Best Clinton County Grants for Nonprofits in Illinois

Lutheran School Mini Grants

The Foundation continues to encourage congregations to reach out to their surrounding communities through organized, effective social service outreach ministry efforts. We also recognize congregations are looking for innovative ways, outside the traditional social service outreach model, to build relationships and engage their communities.

We look to accomplish this in two ways:

• Supporting congregations as they work to engage and serve their neighbors and community through planning and program implementation grants.
• Strengthening the ability of congregations to engage in community engagement efforts through coaching assistance, mentoring, and training (through Send Me St. Louis).Examples of Possible Ministry Projects

Congregation Community Engagement is defined for this Funding Focus Area as activities, services, or efforts designed to reach out to others on a local level (St. Louis metropolitan region). Examples include both serving the immediate needs of people and efforts to engage and build relationships with the community. The focus is on bringing the care of Jesus Christ into the lives of hurting people in the community, rather than serving the congregation’s own members. This funding focus area is not meant to support “Word and Sacrament” activities.

• Health care/mental health services
• Fitness/healthy living programs
• English as a second language
• After-school mentoring/tutoring
• Social activities for seniors
• Community revitalization
• Recreation activities
• Home repair/beautification
• Partnerships with local schools/other institutions
• Social enterprise/business that benefits the community and/or creates space for relationships
• One-time events (run by the congregation) to meet a need in the community

Idea Exploration

Congregations should know what they want to do and have an idea of how to get started. If you are not at this point, coaching services to assist your congregation are offered through Lutheran Foundation’s relationship with Send Me St. Louis. Services include coaching and guidance on:

• mapping the congregation’s and community’s assets, 
• researching opportunities for social service outreach ministry, and/or
• planning for a social service outreach ministry.

There are no grant deadlines for the Congregation Mini Grants. Application can be made at any time of the year.

United Way of Greater St. Louis

Our Mission: The United Way of Greater St. Louis mission is to mobilize the community with one goal in mind – helping people live their best possible lives. We unite people, resources and funding to help build strong and equitable communities where everyone can thrive.

Safety Net

United Way’s Safety Net is a collaborative network of agencies that deliver an array of essential direct services to address the region’s most pressing needs, helping families and individuals remain and work toward stability. Safety Net agencies provide direct services that address basic, urgent needs – such as access to food and housing— as well as supports that help move individuals and families toward stability, including education, health and well-being, workforce access, and financial mobility.

Safety Net Funding

United Way of Greater St. Louis is now accepting applications for its Safety Net Funding cycle and invites all eligible agencies across its 16-county region in Missouri and Illinois, including those not currently receiving United Way funding, to apply. United Way equips 160 local nonprofits with vital funding and training resources to support measurable impact across its five impact areas. Organizations selected will receive a three-year contract and become part of the UWGSL member agency network.

United Way’s Impact Areas

• Basic Needs 
• Community Stability and Crisis Response 
• Early Childhood and Youth Success 
• Health and Wellbeing 
• Jobs and Financial Mobility 

While needs are great across the five impact areas, United Way will use data derived from its landscape analysis of community needs to inform how service areas will be prioritized to ensure the region has access to a strong and resilient network as needs arise.