Cook County Community Fund

The Cook County Community Fund was created in 2003 to enhance the quality of life for people in Cook County by attracting charitable gifts, making philanthropic grants, and providing responsible financial stewardship and community leadership. Since that time, the fund has granted out more than $100,000 for programs in the Cook County area.

The Cook County Community Fund, during 2020 awarded 7 grants totaling over $22,000 to nonprofit organizations serving the Cook County area. Grants awarded in 2020 include:

· The Cook County Council on Aging, $3,000 for their Healthy Nutrition Program providing meals to those in need.
· The Grand Marais Playhouse, $4,000 for afterschool theater programming, engaging youth in performance and technical theater training through collaborative projects and ensemble learning.
· Gunflint Trail Historical Society, $2,000 for the Chik-Wauk Museum to develop programming based upon Anishinaabe history and culture in partnership with the 1854 Treaty Authority.
· Cook County ISD166 band program, $4,500 for scholarships for those students who not otherwise be able to participate in Advance Connection to the Arts Program in Chicago IL.
· The North Shore Collaborative, $751 for summer literacy programming for children birth to age 5 to promote early reading skills.
· The Schroeder Area Historical Society, $4,000 to enhance and expand program services including online learning, and local activities.
· Grand Marais Area YMCA, $4,000 to increase STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) activities in afterschool, day camp and early learning activities.  

Cook County Community Fund Advisory Board Members

Eric Block
Mike Carlson
David Coleman
Virginia Detrick Palmer
Leah Ekstrom
Lori Ericson
Don Grant
Chris O’Brien
Claire Smith

For more information on the Cook County Community Fund, visit: www.cookcountycommunityfund.com.