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Community Connection August 2020
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Fall Grant Opportunities Due September 2nd!
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Community Needs Grants are open to organizations offering programs that align with the grantmaking principles and elements CFCI supports including community development, capacity building, or education. Community Needs grants are made possible by field of interest and unrestricted funds. For 2020-2021, the Community Needs grants will also be addressing the following issues related to COVID-19: * Interim housing and shelter
* Primary health care services
* Utility assistance (organizations providing utility support to individuals)
* Support for children and vulnerable populations
***PLEASE NOTE: The Community Needs grant program no longer funds food related projects. Food related projects are funded through the Ending Hunger Together grants program.***
The Women's Fund Success Grants are open to organizations whose programs help empower women and girls.
The Local Jobs Fund Grant is open to support projects that have a direct linkage to breaking the cycle of poverty by equipping people with the skills to earn significantly more than minimum wage.
The Emerging Philanthropists Fund Grant is available to organizations offering programs that align with the Emerging Philanthropists Fund grantmaking principles including: * Evidence-based programs addressing a significant community need
* Programs that are unique and identify unmet needs in the community
* Innovative in nature
* Collaborative by leveraging resources and cultivating partnerships
Applications and grant guidelines can be found here: CFCI Grant Opportunities. All applications are due Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020.
Did you know that the Community Foundation also provides Opportunity Grants of up to $1,000 to provide support to local agencies for special one-time projects or to meet emergency needs?
Last year, CFCI awarded more than $10,000 in Opportunity Grants to 11 agencies such as the Peoria Symphony Orchestra for youth-sized instruments, Peoria Innovation Alliance for 309 Week, W.D. Boyce Council for heater repairs, and Family House for a new freezer. These are just a few of the ways that CFCI, through the generosity of our donors, is making a lasting impact in the community and supporting the needs of our nonprofit agencies.
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Women's Fund Advisory Board Welcomes
Stephanie AlKhafaji, Lindsey Kerr, and Kala Pierce!
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Stephanie is the Director of Marketing and Communication Strategy at Tada Cognitive Solutions, a local business intelligence company that specializes in data integration. She received her Bachelor's degree from Eastern Illinois University and her Master's degree from Ball State University, both in Organizational Communication and Leadership. After completing school, Stephanie returned home to focus on management consulting work that allowed her to help build the brands of major Fortune 50 organizations, local small businesses, and regional nonprofit organizations. She is a member of the Center for Prevention of Abuse board of directors, a 2016 graduate of the Peoria Chamber Community Leadership School, a 2019 40 Under Forty award recipient, a member of the Downtown Peoria Rotary, and a member of the Peoria Junior League. When not focusing on work she enjoys spending time with her five-month-old son, Vance, and her husband, Laith.
 Lindsey is the Executive Director at the nonprofit LifeLine Pilots. She has spent her career in the nonprofit sector, helping organizations by providing expertise in fundraising, communications, marketing, and leading teams and volunteers. Lindsey is passionate about supporting others through mentoring and educational opportunities. She is heavily involved in the Central Illinois Association of Fundraising Professionals and Peoria Women in Leadership (WIL). She is extremely proud of her volunteer work with the joint WIL/NAWBO Pathways to Success annual women's leadership conference, which she has been involved with since 2015. Lindsey now serves as the 2020/2021 President of WIL. Lindsey and her husband Jeff have two children, Jordan (12) and Lauryn (8), whose sports and activities keep their family very busy. Jeff is from New Zealand and the couple called NZ home for eight years before moving back to the states in 2014. Lindsey grew up in central Illinois and loves living close to her family and friends. Lindsey claims that her greatest achievement is convincing her children to ask for charitable donations instead of birthday presents. She believes that kids are never too young to learn about giving to others and is proud that her children have giving hearts (that only require a small amount of persuasion).
Kala is the Manager of Donor Relations at the OSF HealthCare Foundation. She oversees a team responsible for donor cultivation, stewardship, recognition, and impact throughout the OSF Ministry. She attended District 150, Illinois Central College, and graduated from Bradley University with a Bachelor's degree in Communications/Public Relations and minor in Marketing.
As a purposeful driven force that encourages others to work together and connect through their passions, she is actively involved in her community and enjoys pursuing opportunities related to education, youth and empowering women. Kala is a member of Downtown Rotary of Peoria where she regularly participates in their Rotary Readers group at Trewyn Middle School and encourages literacy development in young children. She is involved in St. Vincent de Paul Women's Guild, Women in Leadership of Central Illinois (WIL), Junior Achievement (JA), Chamber of Commerce and CFCI's Women's Fund annual events committee.
Kala and her husband, Nick will be celebrating their 8th wedding anniversary this year. They have two boys, Henry (6) and Vinny (4). In her spare time, Kala enjoys home DIY projects, gardening, and spending time with her family outdoors by riding bikes and hiking. Her most treasured moments include the time she spends with her boys before bed, talking about their day and sharing what they're grateful for.
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 Matt Gross, CFCI Board Member
How did you become involved with the Community Foundation of Central Illinois?
I had just moved back to Peoria (having grown up here) and learned about the Foundation's proactive work to address food insecurity (Ending Hunger Together). Having a professional policy background in the subject made me interested to learn more. I reached out to Mark and he invited me to get involved in the committee leading the work.
What do you like about your volunteer service with CFCI?
Meeting new people who all care about making Peoria and the region better; Mark, Sarah, Jackie and Jeanette run a great organization and make it easy to be involved.
What should everyone know about CFCI?
It is making a real impact in this community and is poised to do even more!
What are you looking forward to the most with CFCI in the next five years?
Building on the success of the Ending Hunger Together (EHT) program and applying those lessons in other areas that the Foundation leads on. Covid-19 has impacted our momentum here a bit, but there is no doubt that the Peoria area was in a stronger position to be able to respond to food insecurity needs because of the work we helped to encourage through EHT.
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Emerging Philanthropists Fund
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It's time to renew your Emerging Philanthropists Fund membership! By renewing or becoming a member, you will have the opportunity to review grant applications, help select the top three to five grant finalists, participate in the grant finalist panel in September, and vote on the recipient of the 2020 Emerging Philanthropists Fund grant! A minimum donation of $100 annually per person or $200 per couple/family is required to be a voting member of the Fund.
You may also renew your membership or join the Fund by mailing a check to the Community Foundation of Central Illinois- 3625 North Sheridan Road, Peoria, IL 61604.
Since its inception in 2012, the Emerging Philanthropists Fund has granted more than $35,000 to local nonprofit organizations, and has built a permanent endowed fund of $41,878. We need the generous support of community leaders like yourself to continue our tradition of giving and to expand our positive impact on the community.
Meet Advisory Council member, Jennifer Weaver!
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