news
Keep up to date with news about the Evanston Community Foundation and our grantees.
August 30, 2020 — ECF Update
ECRR Fund Activities
Learn about the COVID Response Strategy and the up-to-date listings of the Relief, Recovery, and Rebuild grants. Read more
June 3, 2020 — ECF Press Release
Challenge Match Surpassed
The Evanston Community Foundation (ECF) announced that it has met the $1M Challenge for the Evanston Community Rapid Response Fund (ECRR) in just under 2 months and well ahead of the Challenge’s December deadline. The Fund, announced in March, has raised over $2.5M to date. Read more
April 6, 2020 — ECF Press Release
ECRRF Challenge Grant
The Evanston Community Foundation (ECF) is pleased to announce that Mary and Paul Finnegan, long-time Evanstonians and avid community supporters, have issued a $1,000,000 challenge grant to build the Evanston Community Rapid Response Fund (ECRR) addressing immediate needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
July 7, 2020
Building Equity Is Our Business
When the COVID-19 pandemic began creating immediate needs in the Evanston Community, ECF launched the Evanston Community Rapid Response Fund (ECRRF) to continue supporting local nonprofits. Together with your generous donations, we raised over $2 million to ensure those who needed help were able to receive support. Read more
July 7, 2020
PEP Fund Provides Relief
The PTA Equity Project (PEP) Fund was founded to address fundraising disparities among District 65 PTAs, which was leading to inconsistent and inequitable experience for children across schools. With the rise of COVID-19, however, the Fund is now being operated for emergency relief, including the provision of 200 Chromebooks to District 65 students who need technology to access remote learning during this prolonged school closure. Read more
July 7, 2020
Addressing Immediate Needs During The Relieve Phase
The Evanston Community Foundation (ECF) addressed immediate needs of the community in the Relieve phase of its work. With ECF community members leading the way in vetting and rating proposals, our team provided grants to nonprofit organizations and small businesses with a focus on feeding, housing, and providing remote access to learning for families with children. Read more
May 25, 2019 — NBC Chicago Making a Difference (TV)
Spreading the word! Monique Jones talked about ECF on NBC Chicago’s Making a Difference.
Monique Jones interviewed on NBC Chicago Making a Difference, May 25, 2019. https://www.nbcchicago.com/on-air/as-seen-on/evanston-community-foundation-grant-awards-celebration-and-annual-meeting-510430662.html
August 8, 2018 — Evanston RoundTable
EC2C Puts the Focus on 'Systems Change'
Partners of the Evanston Cradle to Career initiative (EC2C) focused on “systems change” at their July 26. Sheila Merry, Executive Director of EC2C, said systems change “may reframe in modest ways the way we approach this work.” The vision of EC2C is “By the age of 23, all Evanston young adults will be on the path to leading happy, healthy, productive, and satisfying lives.” More than 40 organizations, including ECF, are currently partnering in EC2C. Article by: Larry Gavin Download PDF
July 25, 2018 — Evanston RoundTable
Books and Breakfast: A Big Impact in Just an Hour a Day
The program, Books and Breakfast (B&B), has gone through several iterations over three decades, but it is currently serving more than 120 children in District 65 who qualify for federally funded free or reduced lunch but do not attend schools authorized to provide it. ECF is among the stakeholders in this community effort. Article by: Judy Chiss. Download PDF
July 20, 2018 — Broadway World Chicago
Northlight Launches 'Arts for Everyone'
Northlight Theatre announced a new initiative, "Arts for Everyone," a program that provides free tickets to every production in the upcoming 2018-19 season. Northlight will pilot this program with existing partners including Y.O.U. (Youth & Opportunity United), YWCA Evanston/North Shore, and Family Focus, and eventually expand to the Evanston and Skokie Public Libraries. The goal of this initiative is to break down any barriers that exist to accessing theatre, starting with ticket costs. Northlight is committed to reaching a broader, more diverse audience and anticipates the "Arts for Everyone" program will help achieve this objective. Evanston Community Foundation is among the organizations that provide support to Northlight. Article by: BWW News Desk Download PDF