Illinois treasurer awards $178,210 to 10 small nonprofits for food and job training programs
Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced the Charitable Trust grants on Oct. 20. The money comes from the annual report fees nonprofit corporations pay the state, and the next application period runs from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2027.
Downers Grove. Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs on Oct. 20 announced $178,210 in Charitable Trust grants to 10 small nonprofits that provide food or job training. He made the announcement at a news conference at Synapse House in Downers Grove, one of the recipients.
The Charitable Trust Committee, an independent panel, chose the 10 from 75 applicants. Seven organizations receive $20,000, the most the program gives any one organization, and three receive less.
Who received grants
In Chicago, the Center for Companies That Care, Chicago Filmmakers and LEAP Learning Systems receive $20,000 each, and Plant Chicago receives $17,550. Feeding Our Kids in Champaign, 724 Ministries in Murphysboro, Franklin County Senior Services in West Frankfort and The ACE Project in Westmont also receive $20,000 each. Standing Stone Community Center in Charleston receives $10,660 and Synapse House $10,000.
Synapse House helps people return to paid work after a brain injury or stroke, said Deborah Giesler, its executive director. Ms. Giesler said the grant will pay to develop training modules for careers in customer service, janitorial services and food service.
Feeding Our Kids provides weekend food to children in 50 schools across Champaign County, said Alison Dupre, its executive director. 724 Ministries serves a free, home-cooked dinner every Sunday to more than 100 guests in a county with the second-highest poverty rate in Illinois, said Ed O'Donnell, its executive director.
“This award will cover the difference between the cost of preparing and serving more than 5,000 meals to our underserved neighbors during 2027 and the financial support we are able to raise from local sources.”
How the fund works
The grants come from the Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund, which serves nonprofits with annual budgets of $1 million or less and at least one full-time employee. Its money comes from the fees that not-for-profit corporations pay when they file annual reports with the Illinois Secretary of State, not from personal or property taxes, the treasurer's office said. An 11-member committee selects recipients and oversees the fund's management and guidelines.
The fund can pay for housing, food, and workforce and economic development programs. This round, from the spring 2026 grant cycle, was limited to two categories: food, and workforce or economic development. Applicants in areas of pervasive poverty, unemployment and economic distress get special attention, and past recipients may apply again once their grant term has been over for at least one calendar year.
Since it was set up in 2017, the fund has awarded $5.4 million through 271 grants to 215 organizations in 77 Illinois cities, Mr. Frerichs's office said. The next application period runs from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2027, again for food and for economic or workforce development programs.
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