Charitable Trust Grant Eligibility

Please review the Eligibility Information, Review Process, and Frequently Asked Questions before applying to the Charitable Trust.

The Spring 2026 Grant Cycle, running from January 1 to March 31, will award grants to non-profit charitable programs in two categories: Food and Economic & Workforce Development. The Fall 2026 Grant Cycle, running from July 1 to September 30, will award grants to organizations in two categories: Food and Housing. Apply for a grant using our online form.

Grant Eligibility Information

To be considered, an applicant must meet all of the following requirements:

  • Be a not-for-profit corporation that is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
  • Be organized under the Illinois General Not for Profit Corporation Act of 1986 to provide charitable services.
  • Be based in Illinois and provide charitable services only in Illinois.
  • Have at least one full-time paid employee.
  • Full-time employment is verified using the compensation information reported on the organization’s Form 990-IL (filing online is now available).
  • Have an operating budget of $1 million or less.
  • Have a nondiscrimination policy that prohibits discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, family status, or religion.

Additional Eligibility Rules

  • An organization is not eligible if a person, or an immediate family member of that person, holds elective office and earns more than $60,000, and that person serves the organization as paid staff, a consultant, director, officer, or board member.
    • Immediate family members may include a spouse or domestic partner, sibling, or child.
  • The total grant request may not exceed 30% of the organization’s budget.
  • No more than 25% of the grant may be used for overhead costs, unless the funding is for a one-time expense.
  • Previous grant recipients may apply again only if their grant term ended at least one full calendar year ago.
  • An organization may not receive a grant award for more than two consecutive calendar years.
  • Fiscal sponsors, sub-grantees, and applications submitted on behalf of another organization will not be considered.
  • Organizations that are exempt from regularly filing AG990-IL forms must provide a recent audited financial statement to be considered.

Required Application Materials

Please provide all of the following supporting documentation. The Charitable Trust Committee and the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office may request any additional information deemed necessary. The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office may also require a site visit to the Applicant’s program site.

Note: Applicants who do not include supporting documentation without an explanation will not be considered.

  • IRS determination letter showing your current tax-exempt status.
  • Most recent IRS Form 990 or 990-N, including Schedule A.
    • If you have not filed one, include a brief explanation.
  • Illinois Charitable Organization Registration Statement (Form CO-1). You may also submit other official proof that your organization is currently registered with the Illinois Attorney General’s Charitable Trust Bureau. (Available in the Illinois Attorney General Charitable Trust Online Filing System).
  • Form CO-2, if your organization has existed for less than one year.
  • AG990-IL Illinois Charitable Organization Annual Report for each of the past three years your organization has existed. Include all required attachments, fees, and signatures.
  • Form IFC (for each fundraising campaign, if a professional fundraiser was used).
  • All contracts with professional fundraisers, if applicable.
  • Articles of Incorporation and a Certificate of Good Standing from the Illinois Secretary of State. (Questions? Call the Department of Business Services or call 217-782-6961.)
  • Bylaws, including any amendments.
  • A detailed annual operating budget for your organization.
  • A complete list of all officers, directors, and/or trustees, including the following information:
    • name
    • title
    • professional affiliation
    • address
    • daytime phone number
    • e-mail address
  • A list of other grants received in the past two years, including federal, state, and private grants. Please also include details for each grant, including terms, project purpose, and any related supporting materials.
  • Your most recent complete audited financial statements, if available.

Grant Review Process and Scoring Criteria

The Illinois State Treasurer’s office takes great pride in administering the Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund.  The office is committed to a fair and transparent process that will honor the spirit of the Charitable Trust fund by awarding grants to deserving and qualified not-for-profit organizations in Illinois. Charitable Trust grant applications must be reviewed by staff in the State Treasurer’s office prior to the final review by the Charitable Trust Stabilization Committee, which makes final recommendations to the Illinois State Treasurer.

