1. Register to Use Our Online Grant System for Competitive Grants

After choosing a funding opportunity that best matches your organization’s needs and eligibility, you may proceed to register through our online grant system for the three-yearly cycle of competitive grants.

If you are applying to African American Legacy, Nuestro Futuro, Arts Work Fund, The Lake County Community Foundation, or The Will County Community Foundation, you do not need to register for access to the online system. LOI templates are provided on their Web pages when applications are being accepted.

One month prior to each Letter of Inquiry (LOI) deadline, access to registration and the LOI form is made available on our website. Grants management staff will review your registration and respond with a password within 24 hours Monday through Friday during normal business hours, except for holidays. Please do not register prior to determining your eligibility to receive funding from the Trust.

When you receive your password you can log in to the online grants system to create your organizational profile and fill out the LOI form. Please read the grant application reference guide for step-by-step instructions.

2. Submitting a Letter of Inquiry

Step 1. Complete your organizational profile

The information in your organizational profile will be available to Trust staff and is part of your application. You can add to or update the information in your profile at any time during the year, but it must be complete and current prior to the submission of the LOI.

Step 2. Online application process or template submission

Letters of inquiry to the Trust’s competitive grants program are accepted only through the online application system. The LOI form is available in each grant cycle from one month prior to the deadline to midnight on the day of the deadline.

For grants from African American Legacy, Nuestro Futuro, Arts Work Fund, The Lake County Community Foundation, or The Will County Community Foundation, templates are provided on their Web pages. Please follow the instructions on the template to submit the LOI by e-mail.

All organizations must also submit a copy of their IRS 501(c)(3) exemption letter by mail, fax, or e-mail. No other documents are required at this time.

3. LOI Review by Program Staff

Our program staff will review and evaluate letters of inquiry within four to five weeks after the LOI deadline. Applicants will then receive an e-mailed notification that either invites the submission of a full application or informs the organization that its request has been discouraged.

4. Grant Proposal Submission

Full applications are accepted only from organizations that are invited to apply. Organizations invited to submit full grant applications will be given access to the online application from our Web site or will receive a proposal template by e-mail.

The following additional documents will also be required when submitting a proposal:

• Board list
• Copy of the most recent audited financial statement
• Final financial statement for the year just completed
• Budget details for the current operating fiscal year
• Project budget narrative/justification
• Any other information pertinent to the proposal

5. Review And Evaluation Of Proposals

The Trust’s program staff reviews proposals and presents recommendations to the Executive Committee (board of directors). They determine whether an applicant’s proposal is consistent with the Trust’s program strategies and goals; whether the organization demonstrates the capacity to meet its objectives; if it can design strategies to achieve results; and if the project has the potential for measurable impact. Program officers may also conduct site visits to assist their evaluation and to better understand the proposed project.

Due to the volume of applications, the Trust is unable to fund all requests submitted for consideration, including those that meet program priorities.

6. Grant Decisions

The Executive Committee makes decisions on grant recommendations of over $25,000 in each of the foundation’s three grant cycles: January, May, and September. Organizations will be notified of grant decisions soon after each board meeting. Requests for funding of $25,000 and under are submitted for internal review and approved on a rolling basis during each cycle. Organizations must return their signed grant agreements by the 10th of the month in order to receive payment on the 20th of the following month.

7. Reporting On Your Outcomes

Grant recipients provide narrative and financial reports on their project activity. The grant award letter specifies the deadline for submitting reports. Read more about final reports.

8. Timeline

For a calendar of deadlines for each priority area click here. You can also find complete cycle and deadline information on each funding priority page. There are no cyclical priority areas for the Trust's special funding opportunities.

 African American Legacy and Nuestro Futuro are not currently accepting LOIs.