Frerichs Awards $200,000 to Small Nonprofits Across Illinois for Housing and Job Training Programs (Springfield, IL) – Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs on Tuesday announced nearly $200,000 in grants to 10 small nonprofit organizations across the state, funding efforts aimed at keeping residents housed and helping them gain job skills.
The funding, awarded through the Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund, will support organizations in Chicago, Champaign, Rockford, Kankakee, Mount Vernon, Oak Park, Lombard, Freeport and the Metro East region.
“We are helping people who need a helping hand at a time when so many folks are struggling due to higher costs and as our federal government yanks away lifelines,” Frerichs said during a news conference in Rockford. “I’m proud to partner with nonprofit organizations that tirelessly work to improve the lives of Illinoisans in need and make our communities better places to live.”
An independent panel selected the 10 recipients from 68 applicants. Each organization received up to $20,000, the maximum grant amount.
This year’s recipients include:
- Greater Community AIDS Project of East Central Illinois, Champaign — $19,870
- GAP Community Center, Chicago — $20,000
- Jewish Free Loan Chicago Inc., Chicago — $20,000
- Boys & Girls Club of Freeport & Stephenson County, Freeport — $18,000
- Fortitude Community Outreach, Kankakee — $20,000
- Senior Home Sharing, Lombard — $20,000
- United Way of South Central Illinois, Mount Vernon — $20,000
- YEMBA Inc., Oak Park — $20,000
- Life Decisions, Rockford — $20,000
- Riverbend Family Ministries, Wood River — $20,000
The grants are designed to help smaller nonprofits — those with annual budgets under $1 million and at least one full-time employee — stabilize and expand services. Funding comes from fees paid by larger nonprofit corporations when filing annual reports with the Illinois Secretary of State, not from personal or property tax dollars.
Organizations say the funding will make a tangible difference.
In Rockford, Life Decisions will use its grant to expand its Youth Internship Program, which pairs paid work experience with mentorship.
“Many young people come to us with potential but have never held a job, lack foundational employability skills, or have never had anyone model what healthy employment looks like,” said Jake Rogers, the organization’s chief visionary officer. “Through paid internships paired with mentorship, we see real transformation.”
In Chicago, Jewish Free Loan Chicago plans to offer interest-free loans to individuals and families facing housing-related financial emergencies.
“These loans help prevent short-term crises from becoming long-term instability,” said Leah Greenblum, the organization’s founder and executive director. Because the loan fund is recycled as borrowers repay, she added, the impact of the grant will extend beyond the initial lending period.
Riverbend Family Ministries in Wood River will use its funding to provide rental and utility assistance to families in Madison County at risk of losing their housing.
“By stepping in at critical points, this support strengthens individual outcomes while also stabilizing neighborhoods and the broader community,” said Executive Director Rachel Craddick.
The Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund was established in 2017 and has since awarded 251 grants totaling more than $5 million to 209 nonprofit organizations statewide. According to the Treasurer’s Office, the program has helped hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents through housing support, food assistance, and workforce and economic development initiatives.
The current grant application period is open through March 31. This round will fund nonprofits focused on food assistance and workforce and economic development programs. Eligible organizations can apply at ilcharitabletrust.com or contact the Treasurer’s Office at (217) 836-4590 for more information.
Frerichs, who serves as the state’s Chief Investment and Banking Officer, manages approximately $60 billion in state funds. His office oversees initiatives ranging from college savings programs and retirement investments to the ICash unclaimed property program, which has returned $2.4 billion to Illinois residents since he took office.
Frerichs Awards $200,000 to Small Nonprofits Across Illinois for Housing and Job Training Programs
