Help is available for small non-profit organizations in Illinois that provide food and housing. Applications are now being accepted for the Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund, run by the state treasurer's office.
Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs started the annual grant program in 2017, and since then it's handed out more than 2 million dollars to 100 non-profits.
"The Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund assists small non-profits with annual budgets of a million dollars or less. In this cycle we're focused on food and housing assistance - that seems to be the biggest need based on this COVID pandemic."
This year 375,000 dollars is available for up to 30 non-profits in Illinois, and each will receive up to 12,500 dollars.
"We gave an award to a non-profit in Decatur that not only helped to raise food to be given out to needy people, but also hired people and helped them to get the skills they need to work in the restaurant industry. That was a great example of a two-fer awardee - one that not only provided food assistance but also employment training."
Applications are accepted from July 1st through September 30th, and grants will be awarded by an 11-member board. The money comes from filing fees paid by non-profits when they incorporate in Illinois - not from personal or property taxes.
