State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Announces 10 Illinois Nonprofit Groups Chosen to Receive More Than $191,000 in Charitable Trust Grants

State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Announces 10 Illinois Nonprofit Groups Chosen to Receive More Than $191,000 in Charitable Trust Grants

Applications Now Available for New Grant Cycle, Open to Organizations Providing Food Assistance, Economic & Workforce Development

Ten small Illinois nonprofits, including organizations in Chicago, northern Illinois and central Illinois, are receiving a combined $191,815 in grant funds through the Charitable Trust Stabilization Program, which is managed by State Treasurer Michael Frerichs’ office.

“Small nonprofit organizations play vital roles in our state by providing a helping hand to people in need,” Frerichs said. “Their good work benefits individuals, as well as communities, and I’m proud to support their efforts through the Charitable Trust program.”

Charitable Trust grants help nonprofits fulfill their missions to serve people in need by providing housing, food, and workforce and economic development assistance. For the grant cycle that ended in fall 2023, funds were awarded to nonprofits in two categories: organizations with housing programs and organizations with workforce and economic development programs. The 10 grant recipients were selected from 82 applicants.

The Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund has opened a new grant cycle that will run through September 30 and will award grants to nonprofit charitable programs in two categories: organizations with food assistance programs and organizations with economic and workforce development programs. For more information, visit ilcharitabletrust.com or contact the Treasurer’s Office at (217) 836-4590.

The Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund assists small nonprofits that have annual budgets of $1 million and at least one full-time employee. Money in the fund comes from filing fees that nonprofits pay when incorporating in the state of Illinois – and not from personal or property tax dollars.

Representatives of Charitable Trust grant recipients from the fall 2023 cycle expressed their thanks.

“The grant funds will be used to help build a home for a family who cannot get a conventional loan for a mortgage,” said Edward D. Smith, executive director of Decatur Area Habitat for Humanity. “The grant funding will supplement Decatur Area Habitat for Humanity’s construction budget, which has seen a rise in cost of materials and other expenses associated with the building of a new home. The grant will allow us to fill in the extra money needed and complete a home for a family.”

“The grant received from the Illinois State Treasurer's Charitable Trust Fund enables Center for Companies That Care to provide meaningful, hands-on career exploration to students with invisible differences,” said Ama Appenteng-Milam, program director of the Chicago-based Center for Companies That Care. “These capable but often overlooked individuals are empowered to showcase their unique talents and abilities in the workplace as a direct result of the training received. We are grateful to the Charitable Trust for their partnership in making a difference for all the citizens of Illinois.”

“The grant that COOL Ministries received from The Charitable Trust was very much appreciated and very much needed,” said Mindy Lindholm, executive director of COOL Ministries in Waukegan. “Lake County, Illinois, has seen over a 50 percent increase in homelessness, which is the highest increase ever recorded. The grant helps us to provide safe and secure housing for families who have been unhoused. COOL has used the funds to help us maintain the 10 properties in our program, and we were able to finally get a new roof on one of our housing buildings and update a furnace as well, which enabled us to provide a safe, warm roof over two of our families' heads. Now those families can secure better jobs and save their money so that they can secure stable housing of their own in the future.”

Here is the full list of the 10 Charitable Trust grant recipients from the fall 2023 grant cycle:

BandWith Music Ltd. in Chicago was awarded $20,000

Casa Esperanza Project in Chicago was awarded $20,000

Center for Companies That Care in Chicago was awarded $19,815

COOL Ministries in Waukegan was awarded $15,000

Decatur Area Habitat for Humanity in Decatur was awarded $20,000

Urban Autism Solutions in Chicago was awarded $20,000

Mothers Trust Foundation in Lake Forest was awarded $20,000

One Body Collaboratives in Rockford was awarded $20,000

Taller de José in Chicago was awarded $20,000

Youth Leadership Academy in Elgin was awarded $17,000

An independent 11-member committee, which oversees the management and guidelines of the fund, selects the grant recipients. The maximum award amount is $20,000 for each organization. Grant applicants located in an area where pervasive poverty, unemployment and economic distress exist will be given special attention. Previous grant recipients are eligible to apply if the term of their grant has been complete for at least one calendar year.

Since being established in 2017, the Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund program has awarded 221 grants — totaling nearly $4.3 million — to 187 nonprofit organizations. The program has impacted more than 100,000 people’s lives for the better.

Visit ilcharitabletrust.com to complete an application online or contact the Treasurer’s Office at (217) 836-4590.

The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office is a powerful economic engine that invests in people to drive prosperity, development and growth throughout the state. As State Treasurer, Michael Frerichs (FRAIR'-iks) is the state’s Chief Investment and Banking Officer and actively manages approximately $60 billion. The investments help families pay for college and trade school; workers save for a dignified retirement; and local governments process bill payments more efficiently so they can pass along the savings to taxpayers. The office provides financial institutions money to loan to farmers, small business owners, and qualified individuals at below-market rates because better jobs create stronger communities. The office operates the state’s largest consumer-protection initiative, the missing money I-Cash program, which has returned a record-breaking $2 billion since Frerichs was elected.

For more news about the State Treasurer’s Office, please follow Treasurer Frerichs on Instagram at ILTreasurer, LinkedIn and Facebook at Invested in You – Treasurer Michael Frerichs.

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