Our Beginning
In 2003, a group of civic leaders approached The Chicago Community Trust about forming a community foundation in Lake County. This visionary group of Lake County residents knew that resources would be required to help the community meet its growing needs and help provide a better quality of life for future generations.
In 2022, The Lake County Community Foundation, with support from its parent organization, became fully independent. Over the years, we have remained true to our mission and purpose of partnering with a variety of stakeholders to both build permanent assets and catalyze sustainable, transformational change for our community.
20 Years of Growing Philanthropy and Building Community
2003
Civic leaders create LCCF as an affiliate of The Chicago Community Trust
Community leaders launch the Foundation’s endowment with gifts totaling more than $500,000
2004
The Chicago Community Trust provides a seed grant of $200,000
Six new funds are established, totaling $1M
2005
First part-time executive director hired
2006
Establishes Basic Human Needs Fund with major support from a local civic leader
Adopts diversity policy
2007
Establishes first agency endowment
Announces first Basic Human Needs award, honoring agencies that serve our most vulnerable neighbors
2008
Awards its millionth dollar in grants
Provides capacity building workshops for grant recipients
2009
Assets reach $3.1M
First full-time executive director hired
Establishes first Field of Interest fund, Lake County Early Childhood Education Fund, through the conversion of assets from Happy Day Nursery
2010
Assets from the now defunct Lake County Humane Society are converted into an endowment to ensure grant funding in perpetuity for both animal and human welfare
Initiates a Leadership Task Force, bringing together human services nonprofit leaders for professional development, to forge collaboration and create an action plan to serve the growing needs of the sector in the county
2011
Total grant awards since 2003 reach $2M
18 funds held for the benefit of Lake County
2012
$1M estate gift from LCCF founder launches the Robert F. Reusché Operating Endowment
Assets exceed $7M
Leadership Task Force transitions to independent nonprofit, The Alliance for Human Services, focused on efficient delivery and collaboration among human service organizations in Lake County
2013
Invests in community information sessions around local research completed by Dr. Scott Allard, professor and Brookings Institution fellow, on the topic of suburban poverty
2014
Assets reach $10M
LCCF hosts first On the Table events in Lake County in cooperation with The Chicago Community Trust
2015
Launches a nonprofit capacity building series in partnership with Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County
Hosts Community Conversations with 200 stakeholders to discuss demographic trends and changing needs of Lake County’s nonprofit landscape
2016
Launches The Lake County Legacy Society with members who have made planned gifts and bequests to LCCF in their estate plans
Hosts first Giving and Impact Annual Meeting and celebrates the award of $290,000 in community grants to 17 Lake County nonprofits
2017
LCCF stewards over $12M in charitable funds, half of which reside in permanent charitable endowments
With total grant awards reaching $5M, LCCF adopts new community investment strategy with a focus on access to affordable, nutritious food
2018
Declares January 23, 2018 as Lake County Poverty Awareness Day and hosts Right Now in Lake County program featuring Dr. Scott Allard
2019
Launches the Love Where You Live Club monthly giving program to enable donors to pool their resources to support Basic Human Needs grant making
In partnership with Liberty Prairie Foundation, supports the launch of the Grow Lake County website, a dynamic resource to connect Lake County's food system
2020
Launches the permanent Lake County Crisis Relief Fund in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and in support of future community or countywide emergencies
Launches Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Program
Establishes new grant making priority focusing on Leadership Development
Assets surpass $15M
Hosts Engage Lake County event to promote local civic leadership
2021
Launches Campaign for a Thriving Lake County to ensure Lake County's needs are met in perpetuity and secures $3.5M in lead gifts
Publishes Impact Analysis: Coordinating Access to Affordable Nutritious Food in Lake County, a 3-year proactive grant making pilot
Forms new donor advised fund partnership to significantly increase grant making under Basic Human Needs priority area
Develops Small Business Growth Initiative pilot program and makes first grant to local Waukegan business, Drip & Culture
Assets surpass $20.5 million
Moves into new office space at the University Center of Lake County on the College of Lake County Grayslake campus
2022
Achieve operational independence from parent organization, The Chicago Community Trust
Celebrates record-breaking grant cycle with more than $1M in grants through the Basic Human Needs priority area
Launches Capacity Building grant making priority area
2023
LCCF celebrates its 20th year of giving and impact in Lake County
Launches Emeritus Board to honor exceptional volunteers throughout the organization's history
Renames Basic Human Needs priority area to "Growing Communities" to capture the innovation and creativity that we hope to see in the nonprofit sector