The Lake County Community Foundation
The Lake County Community Foundation is a public charity based in Grayslake, Illinois, that pools charitable resources and makes grants to benefit Lake County. It describes its role as bringing together donors, dollars, and ideas to build permanent funds and improve quality of life for county residents.
The Lake County Community Foundation at a glance
In short: The Lake County Community Foundation gave $1.5M across 44 grants in 2025 (avg $34K), mostly in Illinois. 26% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,517,124
- +10.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 44
- -8.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $34,480
- +20.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,500
- Total assets
- $26,906,757
- +6.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (11 of 43, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Lake County Community Foundation
- How to Apply
-
For the Growing Communities priority area, organizations register or sign in to the Foundation’s online application system and submit a letter of inquiry. Staff and the Grants and Community Outreach Committee review the letters for alignment with the Foundation’s goals and priorities and select organizations for due diligence. The Foundation states that applicants must have tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) and not be classified as private foundations; it also accepts applications from agencies operating under an eligible nonprofit fiscal sponsor. Applicants must adopt the Foundation’s Diversity Statement or have a similar board-approved policy, and are asked to provide demographic data on their board, staff, and clients or beneficiaries.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 Growing Communities letter of inquiry was due January 30, 2026, at 5 p.m.
- Deadline
- The 2026 Growing Communities letter of inquiry was due January 30, 2026, at 5 p.m.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1200 University Center Dr 333, Grayslake, IL 60030-2614
Phone: (847) 377-0520
Website: https://lakecountycf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from The Lake County Community Foundation
Lake County Community Foundation Grant Program - Early Childhood Education Priority Area Grants
The Lake County Community Foundation
Amount
US $5,000 - US $10,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Lake County Community Foundation Grant Program - Growing Communities Priority Area
The Lake County Community Foundation
Amount
US $5,000 - US $30,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Lake County Community Foundation Grant Program - Nonprofit Capacity Building Priority Area Grants
The Lake County Community Foundation
Amount
US $1,000 - US $5,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Lake County Community Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Sedgebrook Opco (SL-VII) LLC ($231K). Together the top 10 received $856K.
Grant Size Distribution
261 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 216 grants of 261 (83%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s stated work and mission focus on Lake County, Illinois. Its 2025 filing data shows that 97% of grant dollars went to Illinois recipients; the remaining reported shares were Florida, Wyoming, and New York at 1% each, and Connecticut at 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 44 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Lake County Community Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 43 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $34K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $30K 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $501K (2019) to $2.9M (2022). In 2025 it made 44 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sedgebrook Opco (SL-VII) LLC Lincolnshire, IL | Scholarship Program | $230,829 |
| Ravinia Festival Association Highland Park, IL | Capital Campaign | $140,000 |
| Pads Lake County Waukegan, IL | Operating Support | $80,000 |
| Lake-McHenry Habitat for Humanity Gurnee, IL | Program Support | $75,000 |
| First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest Lake Forest, IL | Operating Support | $60,500 |
| Lake County Crisis Center for the Prevtn & TRMT of Dom Violence Inc Zion, IL | Operating Support | $60,000 |
| Reading Power Inc Lake Bluff, IL | Operating Support | $60,000 |
| Ann & Robert H Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago Foundation Chicago, IL | Operating Support | $50,000 |
| Josselyn Northbrook, IL | Operating Support | $50,000 |
| Mano a Mano Family Resource Center Round Lake Park, IL | Operating Support | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Lake County Community Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $26,906,757 | $2,194,383 | $3,152,056 | $1,517,124 | 44 | $-552,723 |
| 2024 | $25,353,374 | $3,770,565 | $2,823,875 | $1,369,308 | 48 | $264,394 |
| 2023 | $20,485,729 | $4,808,735 | $2,621,096 | $1,380,771 | 57 | $442,046 |
| 2022 | $17,830,952 | $7,776,857 | $4,025,060 | $2,889,531 | 55 | $1,506,588 |
| 2021 | $19,682,346 | $7,569,623 | $2,457,567 | $1,641,539 | 57 | $5,353,470 |
| 2020 | $15,432,645 | $2,218,491 | $1,880,068 | $1,315,773 | 38 | $601,922 |
| 2019 | $13,513,730 | $1,890,327 | $1,035,478 | $501,195 | 24 | $758,339 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life of Lake County’s most vulnerable residents through civic leadership, collective philanthropy, and partnerships with grant recipients. Its stated basic-needs areas include affordable, nutritious food; health care; safe and affordable housing; transportation; education and workforce opportunities; and immigration and legal support services. It also identifies access to affordable, nutritious food as a proactive funding priority, with grants for that work made by invitation.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of grantee work. PADS Lake County says it provides trauma-informed support, resources, and shelter to people experiencing a housing crisis. Reading Power describes its work as literacy tutoring for elementary-school children. Mano a Mano Family Resource Center says it empowers immigrants and their families in Lake County to participate fully in American life. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 44 grants totaling $1,517,124. Grant amounts ranged from $5,500 to $230,829, with a median of $25,500. The largest listed award was $230,829 to Sedgebrook Opco (SL-VII) LLC for a scholarship program. Other notable grants included $140,000 to Ravinia Festival Association for a capital campaign; $80,000 to PADS Lake County for operating support; $75,000 to Lake-McHenry Habitat for Humanity for program support; and $60,000 to Lake County Crisis Center for the operating support.
