2022 CommunityWorks Funding Announced

Twelve nonprofits awarded $200,000 in CommunityWorks grants

Macon County – Twelve local nonprofit organizations have been selected to receive a total of $200,000 in grants from the CommunityWorks Endowed Fund established at The Community Foundation of Macon County (CFMC). This year’s grants are targeted to help education, environmental and workforce priorities and will bring positive change for hundreds of Macon County residents.

This year’s recipients, individual awards and proposed programs divided by type of funding received:

EDUCATION

• Decatur Family Y, $5,000, “Child Development Center & Summer Day Camp”
• Baby TALK, $10,000, “STEPS Program”
• Girl Scouts of Central Illinois, $15,000, “G.I.R.L. Outreach Program”
• Macon County CASA, $15,000, “CASA Enhanced Educational Advocacy Program”
• Community Missions First, $18,000, “Community Growth and Investment Initiative”
• Macon-Piatt Regional Office, $18,500, “Skills Special Needs Summer Respite”
• Millikin University, $20,000, “Robotics Summer Workshop at Millikin University”
• Richland Community College, $20,000, “RESTORE Tutoring with Project Read Plus”

ENVIRONMENT/LAND USAGE

• Baby TALK, $5,000, “Children's Memorial Garden & Community Park”
• Macon County Community Environmental Council, $8,500, “Control of Non-native Invasive Species at Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial”
• Good Samaritan Inn, $15,000, “Mercy Gardens Capital Projects”

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

• Prairieland Service Coordination, $20,000, “Accessing Community Employment (A.C.E.)”
• The Salvation Army of Decatur and Macon County, $30,000, “Workforce Development for Homeless Men”

“This funding for our Mercy Gardens not only increases access to fresh, local produce, but it also prioritizes our local neighborhoods. A healthy environment is crucial to happiness, well-being, and safety,” says Good Samaritan CEO Nicky Besser. “We are so grateful to expand our impact through this generous grant.”

In 2005, The Community Foundation of Macon County was one of only 18 initial foundations chosen to receive a CommunityWorks grant from the Grand Victoria Foundation to establish an endowment fund. Through the years, generous donors have added to the fund to meet challenge matches required by that foundation, increasing this endowment fund to more than $6 million.

Questions about the CommunityWorks program should be directed to Natalie Beck at nbeck@maconcountygives.org or 217.429.3000.

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Established in 2000, The Community Foundation of Macon County stewards more than 365 funds and total assets of $53 million. To date, The Community Foundation has distributed over $38 million to charitable organizations and endeavors. For more information about The Community Foundation of Macon County, visit maconcountygives.org.