Community Foundation of Northern IL

What it reported doing in 2024

CFNIL managed 486 funds established for charitable purposes during 2024. Management of the funds includes prudent investment and the establishment of a spending policy. The organization manages a grant making process that includes the convening of community volunteers to advise the foundation on grant making decisions consistent with the intentions of donors as documented in the fund agreements.Continued on Schedule OCFNIL has been creating endowments and honoring donor intent through grantmaking in the Rockford region since 1953. Early grants responded to community needs by funding the distribution of the polio vaccine and creating safe places for children to play. Since its founding, CFNIL has distributed thousands of grants for the benefit of the region. This has been made possible through the generosity of CFNIL's donors: individuals, families and organizations committed to improving the region's quality of life. Endowed gifts create reliable funding for current needs and future opportunities. CFNIL does not create programs, we respect the expertise of nonprofit professionals working in various sectors and the people they serve in our communities to identify needs and solutions.Unrestricted gifts supplement CFNIL's Community Grants Program, which provides grants for charitable activities in six focus areas: Arts & Humanities; Education; Health; Human Services; Sustainable Communities; Youth & Families. Of these six, Education comprises half of all the grantmaking made through this program. Over one hundred community volunteers make up the committees which review proposals and recommend recipients to CFNIL's board of trustees.CFNIL's youth philanthropy program, In Youth We Trust (IYWT), provides grants for programs and services which specifically benefit youth in our community. The applications are created, promoted, and reviewed by the IYWT Council, a group of high school-aged students. The Neighborhood Grants Program is administered in partnership with NW HomeStart, a nonprofit housing advocacy agency, and provides grants to neighbor-led and neighborhood-serving projects. CFNIL administers a robust Scholarship Program with over 100 unique scholarship funds. The diversity of CFNIL's scholarship program reflects the diversity of our donors and the students the funds serve; there are awards for students of all backgrounds, experiences, and educational aspirations. Many scholarships have living donors who participate in the scholarship selection process. Over 140 volunteers participate in scholarship selection committees, reviewing hundreds of applications and recommending recipients to CFNIL's board of trustees.Many of CFNIL's funds are designated by donors for specific causes, programs, or organizations. Each year CFNIL calculates the distributable income of these funds and makes grants to the beneficiaries. It is CFNIL's privilege to administer these funds, which are governed by formal agreements which spell out the donors' charitable intent. CFNIL is proud to consistently and thoroughly steward each donor's intent, each and every year, for the benefit of dozens of organizations and generations of residents in northern Illinois.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 40.8%; rating input score 41
• Program expense ratio: 72%; rating input score 72
• Fundraising efficiency: $27.65 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 65; 65th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 89.5%; rating input score 89; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 62.6%; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 28.19; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.14; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 3.6%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 7.9% per year; rating input score 100; 61st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.7% per year; rating input score 100; 41st percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 6.5% per year; rating input score 100; 46th percentile among comparable filings