Community Impact Fund Grant Program

In April 2022, the Harper College Educational Foundation announced the launch of a new program that provides grant awards to non-profit organizations in Harper’s district for projects that support the equity, diversity, and economic goals of the Community Impact Fund Grant (CIFG) program. To date, Harper has awarded $190,000 to 16 non-profit organizations serving residents of the 23 communities in Harper's district.

The Harper College Educational Foundation is pleased to announce the fourth year of CIFG Program funding available for non-profit organizations in providing programs and services in Harper’s district seeking funding to support the program goals and outcomes below. Grant applications are due on or before Friday, May 2, 2025.

CIFG Program Goals

Equity: Provide equity in living, learning, teaching, and working environments; recognize everyone has a different starting point and individual needs; provide support and access to resources for all members of Harper’s community; and find solutions to remedy equity gaps.
Diversity: Build, strengthen, and maintain a respectful and safe community where inclusivity and open exchange of ideas are encouraged and supported; operate from an individual and collective awareness of the dynamics of social identity and inequality; and identify and remove unjust barriers that limit our realization of an inclusive community.
Economic Mobility: Improve the ability of underserved individuals in Harper’s district communities to move up the economic ladder by creating intragenerational mobility through training and education that leads to in-demand, living-wage jobs in regional industries.

FY26 Important Dates
Grant Announced	March 21, 2025
Application Due Date	May 2, 2025
Award Selections Made	June 2025
Check Ceremony Held	July 2025
Grant Period	July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026

Program Focus and Grant Amounts

Grant projects must focus on one or more of the three program goals stated above and include uplifting activities with long-lasting outcomes that are measurable and positively impactful to chronically underserved communities and the individuals who live there. In fiscal year 2025-2026. Award funding will range from $5,000 to $25,000

Organizations must perform all grant activities in Harper’s service area. For a map of Harper’s district boundaries, visit Community College District #512.

Eligible Organizations

This program makes grants only to non-profit entities that are external to Harper College, including, but not limited to:

Non-profit organizations that have status under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code
Public libraries
Community-based organizations
Educational foundations
Community resource centers
Religious organizations providing support services such as food, housing, and healthcare assistance

To maximize our impact on the community, we prioritize awarding grants to organizations with annual operating budgets of $500,000 or less. Eligible organizations may receive funding for a maximum of two years within any five-year period. Organizations that have already received two grants within the past two years will not be eligible for additional funding in fiscal year 2026.

Next Steps

Read the entire Funding Opportunity Announcement.
Review the past webinar presentation here to learn more about the grant program and application process.
Read the FAQ.
Be sure to respond all sections included in the Funding Opportunity Announcement.
Gather the organization’s most recent annual audited financial statements, a signed W-9 for the organization, and the IRS determination letter verifying non-profit status to submit as uploaded attachments to the online application.
Submit your online application by 11:59 pm on Friday, May 2, 2025.

Questions? Reach out to cifg@harpercollege.edu.