our mission
Helping Evanston thrive as a vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community. The Evanston Community Foundation builds, connects, and distributes resources and knowledge through local organizations for the common good.
our principles
we listen first
Listening first opens space for ECF to participate in, collaborate on, or develop programs and services that are inclusive and responsive to the community.
sustainability is critical
Both ECF and the nonprofits serving Evanston must be sustainable – financially and programmatically – to continue addressing our challenges, now and in the future.
we focus on equity
Equity is both a process and an outcome. We commit to applying an equity framework to our work to get to the root of our community’s challenges.
our leadership is in service to the community
We seek to create opportunities with Evanston’s residents, nonprofits, civic organizations, and businesses to best serve our community, together.
our goals
The Evanston Community Foundation will focus our work to support
- an Evanston that is inclusive and equitable for all (CRE, G, LE),*
- an empowered and engaged community that collaborates across sectors to define problems and work on solutions (CRE, G, LE),
- a thriving non-profit sector (CB, G, LE), and
- the long-term sustainability of ECF.
*The areas of the Foundation that will make investments toward these goals:
Capacity Building (CB), Community & Resident Engagement (CRE), Grantmaking (G), Leadership Evanston (LE), Philanthropic Engagement (PE)