building the future

The Foundation is truly excited to announce a new major gifts matching challenge and coaching program, Building the Future, a two year program offers a major gift challenge up to $25,000, along with six training sessions and 18 hours of individual coaching with an experienced development consultant.

the program

Building the Future is an exciting major gifts challenge and coaching program, funded through an anonymous donor advised fund at ECF. Building the Future is a two year program in which up to six organizations work in a cohort. In six training sessions and six peer learning sessions. Each organization also receives 18 hours of individual coaching with an experienced development consultant, and a matching major gift challenge of up to $25,000.

The first cohort were selected in late 2017 and worked together through November 2019. In total, they raised $135,000 in new and increased major gifts and developed skills to continue to successfully attract and retain investors in their important work. They are Books & Breakfast, Cherry Preschool, Curt’s Café, Infant Welfare Society of Evanston, Learning Bridge Early Childhood Center, and Mudlark Theater.

Applications were invited for a new cohort from targeted organizations in fall 2019. Six organizations have been chosen for the second offering of this program from 2020-2021.They will announce their challenges sometime in 2020.

seven successes and counting

Since 2010, seven organizations have successfully completed a Partners for the Future Challenge. The most recent was Youth Job Center, who raised $100,000 over 2018-19. They were preceded by the James B. Moran Center in 2016-2017, Evanston Scholars in 2015-16, Center for Independent Futures in 2014-15, Impact Behavioral Health Partners in 2013-14, Connections for the Homeless in 2011-12, and the YWCA Evanston/North Shore in 201—11.