Charitable Trust Grant Eligibility

Please review the Eligibility information, Review Process, and Frequently Asked Questions before applying to Charitable Trust.

The Spring 2024 Grant Cycle, running from January 1 – March 31, will award grants to non-profit charitable programs in two categories: Food and Housing. The Fall 2024 Grant Cycle, running from July 1 – September 30, will award grants to organizations in two categories: Food and Economic & Workforce Development.

In each area, the Charitable Trust Board will consider a range of programs such as but not limited to the following:
 

Food Programs:

• Food Pantries

• Supplemental School Feeding Programs

• Summer Feeding Programs

• SNAP Outreach

• Farmer’s Market SNAP expansion

• Access to fresh produce

• Meal Deliveries

Housing:

• Short Term Housing and Supportive Services

• Emergency Financial Support to prevent homelessness

• Foreclosure Prevention Counseling

• Affordable Housing advocacy/construction/rehabilitation

• Accessibility in Housing

• Fair Housing Counseling/Education

• Homeownership Counseling

• Renters Rights

Workforce & Economic Development:

• Small Business Development Councils

• Entrepreneurship Training or Services

• Resume Preparation

• Interview Training

• Placement and Retention Services

• GED Classes

• Vocational Training

• Apprenticeship Training

• Industry Certifications

• Workforce Development for People with Disabilities

Grant Eligibility Information

• Only applicants that meet all the following requirements will be considered:
• A not-for-profit corporation that is exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code:
• A not-for-profit organized under the Illinois General Not for Profit Corporation Act of 1986 for the purpose of providing charitable services to the community:
• The organization is domiciled in the State of Illinois, and provides charitable services exclusively in the State of Illinois.
• The organization has the equivalent of at least one full-time paid employee.
• The organization has an operating budget of $1 Million or less.
• The organization has adopted a policy of non-discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, family status, or religion. 
• Additionally, non-for-profits with a person, or immediate family member (including but not limited to a spouse/domestic partner, sibling or child) holding an elective office making in excess of $60,000, where any such person holds a position of paid staff, consultant, director, officer, or board member of an organization will not be eligible.
• The total grant request should not be more than 30% of the organization’s budget, and should not exceed 25% overhead costs, unless the grant will be used for a one-time expenditure.
• Previous grant recipients are eligible to apply if the term of their grant has been complete for at least one calendar year.  A grantee may not receive a grant award in more than 2 consecutive calendar years.
• Fiscal sponsors, sub-grantees, and other applications on behalf of another organization will not be considered.
• Organizations that do not file AG990-IL forms on a regular basis due to an exemption must provide a recent audited financial statement in order to be considered.

Please provide all of the following supporting documentation. The Charitable Trust Committee and the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office may request any additional information deemed necessary. The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office may also require a site visit to Applicant’s program site. Applicants that do not include supporting documentation without an explanation will not be considered.

• The applicant's current IRS determination letter or, if pending, Form 1023-EZ, 1023 or 1024.
• Most recent Form 990 or 990-N filed by the applicant with the IRS, including Schedule A, or an explanation of why none has been filed.
• Illinois Charitable Organization Registration Statement (Form CO-1) Other official documentation evidencing that the applicant is currently registered with the Illinois Attorney General’s Charitable Trust Bureau may be accepted in lieu of a Form CO-1.
• If the applicant has been in existence less than one year, Form CO-2.
• If the Applicant has been in existence more than one year, AG990-IL, with all required attachments, fees and signatures, for each of the most recent three years of existence. (This form is filed annually with Illinois Attorney General’s Office).
• Form IFC (for each fundraising campaign if a professional fundraiser was used).
• Any and all contracts with professional fundraisers.
• Articles of Incorporation and Certificate of Good Standing from the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State.
• By-Laws with all amendments.
• A complete list of all officers, directors and/or trustees including names, titles, professional affiliations, addresses, daytime phone numbers, and e-mails.
• List of any other grants the applicant has received in the past two years, including, without limitation, federal, state, or private grants.
• Most recent and complete audited financial statements if available.

Review Process and Scoring Criteria

The Illinois State Treasurer’s office takes great pride in administering the Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund.  The office is committed to a fair and transparent process that will honor the spirit of the Charitable Trust fund by awarding grants to deserving and qualified not-for-profit organizations in Illinois. Charitable Trust grant applications must be reviewed by staff in the State Treasurer’s office prior to the final review by the Charitable Trust Stabilization Committee, which makes final recommendations to the Illinois State Treasurer.

