About Us
The Skokie Community Fund was established in 2011. A local group saw the growing need for village residents to support and assist each other during difficult economic times and in times of unexpected hardship. The Fund is seeking gifts from individuals, families, and organizations committed to improving and enhancing the quality of life for those who live and work in Skokie. The Fund will use these gifts to contribute to both immediate and long-term programming for the betterment and welfare of Skokie’s residents.
Dual Purpose Fund
The Fund’s fall 2011 project is to raise awareness and money for the Village of Skokie’s annual Community Giving program that uses donations to buy gift cards for needy families identified by the Village’s Human Services Division, allowing them to purchase food, clothing and other needed items during the holiday season. All donations to the Skokie Community Fund for the Community Giving program received by December 1, 2011 will be delivered to the village and used to purchase gift cards for those in need.
In addition, the Fund has issued a challenge grant in support of the Community Giving Program. Once donations to the Community Giving Program reach $25,000, the Fund will then match additional contributions dollar for dollar up to $10,000. With this incentive, the Fund hopes to help the Community Giving Program collect $45,000 for Skokie residents served by the Program.
The Fund also seeks to grow its endowment that will support grants awarded to social service agencies and others for programming that benefits Skokie residents. As of October 1, 2011, generous community members have already donated over $10,000 to the Skokie Community Fund endowment. Once the endowment fund reaches $25,000, the interest on the fund should allow the Skokie Community Fund to begin awarding grants. The larger the endowment, the larger the grants the fund can provide. Ultimately, it is hoped that the endowment portion of the Skokie Community Fund will provide an ongoing resource that touches the lives of many, many people in Skokie in a variety of meaningful ways.
Fund structure and finances
The Skokie Community Fund has partnered with the Evanston Community Foundation, which serves as the Fund’s financial and investment manager. As such, the Skokie Community Fund can provide for Skokie residents without local administrative time and expenses. Additionally, the Skokie Community Fund benefits from the advice and guidance of the Evanston Community Fund. In this way, the Fund is able to do the most good with the least expense. Donations to the Skokie Community Fund are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
The Skokie Community Fund is currently
being run by a small group of Skokie residents. In early 2012, the Fund will organize a volunteer board of
directors who will guide the Fund and its direction in the future for the betterment
of Skokie.
