The Community Foundation of Will County
The Community Foundation of Will County is a public charity based in Frankfort, Illinois. It describes itself as Will County’s charitable endowment and works to connect donors with community needs and build partnerships. Its stated funding priorities include health, education, human services, and the arts.
Key facts about The Community Foundation of Will County
In short: The Community Foundation of Will County gave $540K across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $19K), mostly in Illinois. 44% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 76-0821144
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $539,907
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- Average grant
- $19,282
- Median grant
- $15,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (12 of 27, 2025)
- Total assets
- $11,239,760
- Primary geography
- Illinois (86% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Deadline
- The FY2026 Community Partner Grant application deadline is June 7 at 11:59 p.m.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$11.2M
+10.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$540K
+54.8% YoY
Grant Count
28
+16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$19K
+32.6% YoY
Is The Community Foundation of Will County open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 27 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $22K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $15K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to promote philanthropy, connect donors to community needs, and build partnerships to improve quality of life in its region. Its stated priority areas are health, education, human services, and the arts. Its grant-cycle materials describe annual awards for a broad array of charitable purposes, including healthcare, human services, education, and cultural arts.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate varied charitable work. Northern Illinois Food Bank describes its mission as providing meals and increasing access to nutritious food and resources. Morning Star Mission Ministries says it provides food, clothing, and shelter to people in need. Evans Scholars Foundation says it provides scholarships and educational opportunities for caddies. Blueprint Agency NFP describes providing services to low-income women who have experienced trauma. These are the grantees’ own descriptions of their missions.
Grantmaking
The Foundation’s 2025 filing reports 28 grants totaling $539,907. Grant amounts ranged from $5,099 to $131,000, with a median of $15,000. The largest reported grants included $131,000 to George Werden Buck Boys and Girls in Joliet for operating support, $46,000 to La Plata County Humane Society in Durango for its Care Cottage, and $33,100 to Beat the Streets in Chicago for operating support. Other listed grants included $22,000 to Northern Illinois Food Bank and $20,000 to Morning Star Mission Ministries.
The Foundation’s website says Community Partner Grants are awarded annually and that donor-advised funds can make grants throughout the year. For the FY2026 Community Partner Grant cycle, it encourages collaboration, projects that fill gaps or complement existing efforts, and requests for specific tangible items with long-term value. The website says these grants are not intended for operating expenses such as salaries, utilities, rent, or general overhead. Applicants are asked to detail what the grant would purchase or build and explain who will benefit, how many people will be served, and the project’s measurable impact and sustainability. The Foundation’s website also describes donor-advised grants as recommendations made by donors with funds at the Foundation.
Review Cycle
The FY2026 Community Partner Grant application deadline is June 7 at 11:59 p.m.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from The Community Foundation of Will County
2026 Grant Cycle / Community Partner Grants
The Community Foundation of Will County
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Community Partner Grants
The Community Foundation of Will County
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Donor Advised Grants
The Community Foundation of Will County
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with The Community Foundation of Will County?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation identifies Will County, Illinois, as the geographic scope of its Community Partner Grants and describes its work as focused on improving quality of life in Will County. Its 2025 grant records show that 86% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois; the remaining reported shares went to Colorado (9%), New Jersey (3%), California (1%), and Georgia (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $195K (2021) to $794K (2022). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $540K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was George Werden Buck Boys and Girls Club ($131K). Together the top 10 received $357K.
Grant Size Distribution
115 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 107 grants of 115 (93%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| George Werden Buck Boys and Girls Club Joliet, IL | Operating Support | $131,000 |
| La Plata County Humane Society Durango, CO | Care Cottage | $46,000 |
| Beat the Streets Chicago, IL | Operating Support | $33,100 |
| First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn Glen Ellyn, IL | Operating Support | $30,000 |
| Evans Scholars Foundation Glenview, IL | Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Northern Illinois Food Bank Geneva, IL | Operating Support | $22,000 |
| Morning Star Mission Ministries Joliet, IL | Operating Support | $20,000 |
| Plainfield United Methodist Church Plainfield, IL | Operating Support | $20,000 |
| 2MORROWSTARTZ2DAY Inc Plainfield, IL | Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Blueprint Agency NFP Joliet, IL | Operating Support | $15,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $11,239,760 | $1,852,863 | $1,391,064 | $539,907 |
| 2024 | $10,178,352 | $897,159 | $825,198 | No grants reported |
| 2023 | $8,533,618 | $853,001 | $758,833 | No grants reported |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,239,760 | $10,178,352 | $8,533,618 |
| Revenue | $1,852,863 | $897,159 | $853,001 |
| Expenses | $1,391,064 | $825,198 | $758,833 |
| Net Investment Income | $607,522 | $302,381 | $223,939 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 11, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 3, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Matt Schimanski as chair, Dr. Theresa Rouse as vice chair, Dr. Nadia Carpanzano as secretary, and Marc Gorsch as treasurer. Edna Brass, Dr. David Livingston, and Tyler Qualio are listed as board members.
The Community Foundation of Will County is led by Matt Schimanski, Chair since 2024 (on filings since 2019); none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Matt Schimanski
Chair
Director → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Livingston
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marc Gorsch
Treasurer
Director → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nadia Carpanzano
Secretary
Director → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Theresa R Rouse
Vice Chair
Director → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tyler Qualio
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Edna Brass
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Rodney Tonelli (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Tricia Simpson (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Peter Colarelli (2020–2024) — Vice Chair
- Former: Brian Murphy (2019–2023) — Treasurer & Board Member
- Former: Christian Spesia JD (2019–2023) — Chair
- Former: Kathy Cawley (2019–2023) — Vice Chair
- Former: Tom Lancaster (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Gloria Dollinger (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Jessica Strausbaugh (2019–2022) — Assistant Treasurer
- Former: Cyril W Habiger (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Carol Crenshaw (2019) — Former Assistant Treasurer
- Former: Frank Pascoe (2019) — Director
- Former: John Greuling (2019) — Director
- Former: Kay Bolden (2019) — Director
- Former: Michael Trench (2019) — Executive Director
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 7777 W Lincoln Hwy, Frankfort, IL 60423
Phone: (815) 201-3700
Website: https://willcountycf.org
Frequently asked questions about The Community Foundation of Will County
How much does The Community Foundation of Will County give each year?
The Community Foundation of Will County gave $540K across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $349K across 24 grants.
What is The Community Foundation of Will County's typical grant size?
The Community Foundation of Will County's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $19,282, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Community Foundation of Will County that year got $17K on average.
Where does The Community Foundation of Will County give grants?
The Community Foundation of Will County gives mostly in Illinois: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Colorado (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Joliet, IL (8 grants), Plainfield, IL (4 grants), New Lenox, IL (3 grants) and Chicago, IL (2 grants).
Does The Community Foundation of Will County give general operating support?
Yes: 82% of The Community Foundation of Will County's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (23 of 28) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are The Community Foundation of Will County's largest grantees?
The Community Foundation of Will County's largest 2025 grantees include George Werden Buck Boys and Girls Club ($131,000), La Plata County Humane Society ($46,000) and Beat the Streets ($33,100), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Community Foundation of Will County?
The Community Foundation of Will County reported $11.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.9M.
What does The Community Foundation of Will County fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to promote philanthropy, connect donors to community needs, and build partnerships to improve quality of life in its region. Its stated priority areas are health, education, human services, and the arts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Community Foundation of Will County?
The Community Foundation of Will County has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check willcountycf.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Community Foundation of Will County's EIN?
The Community Foundation of Will County's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0821144. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching The Community Foundation of Will County by hand.
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