Community-Led Grants

Community-Led Grants

Status: Semi-annual cycles (Fall and Spring); Spring 2026 cycle is now closed

Geographic Scope: Evanston, Illinois

Purpose: Community-led grantmaking approach that places power in the hands of those most impacted by funding decisions. Channels funds directly to the heart of community needs and priorities.

Funding Type: General operating purposes only

Mission Focus

Committed to empowering grassroots community groups and nonprofit organizations that prioritize racial equity in their mission, vision, and values. Goal is to provide unrestricted, flexible funding to support essential operations and initiatives that address systemic inequities within the Evanston community.

Grant Committee Structure

Grant committees are powered by 10-12 visionary members, including:

One board member

Leadership Evanston alumni

Advocates for Action members

Other notable community leadership program participants

Committees reflect a broad spectrum of:

Racial and ethnic backgrounds

Socioeconomic backgrounds

Educational backgrounds

Various sectors and professional experience

Cycle Timing

• Spring Cycle: January – April
• Fall Cycle: May - September

Important Notes

• The Foundation is not able to fund all requests and cannot guarantee funding to any applicant
• Under unique circumstances, ECF may restrict grants to maintain compliance with internal policies and commitment to stewarding funds for charitable purposes
• Preparing and submitting an application is a significant investment of time and resources

Contact

Reach out with questions, comments, or concerns - a Programs team member will respond as soon as possible.