Guidelines And Procedures First Time Applicants Apply Here – Returning and Approved New Applicants close menu Apply Here – Returning and Approved New Applicants 1Section One:General Information2Section Two:Organizational Information3Section Three:Program Information4Section Four:Addressing Needs Related to the 2022 Highland Park Shooting5Section Five:Assurances and Signatures Section One: General Information deadlines. No exceptions. First-time Applicant Letter of Interest to Apply for an Annual Grant: 5 PM Central time on April 15, 2026 Grant Application (including Supplemental Information): 5 PM Central time on July 15, 2026 first time applicants Definition Applicants who: An organization that has never applied for an HPCF Annual Grant, an organization whose last request for an Annual Grant was denied, or an organization that has not received a HPCF grant within the past three years. Letter of Interest HPCF requires all first-time applicants to submit a one-page letter of interest to apply for an Annual Grant by 5 PM Central time on April 15, 2026. The letter should provide a very brief description of the organization and identify the need(s) in the community that the grant would address, the target population, and the cost of the service or program (“program”) to be funded. A copy of the organization’s 501(c)(3) certification or information about the organization’s fiscal agency or governmental status if it is not a 501(c)(3); the name of the organization’s leader, Executive Director, or CEO; and contact information for the supervisor of the program(s) for which funding is sought should also be provided. The Foundation will review each letter of interest and notify all first-time applicants as to whether they have been approved to submit a grant application by 5 PM Central time on May 14, 2026. Additional information for first-time applicants can be found at https://hpcfil.org/first-time-applicants/ supplemental materials In addition to completing the online application, please email a single pdf containing the supplemental materials listed below to info@hpcfil.org by 5 PM Central time on July 15, 2026. Please do not send any supplemental materials by postal mail. Supplemental Materials 501(c)(3) certificate or IRS Determination Letter; information about the organization’s fiscal agency or governmental status if the applicant is not a 501(c)(3) If applicable, Form 990 for the last fiscal year and Form AG990-IL, Illinois Charitable Organization Annual Report Audited financial statements for the most recently completed fiscal year or, if an audit was not done, unaudited financial statements (last 3 years for first-time applicants) Organizational budget for current fiscal year, either using the form that can be downloaded here or in the organization’s own format: downloaded here Budget information for the program for which funding Is requested, using the form that can be downloaded here: downloaded here other After July 15, 2026, all grant applicants will be assigned a HPCF Board liaison with whom they will meet to discuss their application. HPCF provides funding support only for specific programs and services. It does not provide grants for operating expenses, debt reduction, pass-through grants, interim or bridge funding, fundraising activities or events, endowments, private foundations or political activities. To ensure that both victims and the broader community continue to receive the support and services they need related to the 2022 Highland Park Shooting, effective January 1, 2025, HPCF has integrated support for recovery-related services into its Annual Grants Program. Organizations seeking funding for recovery-related services should complete Section Four of this application. Additional information and grant details can be found at https://hpcfil.org/guidelines-and-procedures/ Please be concise and avoid repetition in your answers. In this regard, for some applicants, the answers to some of the questions regarding the program for which they are requesting funding will replicate their answers about the organization. If this is true for your organization, simply note that in your application. There is no reason to enter the information a second time. All applications must be submitted online via this website. To proceed, click Next below. You may start and save your application online. You will receive a link to return and complete the form. BE SURE TO SAVE THE LINK in a place where you will be able to find it. ALSO NOTE: The link will expire after 30 days at which point you will have to re-enter your responses. All grants will be issued via ACH transfer. Grant recipients will be required to provide their ACH account information for the processing of their awards. Section Two: Organizational InformationGrant ApplicantName of OrganizationOrganization Address Street Address Address Line 2 CityStateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingZip/Postal CodeWebsite Year of FormationGrant Application ContactName First Last TitlePhoneEmail Enter Email Confirm Email Please mark all that apply to the grant applicantEntity Nonprofit 501(c)(3) Organization Governmental entity Other (please explain) please provide EIN*OtherBriefly provide information about the following1. The organization and the programs or services it provides2. Mission statement3. Organizational goals for the year4. Specific financial and operational challenges or changes the organization has faced within the last three years5. Anticipated financial and operational challenges or changes the organization may face in the near future6. Collaborative efforts with other community organizations7. The organization’s use of volunteers8. How the organization qualitatively and