Knowledge Center

Access the latest news from the Foundation, as well as recent data, reports and other helpful information. If your organization is interested in sharing relevant reports or information about Lake County’s nonprofit or philanthropic sectors, please contact Emily Weber at emily@lakecountycf.org.

Nonprofit Professional Development Resource Guide

A curated list of professional development opportunities for individuals in the nonprofit sector, updated and published quarterly.
Lake County Nonprofit Professional Development Resource Guide – July 2021

Racial Equity Resources

We maintain a free community Racial Equity Resource Library that contains a racial equity glossary, books, articles, podcasts, documentaries and other materials on racial justice issues.

Knowledge Areas

COVID-Related Resources
COVID-19 Resource Guide for Nonprofits - Steans Family Foundation

Community Health
Live Well Lake County
Lake County Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) – 2016 - 2021
Lake County Community Health Assessment (CHA) – 2016 - 2021
The Together Summit 2017

Criminal Justice
Never Fully Freed: The Scale and Impact of Permanent Punishments on People with Criminal Records in Illinois

Housing

Hunger

Coordinating Access to Affordable, Nutritious Food in Lake County

In 2017, LCCF launched a 3-year proactive grant making strategy to increase access to affordable, nutritious food across Lake County. LCCF selected Northern Illinois Food Bank and Liberty Prairie Foundation as program and thought partners on this initiative. Read the impact analysis of this 3-year pilot program, or see an executive summary.

  • The Grow Lake County website is a resource hub about Lake County's food system and includes an interactive map of places to purchase fresh, local food. This website is a product of 3-year pilot program.

In 2013, the Foundation awarded a grant to Northern Illinois Food Bank to support the development of a special report on hunger in Lake County through Feeding America. Hunger in America 2014, Special Report for Lake County, Illinois

Other Resources

Collective Impact

Collective Impact – 2011 by John Kania & Mark Kramer
Featured in Stanford Social Innovation Review

Collective Impact Forum
This site includes the latest tools, resources and advice about Collective Impact

Economic Development

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy – 2013 Prepared for Lake County Partners

Poverty

Heartland Alliance Report on Illinois Poverty – March, 2019 (The Gender Disadvantage – Why Inequality Persists)

Understanding Lake County’s Human Service Needs – 2015
In October 2015, The Lake County Community Foundation hosted six community conversations throughout Lake County to revisit Rob Paral's research from 2011. Click here to access a follow-up presentation highlighting changing demographics and emerging trends.

Portraits of Lake County - 2012
The Lake County Community Foundation partnered with Rob Paral and Associates to develop a series of reports that provide an in-depth analysis--or portraits--of particular Lake County populations and service areas. Several of the reports were commissioned on behalf of the Lake County Leadership Task Force (now The Alliance for Human Services) to better understand the gaps in providing services to those in need across the county.

To view all twelve reports, along with an interactive map of service providers and the estimated costs of actual service provision across the county, please click here.

Click here to view all updates and reports