The DuPage County Board of Commissioners at their January 28 meeting voted to make $1.05 million in grant funding available to eligible charitable agencies that serve DuPage residents.
The Small Agency Grant Program provides grants between $5,000 and $30,000 for organizations delivering programs and services in the areas of human services or economic development including job readiness, literacy, education and mentoring, housing and shelter, behavioral health services, substance use disorder treatment, or food assistance.
“The federal American Rescue Plan Act made local dollars available to provide this unique program focusing on some of our County agencies that deliver important services to our residents most in need,” said Commissioner Greg Schwarze, Chairman of the Human Services Committee. “It’s important that some of our smaller agencies that don’t always qualify for larger grant programs have an avenue to demonstrate the value their programs bring to our community and to participate in County funding opportunities. We look forward to helping them increase their reach and provide a greater impact in our County.”
Funds will be evenly divided between the six County Board districts, with $175,000 available to allocate to agencies in those district boundaries. To be eligible for funding, an agency must:
- Be a 501(c)3 organization
- Have a 501(c)3 status that has not been revoked by the Internal Revenue Service
- Be in good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State
- Be located in DuPage County based on the address reflected on the Illinois Secretary of State Good Standing Certificate and on their AG990-IL form
- Have either:
- annual revenue of less than $300,000 based on its most recently filed AG990-IL tax form, or
- an average annual revenue of less than $300,000 based on its past three years of filed historical AG990-IL tax forms.
Any agency that previously received funding from the County under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act program or the American Rescue Plan Act program is ineligible for funding.
Agencies that received funding through the first round of the County’s small nonprofit grant program are eligible for this round of funding if they have completed all requirements of the first round, including proper reporting documentation.
More information for interested agencies and the online application will be available on the County website’s Small Agency Grant Program applications page page beginning January 29. Applications will be accepted until April 4. Staff will review applications and funding will likely be disbursed to agencies in June.