Illinois Immigration Funder Collaborative Continues to Strengthen Our Community

Since its inception in 2012, the Illinois Immigration Funder Collaborative (IFC) has grown from a handful of founders to more than 20 foundation partners and has made more than $12 million in grants to serve immigrants throughout Illinois, and the CBF is proud to have been there from the start.

The IFC was formed in 2012 by the CBF, The Chicago Community Trust, and Polk Bros. Foundation as a vehicle for coordinated foundation giving in support of the then new Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA allowed younger immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to apply for a temporary shield from the legal limbo they otherwise faced, enabling them to live and work legally in the United States. IFC originally concentrated its grantmaking on legal services that helped DACA applicants ensure their eligibility and apply for protection.

In response to the changing immigration policy environment, the purpose of IFC grew to strengthen the infrastructure for legal and other critical services for low-income immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers in Illinois. IFC’s core grants have expanded to support community outreach, advocacy, and broader immigration legal services. Occasionally, IFC has also supported special initiatives. 

Today, IFC is a strong partnership of more than 20 foundations.  IFC recently awarded grants to 34 nonprofit organizations serving immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers throughout Illinois, and to date has made over $12.2 million in grants.

2021 IFC GRANTEES

Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment (AFIRE)

Arab American Action Network

Arab American Family Services

ARISE Chicago

Beyond Legal Aid

Centro De Trabajadores Unidos Immigrant Workers Project

Centro Romero

Chicago Religious Leadership Network

Enlace Chicago

Erie Neighborhood House

The HANA Center

Hispanic American Community Education and Services (HACES)

Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR)

The Immigration Project

Immigrant Solidarity DuPage

Latinos Progresando

Latino Union

Logan Square Neighborhood Association

Mano a Mano Family Resource Center

Mujeres Latinas en Accion (Latin Women in Action)

National Immigrant Justice Center

Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors

North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic

P.A.S.O – West Suburban Action Project

RefugeeOne

Shriver Center on Poverty Law

Southwest Organizing Project

Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project

Spanish Community Center

United African Center

Vietnamese Association of Illinois

World Relief Chicagoland

YMCA at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Right

IFC FUNDING PARTNERS

Paul M. Angell Family Foundation

The Chicago Bar Foundation

The Chicago Community Trust

Chicago Foundation for Women

Crossroads Fund

Field Foundation

Healthy Communities Foundation

Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation

Julian Grace Foundation

Peter Kinney & Lisa Sandquist Foundation

Robert R. McCormick Foundation

Albert Pick Jr. Fund

Polk Bros. Foundation

John and Kathleen Schreiber Foundation

Walder Foundation

Wieboldt Foundation

Woods Fund Chicago

Three partners that prefer to be anonymous