Donations and Grants

Introduction

Northwestern Medicine provides financial support to designated nonprofit organizations and governmental and public entities that are working to address community needs. Two types of financial support may be requested:

  • Donation requests are considered on a rolling basis throughout the year. Donation requests are considered in amounts up to $9,999.
  • Grant awards need to be requested within a specific timeframe. Grants range from $10,000 to $50,000.

Organizations are encouraged to apply for either type of funding, but they are only eligible to receive one grant or one community donation per our fiscal year (September 1 to August 31). Funding is not guaranteed from year to year. Applicants should bundle their needs and request sufficient funds for the year. Multiple applications from one organization in a year will not be considered unless the previous applications were denied, and the new application is sufficiently different to better align with required criteria.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Community-based organization with a 501(c)(3) federal designation; or an organization with fiscal agent oversight by an established community-based organization with such designation; or a school/government agency.
  • Located in, and primarily serving, residents of a Northwestern Medicine Community Service Area. This includes the following counties (in whole or in part): Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, McHenry and Will.
  • We have shifted our focus away from event sponsorships, such as galas, annual dinners and athletic activities, and moved toward providing financial support for an identified community need. Priority is given to each hospital’s community health needs, which are determined during the Community Health Needs Assessment conducted every three years. View a complete list of priority health needs for each hospital.
  • Recipients of awards more than $250 must commit to submitting two stewardship reports:
    • A progress report on/by December 1 in the calendar year in which the funds are awarded
    • A final report upon expenditure of funds or on/by the following August 31

Donations

Donations are gifts Northwestern Medicine may award to a charitable community group or program to address needs in the community. Donations are awarded to designated nonprofit organizations, and governmental and public entities that are working to address community needs.

We typically fulfill requests that we believe will make the greatest impact on the health and well-being of communities. In your request, please describe your organization’s overall mission and vision as it relates to community health and how funding support from Northwestern Medicine will help you achieve success.

  • Donation Award Details
  • Application Process
  • Donation requests should not exceed $9,999.
  • Donations are one-time awards supporting projects that will be completed within the year.
  • The process can take an average of 45 to 60 days. If you have a strict timeline, please be sure to submit your application as soon as possible.
  • If funding is approved, a check for the approved donation will be issued to the address provided on your application. The address on your W-9 form must match your application.
Apply for a Donation
Young black men drumming

Award Spotlight

Kelly Hall YMCA in Chicago's West Humboldt Park neighborhood is using community-giving grant funding to kickstart programs for behavioral health, chronic disease prevention and nutrition.

KELLY HALL YMCA

Grants

Through the Northwestern Medicine Community Benefit Grant Program, we invest in our communities by providing direct support to local healthcare providers, social service agencies and other community organizations.

Accepting Applications: February 1 – 28
Applications Due: February 28, by midnight
Award Announcements: June 1 – 7

Meeting requests to discuss the grant proposals will not be accommodated. All materials and instructions have been provided on this site.

  • Award Details
  • Application Process
  • Grant requests should start at $10,000 and not exceed $50,000.
  • If funding is approved, a check will be issued to the address provided on your application. The address on your W-9 form must match your application.
  • A formal grant agreement will be drawn up.
  • Only one grant or donation submission per organization, per our fiscal year (September 1 to August 31) will be considered.
  • Download the application checklist.
  • Complete the Project and Budget Narrative questions in a separate document.
  • Assemble all checklist items.

Download Application Checklist


Thank you for your interest in Northwestern Medicine's Community Grants. The application period for grants for 2024 is now closed. If you have questions, please contact ContactCommunity@nm.org.

Award Recipients

Recipients of awards more than $250 must complete the stewardship report twice::

  • Once as a progress report on/by December 1 in the calendar year in which the funds are awarded.
  • A second time as a final report upon expenditure of grant funds on/by the following August 31.

Complete Stewardship Report

Contact

For questions about Grants and Community Donations:
ContactCommunity@nm.org

Note: Northwestern Medicine provides grant funding at its sole discretion and is under no obligation to award or provide financial assistance to any or all of the applications received (regardless of whether the agency has been supported in the past). All decisions and determinations regarding this program are solely reserved to that of Northwestern Medicine.