The Cook County Community Fund supports initiatives that strengthen community connections and respond to local needs across six key areas: arts, education, community development, the environment, human services, and youth.

We prioritize projects that build collaboration, address the root causes of challenges, and bring people together across Cook County. Grants often support new or emerging ideas, especially those that can make a meaningful difference with modest funding. Applicants are encouraged to seek matching funds, and proposals that leverage additional support are given strong consideration.

While the Fund does not typically support capital projects or ongoing program costs, we may offer short-term or multi-year funding to help launch promising new efforts—so long as there’s a plan for sustaining the work after our grant ends.