quantitatively measures the effectiveness of its activitiesPrior Grant FundingIf your organization received an HPCF Annual Grant in 2025:What was the grant award amount?What amount, if any, remains unspent?If your organization did not apply for or receive a 2025 Annual Grant but received an Annual Grant in 2024:What was the 2024 grant award amount?What amount, if any, remains unspent? Section Three: Program InformationPlease indicate the number of programs for which the organization is seeking funding through this application1234Please provide the following information1. Program title2. Program date(s)3. Program Supervisor Contact (name, email, phone)4. Funding amount Requested5. Program description and purpose6. Population(s) the program will reach (please be specific, e.g., seniors, youth, minorities, low income, etc.)7. Number of Highland Park and Highwood residents the program will serve as well as the number of residents from other communities it will serve8. Needs the program will address9. How long the program has been in operation10. How long the organization expects the program to last11. Funding sources that will support the program (please include significant funders and amounts, and briefly explain why additional funding is needed)12. What the organization will do if the grant request is denied or only partially funded13. How the program will be evaluated14. Additional comments (optional)Please provide the following information regarding Program #21. Program title2. Program date(s)3. Program Supervisor Contact (name, email, phone)4. Funding amount Requested5. Program description and purpose6. Population(s) the program will reach (please be specific, e.g., seniors, youth, minorities, low income, etc.)7. Number of Highland Park and Highwood residents the program will serve as well as the number of residents from other communities it will serve8. Needs the program will address9. How long the program has been in operation10. How long the organization expects the program to last11. Funding sources that will support the program (please include significant funders and amounts, and briefly explain why additional funding is needed)12. What the organization will do if the grant request is denied or only partially funded13. How the program will be evaluated14. Additional comments (optional)Please provide the following information regarding Program #31. Program title2. Program date(s)3. Program Supervisor Contact (name, email, phone)4. Funding amount Requested5. Program description and purpose6. Population(s) the program will reach (please be specific, e.g., seniors, youth, minorities, low income, etc.)7. Number of Highland Park and Highwood residents the program will serve as well as the number of residents from other communities it will serve8. Needs the program will address9. How long the program has been in operation10. How long the organization expects the program to last11. Funding sources that will support the program (please include significant funders and amounts, and briefly explain why additional funding is needed)12. What the organization will do if the grant request is denied or only partially funded13. How the program will be evaluated14. Additional comments (optional)Please provide the following information regarding Program #41. Program title2. Program date(s)3. Program Supervisor Contact (name, email, phone)4. Funding amount Requested5. Program description and purpose6. Population(s) the program will reach (please be specific, e.g., seniors, youth, minorities, low income, etc.)7. Number of Highland Park and Highwood residents the program will serve as well as the number of residents from other communities it will serve8. Needs the program will address9. How long the program has been in operation10. How long the organization expects the program to last11. Funding sources that will support the program (please include significant funders and amounts, and briefly explain why additional funding is needed)12. What the organization will do if the grant request is denied or only partially funded13. How the program will be evaluated14. Additional comments (optional) Section Four: Addressing Needs Related to the 2022 Highland Park ShootingThis field is hidden when viewing the formAddressing Needs Related to the 2022 Highland Park ShootingIn addition to the funding requested above, applicants may seek funding to assist with the continued recovery of those impacted by the Highland Park Shooting.Please indicate whether your organization seeks additional funding for this purpose: Yes No If yes, please provide the following information: 1. Whether the organization received the following:a. a July 4th Highland Park Shooting Response Fund grant: Yes No Other b. a 2023 Highland Park Shooting Recovery Fund grant: Yes No Other c. a 2024 Highland Park Shooting Recovery Fund grant: Yes No Other 2. Funding amount requested3. Description of program or services to be provided4. The number of people and populations the funding will serve Section Five: Assurances and SignaturesIf a grant is awarded, the applicant assures that the funds will be administered by the applicant; that any funds received under this grant will be used solely for the described activities; that the applicant has read and will conform to HPCF’s grant requirements; and that the undersigned is duly authorized to represent the applicant organization.Name and Title of Executive Director or Chief OfficialName First Last TitleDate MM slash DD slash YYYY Name and Title of Person Submitting Grant ApplicationName* First Last Title*Email* Enter Email Confirm Email Phone*Date* MM slash DD slash YYYY Guidelines And Procedures First Time Applicants Apply Here – Returning and Approved New Applicants
