Welcome to the Circle of Service Foundation!
Circle of Service is a private foundation that makes grants to support great organizations to enhance community, opportunity and well-being. We believe that challenge grants are powerful tools in the fundraising toolboxes of the organizations we support, and strategies from our grant recipients confirm this. Accordingly, most of our grants have a challenge component.
We welcome grant applications both for specific programs and for general operating support. Each of our grants generally can be categorized in one of our focus areas. After reviewing the information below, if you are not sure if you fit into our focus areas, please contact us.
Community Services
Our Community Services program supports organizations in Cook County and Lake County, Illinois that help individuals become self-reliant or that help individuals who are unable to help themselves.
Education
Our Education program supports organizations that enhance educational opportunities for low-income youth in Cook County and Lake County, Illinois to enable them to lead productive lives. We are currently not accepting applications from individual charter schools or charter management organizations.
Jewish Community
Our Jewish Community program supports organizations that honor the past and strengthen the future of the Jewish Community. Jewish Community grants to organizations outside Cook County and Lake County, Illinois are by invitation only.
Medical Research
Our Medical Research program supports organizations that seek to advance scientific and medical research focused on the diagnosis, prevention, treatment and cure of cancer and other diseases. Medical Research grants are by invitation only.
Additional Information
Capital Campaigns
Circle of Service does not accept unsolicited applications for capital grants. If you currently have a grant from us and you wish to apply for a capital grant, please contact your Program Officer.
Deadlines
Circle of Service considers grant applications on a rolling basis, and, unless we have told you otherwise, we do not have specific deadlines for grant applications. Most grant applicants will hear from us within 90-120 days of the application date. Further, given our challenge grant orientation, we strongly encourage you to consider your fundraising calendar when determining when to apply for a grant. If you are a current grantee, you can apply for a new grant 90 days before your grant term ends. Please note that you need to submit a Final Report before submitting a new application.
To learn more, please review FAQs and our application process.
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