Other 2025 recipients included Reading Power ($60,000), Mano a Mano Family Resource Center ($50,000), Ragdale Foundation ($35,153), North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic ($30,000), Equal Hope ($30,000), and CASA Lake County ($30,000). The Foundation’s filing data reports that 97% of 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois.
For 2026, the Foundation says its competitive grantmaking will take place in one Spring Cycle. Growing Communities grants are planned as two-year general operating grants, with an anticipated six to seven awards. The Foundation also describes a Spring 2026 relaunch of its Capacity Building priority area and three to four one-year Community Response grants available by invitation, subject to financial resources. Animal Welfare and Leadership Development will not reopen until Spring 2027; the Foundation says those areas were funded in November 2025. Food-system grants are also by invitation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kris Hoult as board chair; Malcolm Newsome as vice chair; Nadine Johnson as treasurer; and Amber Webb as secretary. Directors listed are Jeanne Ang, Bruce Boyd, Steve Bugg, Lisa Cowhey, Steve Fox, and John Gibbons.
The Lake County Community Foundation is led by Kris Hoult, Board Chair since 2025 (on filings since 2022); 1 of 17 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kris Hoult
Board Chair
Director → Board Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeanne Ang
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Sonnier
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Cowhey
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steve Fox
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steve Bugg
Director
Director → Board Chair, 2022
Board Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ali O'Brien
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Boyd
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heather Sannes
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Gibbons
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pastor Amy Heinrich
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Reginald Jones
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Topiltzin Gomez
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maggie Morales
Executive Di
Executive Director → Executive Di, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$133K (2025)
Malcolm Newsome
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amber Webb
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nadine Johnson
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (23)
- Former: Tiffany Alexander (2019–2024) — Secretary
- Former: Sarah Morales (2022–2024) — Executive Di
- Former: Robert A. Davis (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Martha R. Hinchman (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Scott Humphrey (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Steve Sullivan (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Anthony Vega (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Bert Carstens (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: C Lawrence Connolly (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Edward U Notz Jr. (2019–2021) — Former Director
- Former: Gale Strenger Wayne (2019–2021) — Director & Vice Chair
- Former: Jessica Strausbaugh (2019–2021) — Assistant Treasurer
- Former: Kenneth Gotsch (2019–2021) — Director & Treasurer
- Former: Laura Brown Hoult (2019–2021) — Former Director
- Former: Mary Reidy McMahon (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Amy Heinrich (2021) — Director
- Former: Edwin K Hoult (2021) — Director
- Former: Horacio Lopez (2019–2020) — Director & Secretary
- Former: John Geiringer (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Shana Hayes (2020) — Director
- Former: Carol Crenshaw (2019) — Former Assistant Treasurer
- Former: Miah Armour (2019) — Executive Director
- Former: Sean Hayes (2019) — 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $133K, to Maggie Morales (Executive Di).
Frequently asked questions about The Lake County Community Foundation
How much does The Lake County Community Foundation give each year?
The Lake County Community Foundation gave $1.5M across 44 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 48 grants.
What is The Lake County Community Foundation's typical grant size?
The Lake County Community Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,500, and its average grant was $34,480, across 44 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Lake County Community Foundation that year got $17K on average.
Where does The Lake County Community Foundation give grants?
The Lake County Community Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Waukegan, IL (9 grants), Lake Forest, IL (6 grants), Highland Park, IL (5 grants) and Chicago, IL (4 grants).
Does The Lake County Community Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 61% of The Lake County Community Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 44) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (13 grants).
Who are The Lake County Community Foundation's largest grantees?
The Lake County Community Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Sedgebrook Opco (SL-VII) LLC ($230,829), Ravinia Festival Association ($140,000) and Pads Lake County ($80,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Lake County Community Foundation?
The Lake County Community Foundation reported $26.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.2M.
What does The Lake County Community Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life of Lake County’s most vulnerable residents through civic leadership, collective philanthropy, and partnerships with grant recipients. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Lake County Community Foundation?
For the Growing Communities priority area, organizations register or sign in to the Foundation’s online application system and submit a letter of inquiry. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Lake County Community Foundation's EIN?
The Lake County Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3654399. 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.
Data update history
(8)
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 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work The Lake County Community Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Lake County Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Lake County Community Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-lake-county-community-foundation-morg_1e806f81110545389d8e11fed0912854
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_203654399_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Lake County Community Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-lake-county-community-foundation-morg_1e806f81110545389d8e11fed0912854},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Lake County Community Foundation'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.
The Lake County Community Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?