IPCF Awards Grants to 22 Local Nonprofit Programs

Twenty-two local nonprofit programs have been awarded a total of $101,830 in grants through the Women to Women Giving Circle, Youth Engaged in Philanthropy (YEP) cohort and Environment & Nature Grants at the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation.

The 8 nonprofit organizations sharing $26,587 in Environment & Nature awards are:

• First Baptist Church of Bloomington – $2,000 for “Pollinator Habitat Phase 3” to install educational signs throughout the habitat along with signage with the habitat’s name and sponsors.
• First Presbyterian Church of Normal – $3,500 for “Natural Prairie at First Presbyterian Church” to create a 2+-acre natural prairie that encourages environmental education and stewardship, and creates a place of beauty and peace for all to enjoy.
• Friends of Everbloom – $5,500 for “Canoes for Cleaning Our Lakes and Rivers” to purchase used canoes, new canoe trailer, paddles and life vests, allowing the group to conduct river/lake cleanups, provide outdoor education and offer recreational opportunities.
• Grand Prairie Bird Alliance – $3,450 for “Purple Martin Stewards in McLean County” to increase nesting sites for Purple Martin breeding populations in McLean County; volunteers will install, monitor and maintain nesting structures in public spaces.
• Home Sweet Home Ministries – $5,000 for “Shelter and Stewardship: Home in Bloom at the HSHM Bridge Shelter Village” to beautify the surrounding environment of newly built shelter community by planting trees, shrubs, perennials and native grasses to transform both lives and landscapes.
• McLean County Unit School District No. 5, Eugene Field School – $300 for “Natives in the Outdoor Classroom” to add native plants to a newly created outdoor classroom; students have individual goals related to completing tasks, communication, appropriate social interaction and following directions that they work on in various environments.
• ParkLands Foundation – $3,562 for “Navigating Through Nature with a Clear Path” to enhance navigation across 15 miles of ParkLands preserves and trails in McLean County by installing clear trail markers and directional signage; markers will improve safety, accessibility and visitor confidence.
• Town of Normal, Children’s Discovery Museum Foundation – $3,275 for “Can You Dig It?” to promote inter-generational learning by engaging museum visitors in a novel way; this program is included with museum admission and is hosted twice weekly during high-traffic visitation periods from June through September.

The Women to Women Giving Circle seeks to improve the lives of women and children in McLean, DeWitt, Logan and Livingston counties. The giving circle focused its grants for 2026 on programs offering assistance/solutions for women and children facing housing, food, transportation and/or childcare insecurity. Since 2011, the Women to Women Giving Circle has awarded $600,369 in grants.

The 8 nonprofits sharing $66,000 in Women to Women awards are:

• Dove Inc. – $8,000 for “Dove Financial Assistance” to provide support to those experiencing an emergency financial hardship while teaching basic budgeting tools so clients can become financially empowered.
• Eastern Illinois Food Bank – $4,000 for “Foodmobile Program” to deliver produce, protein and shelf-stable items to rural and underserved communities in McLean, DeWitt and Livingston counties; this eases the burden on caregivers and ensures women and children have reliable, healthy food.
• GFWC Lincoln Woman’s Club – $4,000 for “Tiny Food Pantry” to supplement the stressed food pantries in Lincoln with items that are especially liked and usable by children (easy to open and kid-friendly products) through a little pantry that is open 24/7.
• McLean County Health Department – $15,000 for “Better Birth Outcomes-Comprehensive” to improve birth outcomes and reduce disparities by providing access to medical care, applying for Medicaid if uninsured and underinsured, providing prenatal and family planning education, and connecting women to community referrals and transportation assistance.
• Oasis Community Outreach – $7,000 for “Saturday Food Assistance Program” to reach working families by expanding hours to two Saturdays a month; program provides food, toiletries and household supplies to McLean County residents.
• Regional Housing and Supportive Services – $15,000 for “Hope on 5th” to promote community welfare by providing shelter and services to those in need in Lincoln.
• The Salvation Army of Bloomington – $8,000 for “Pathway of Hope” to work with families with children to break the cycle of generational poverty through strategic goal setting and coaching.
• Wesley United Methodist Church – $5,000 for “Wesley Distribution Ministry” to provide paper products including toilet paper, diapers, wipes, feminine/adult hygiene items and more; these items are not available from most local food pantries or with a LINK card.

Youth Engaged in Philanthropy grants were selected by a cohort of area high school students and focus on youth-oriented programs with priority given to organizations that include youth in the application process. Since 2014, Youth Engaged in Philanthropy has awarded nearly $130,000. YEP strives to connect those who care about youth with the monetary means necessary to pursue their vision.

The 6 nonprofits sharing $9,243 Youth Engaged in Philanthropy awards are:

• Back 2 School Alliance – $2,000 for “Shoes for Big Kids” to buy new and used athletic shoes to stock a shoe bank for students from pre-K to high school in Unit 5 and District 87.
• Bloomington-Normal Youth Symphony – $2,000 for “BNYS Composer Invitation and Youth Engagement at the Children Discovery Museum” to commission a youth symphony piece, which will premiere at a May 1 concert; students and community will have a Q&A session with composer at the Children’s Discovery Museum to more deeply bond with the music they perform and hear.
• Girl Scouts of Central Illinois – $2,000 for “Powering Girls’ Potential – Direct Assistance for Local Girl Scouts” to provide positive adult mentors, a stable peer group and social-emotional resources for at-risk girls which supports their well-being and prevents adverse outcomes; grant will cover membership fees, uniform costs and camp fees.
• Jump 4 Joy Squad – $500 for “Jump 4 Joy Summer Camp” to host a free summer camp to bring the joy of exercising by jumping rope with as many young people as possible in the Bloomington-Normal community.
• Threshold to Hope – $1,500 for “SPARK (Spreading Peace and Acts of Random Kindness” to engage youth from pre-K to high school to serve their community while meeting their own need for belonging, self-esteem, compassion and positive identity; through kindness-based projects, students gain purpose, awareness and growth while addressing local challenges.
• Vespasian Warner Public Library District – $1,243 for “Bringing the Universe Home: Take-Home Science Kits Part 2” to expand the collection of take-home kits with more STEM kits and add language and feelings kits.

About Illinois Prairie Community Foundation
Illinois Prairie Community Foundation connects generosity to local impact by stewarding resources, cultivating partnerships and fostering equity across our region. IPCF empowers individuals, families and organizations to create meaningful change – today and for generations to come. The foundation manages funds including endowments and agency, designated, donor advised, field of interest, scholarship and unrestricted funds. More information is available at www.ilprairiecf.org.

Community Partners for Illinois Prairie Community Foundation are: The Drake Zimmerman Group, Heartland Bank & Trust, Meyer Capel, Illinois Farm Bureau, Onward Injury Law, WGLT, First Mid Wealth Management, Knight Light Photograph, Northern Trust, Renaissance Wealth Management BN, Bank of Pontiac, Donald Heinold CPA, Fox & Hounds Salon & Spa, Little Jewels Learning Center, Tarvin Culligan and Westminster Village.

Contact
Michele Evans, Vice President (Programs), 309-662-4477