Applications will be scored on a scale of 0-100, with points being awarded for different categories pertaining to the strength of the application responses.   “Previous Experience,” in administering a program or in securing funding from previous grant sources is the most significant criteria, accounting for 25 of 100 possible points.  The Charitable Trust Stabilization Committee and the Treasurer’s Office expect grant evaluators to adhere to the guidelines outlined in this document, and hold themselves to the strictest interpretations of the ethical standards required by the Treasurer’s Office.

Previous Experience
Previous experience will assess an applicant organization based on factors including but not limited to; longevity, documented impact, and history of securing funding from public and private sources. This will be determined by judging the application as a whole, with additional focus on these application questions:

• What is the mission/purpose of your not-for-profit organization?
• How will grant funding be used to provide support for those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?
• What is the organization’s previous experience with this topic/issue/population?
• What is the need for the grant and what challenge or problem does the grant seek to address?
• How will you evaluate the program’s success?
• Please summarize current programs and activities.
• Supporting Documentation:  Illinois Charitable Organization Registration Statement (Form CO-1).
• Supporting Documentation:  List of any other grants the applicant has received in the past two years, including, without limitation, federal, state or private grants. Please include any supporting materials related to the grant(s), including, but not limited to; grant terms, details, and an explanation of the project.
• Supporting Documentation:  Provide a detailed overview of your organization’s annual budget and the proposed project budget.
• Supporting Documentation:  Most recent and complete audited financial statements.

Knowledge of Population Being Served
Evaluators will assess an applicant organization based on a demonstration of understanding of the needs facing a target population specified in target areas: Workforce Development, Housing, Food Programs.  This will be determined by judging the application as a whole, with additional focus on these application questions:

• Who is the target population for your organization’s grant
• What is your previous experience with this population?
• How many individuals will the program funded by this grant serve? How many do you typically serve in one year?

Program Design
Evaluators will assess an applicant based on the efficiency of a program and will assess the approach to addressing a challenge or problem specified in target areas: Workforce & Economic Development, Housing, Food Programs.  This will be determined by judging the application as a whole, with additional focus on these application questions:

• How many individuals will the grant serve?
• How will you evaluate the program’s success?

Program Administration
Evaluators will assess an applicant organization’s ability to administer the grant effectively.  This will be determined by judging the application as a whole, with additional focus on these application questions:
Please provide a budget and budget narrative for the proposed grant project.

• Supporting Documentation:  A complete list of all officers, directors and/or trustees including names, titles, professional affiliations, addresses, daytime phone numbers and e-mails.
• Supporting Documentation: Organization’s annual budget and proposed project budget.

Fiscal Sustainability
Evaluators will assess the fiscal health and long term fiscal stability of an applicant organization.  This will be determined by judging the application as a whole, with additional focus on these application questions:

• Supporting Documentation:  A financial statement in the form required by 14 Ill. Adm. 400.60,
• Supporting Documentation: Form IFC (for each fundraising campaign if a professional fundraiser was used),
• Supporting Documentation: Any and all contracts with professional fundraisers,
• Supporting Documentation: Organization’s annual budget and proposed project budget,
• Supporting Documentation: Most recent and complete audited financial statements.

Demonstration of Need
Evaluators will assess based on applicant organization’s response to the following question:

• What Is the need for the grant and what challenge or problem does the grant application seek to address?  

Additionally, assessment will involve review of the budget for how the grant will be spent, the organization’s annual budget and proposed project budget.

Located in an Economically Depressed Area
Organization is located in an area where pervasive poverty, unemployment and economic distress exist will be given special attention.  5 points will be awarded to an organization that meets any of these criteria:

a)         The unemployment rate in the census tract where the applicant is located had an annual average unemployment rate of at least 120% of the State's annual average unemployment rate for the most recent calendar year or the most recent fiscal year, as reported by the Department of Employment Security;

b)         All or part of the census tract where the applicant is located has a poverty rate of at least 20%, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau;

c)         The percent of households in the census tract where the applicant is located who receive SNAP Benefits is 20% or higher, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau; or

d)         50% or more of the children in the census tract where the applicant is located are eligible to participate in the federal free or reduced-price meals program, according to reported statistics from the State Board of Education.