate gave $9K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $25K across 3 grants.
How large is Project First Rate?
Project First Rate reported $126K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $295K.
What is Project First Rate?
Project First Rate is a public charity focused on Community Improvement & Capacity Building, based in Rockford, IL. It holds $126K in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Project First Rate operate?
Project First Rate has awarded grants in Illinois.
What is Project First Rate's EIN?
Project First Rate's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 80-0906394. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-EZ for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 4, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS December 11, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Live grants for the work Project First Rate funds
Community Improvement & Capacity Building Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Project First Rate's focus areas in our free grants database
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Figures come from Project First Rate's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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