Financial Assistance and Grant Programs Resources
Community Child Care Connection
Community Child Care Connection (CCCC) provides support and resources to families and childcare providers to help ensure quality, affordable childcare and education options in Christian, Logan, Macoupin, Mason, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Sangamon, and Scott counties. CCCC helps families explore childcare and education options and what to look for when choosing care. It also offers programs to help pay for care and find local education and childcare providers. CCCC also provides professional development and regional training opportunities for child care providers.
CCCC is one of 16 community-based organizations that make up the Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) System, which provides services and supports to families, providers and communities across Illinois.
For help or questions, call (217) 525-2805 or email info@4childcare.org.
Community Foundation of Northern Illinois
The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) provides scholarships, including scholarships for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and grants to charitable organizations in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties. Visit CFNIL’s scholarship opportunities page to learn more.
Community Housing Advocacy & Development (CHAD)
Community Housing Advocacy & Development (CHAD) is a nonprofit corporation that provides quality, affordable, long-term rental housing to income-qualifying, hardworking individuals and families who struggle to support themselves.
CHAD has over 500 housing units of all property types in 30 communities across DuPage, Kane, Will and portions of Cook counties in northeastern Illinois. Properties include apartment homes, condominiums, duplexes, townhouses, and single-family homes. CHAD offers below-market rents to income-qualified applicants.
For more information, call (630) 456-4452 or email info@chadhousing.org.
Community Online Resource Directory for East Central Illinois
The Community Online Resource Directory allows you to search for agencies and programs by county, category, agency or by keywords for the following counties: Coles, Clark, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Jasper, Moultrie and Shelby.
The search includes food assistance programs, medical services, disability services, mental health programs, housing organizations, employment services and more.
CommunityGro Community Garden and Food Program in Galesburg
CommunityGro equips people with the resources, education, and support to grow food for their communities. The program seeks to continue bridging the food security gap, creating self-sufficiency, and lasting solutions for food accessibility in Knox County.
To learn more contact communitygro61401@gmail.com or (309) 299-1802. You can also visit the CommunityGro Facebook page.
Contact Ministries in Springfield
Contact Ministries is a non-profit, faith-based, social service organization serving the greater Springfield community. It provides free on-site support services and emergency shelter to single women, women with children, families and individuals in poverty.
Contact Ministries provides:
- Referrals
- Food and clothing
- Emergency shelter and transitional housing
- Financial assistance and other programs
Call Contact Ministries at (217) 753-3939.
- Cradles to Crayons Chicago provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive — at home, at school and at play. The organization provides these items, including children’s clothing, baby clothes, shoes, diapers, car seats, toys and books, free of charge.For more information, visit Cradles to Crayons “Contact Us” page.
Crosswalk Community Action Agency
Crosswalk Community Action Agency (CCAA) offers a variety of programs and services to help individuals and families in Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson and Williamson Counties. CCAA programs address the “day-to-day” needs and help individuals work to become self-sufficient.
Programs include:
- A Diaper Program
- Emergency Services
- Energy Assistance (LIHEAP)
- Food Pantry
- Homeless Prevention Services
- Home Repair and Rehabilitation
- Home Weatherization (IHWAP)
- Scholarships
For questions, please contact CCAA Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (618) 937-3581. You can also email reception@crosswalkcaa.com anytime.
The Danny Did Foundation works toward its mission to prevent deaths caused by seizures with these main goals in mind: advancing public awareness of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), enhancing the SUDEP communication model between medical professionals and families afflicted by seizures, and mainstreaming seizure detection and prediction devices that may assist in preventing seizure-related deaths.
The Danny Did Foundation’s grant program provides financial assistance to qualifying individuals to purchase seizure detection and seizure prediction devices.
For questions, please call (800) 278-6101 or complete the online Danny Did Foundation contact form.
Dean Ritter Foundation Scholarship for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
The Dean Ritter Foundation Scholarship for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing awards scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000 annually to graduating high school seniors throughout Illinois who have severe to profound hearing impairments. Individuals with financial needs will receive special consideration, but the program does not make scholarship decisions solely on a financial basis. Application deadlines and the number and amount of scholarships vary each year.
Students must be continuing their education at an accredited university or technical school to receive tuition scholarships. They must also:
- Be an Illinois resident
- Be a senior in high school in good standing
- Have significant (severe to profound) hearing loss in one or both ears
For any questions regarding scholarships, please email deanrittertrust@gmail.com.