Applications will be scored on a scale of 0-100, with points awarded for different categories based on the strength of the application responses. “Previous Experience,” in administering a program or in securing funding from previous grant sources, is the most significant criterion, accounting for 25 of 100 possible points. The Charitable Trust Stabilization Committee and the Treasurer’s Office expect grant evaluators to adhere to the guidelines outlined in this document and hold themselves to the strictest interpretations of the ethical standards required by the Treasurer’s Office.

Category Possible Points
Previous Experience 20
Knowledge of the Population Being Served 15
Program Design 15
Program Administration 10
Fiscal Sustainability 15
Demonstration of Need 20
Located in an Economically Depressed Area 5
Total Possible Score 100

How We Review: Previous Experience

Applicants may receive up to 20 points in this section.

As part of the application review, we will assess your organization’s prior experience, including its history, impact, and ability to manage funding. This may include factors such as how long your organization has been in operation, the results it has achieved, and its success in securing public or private grants.

Your application should clearly answer the following questions:

  • What is your organization’s mission or purpose?
  • How will this grant support people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?
  • What experience does your organization have with this issue, topic, or population?
  • What need will the grant address?
  • What challenge or problem is the funding intended to solve?
  • How will you measure success?
  • What programs and services does your organization currently provide?

How We Review: Knowledge of the Population Being Served

Applicants may receive up to 15 points in this section.

Evaluators will assess an applicant organization based on a demonstration of understanding of the needs facing the target population in the target areas: Workforce Development, Housing, and Food Programs. This will be determined by judging the application as a whole, with additional focus on these application questions:

  • Who is the target population for your organization’s grant
  • What is your previous experience with this population?
  • How many individuals will the program funded by this grant serve? How many do you typically serve in one year?

How We Review: Program Design

Applicants may receive up to 15 points in this section.

Evaluators will assess an applicant based on the program’s efficiency and the approach to addressing the challenges or problems in the target areas: Workforce & Economic Development, Housing, and Food Programs.  This will be determined by judging the application as a whole, with additional focus on these application questions:

  • How many individuals will the grant serve?
  • How will you evaluate the program’s success?

How We Review: Program Administration

Applicants may receive up to 10 points in this section.

Evaluators will assess an applicant organization’s ability to administer the grant effectively.  This will be determined by judging the application as a whole, with additional focus on these application questions:

  • Supporting Documentation: Organization’s annual budget and proposed project budget.

How We Review: Fiscal Sustainability

Applicants may receive up to 15 points in this section.

Evaluators will assess the fiscal health and long-term fiscal stability of an applicant organization using the documentation required above.  This will be determined by judging the application as a whole, with additional focus on these application questions:

  • Required Supporting Documentation: 
    • A financial statement in the form required by 14 Ill. Adm. 400.60,
    • Form IFC (for each fundraising campaign, if a professional fundraiser was used),
    • Any and all contracts with professional fundraisers,
    • Organization’s annual budget and proposed project budget,
    • Most recent and complete audited financial statements.

How We Review: Demonstration of Need

Applicants may receive up to 20 points in this section.

Scores will be based on answers to the following questions:

  • What is the need for the grant, and what challenge or problem does the grant application seek to address?
  • What is the grant budget, the organization’s annual budget, and the proposed project budget?

How We Review: Located in an Economically Depressed Area

Applicants may receive up to 5 points in this section.

Organizations located in communities with high poverty, high unemployment, or economic hardship will receive special consideration. Find this information using the official U.S. Census Geocoder. Your location meets at least one of the following conditions:

  • The unemployment rate in the organization’s census tract is at least 20 percentage points higher than the state average for the most recent calendar or fiscal year, based on data from the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
  • The organization is located in a census tract where all or part of the area has a poverty rate of 20% or more, based on the most recent U.S. Census data.
  • The organization is located in a census tract in which 20% or more of households receive SNAP benefits, according to the most recent U.S. Census data.
  • The organization is located in a census tract where 50% or more of children qualify for free or reduced-price school meals, according to data from the Illinois State Board of Education.