The Community Foundation of Will County

What The Community Foundation of Will County does

The Community Foundation of Will County (CFWC) is a 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 2006 in Frankfort, Illinois, operating as a geographic affiliate of The Chicago Community Trust. Its stated mission is to promote philanthropy, connect donors to community needs, and build partnerships that improve quality of life across Will County. The foundation manages charitable assets in three primary structures: donor advised funds for individuals, families, corporations, and special community projects; permanent endowment funds established for nonprofit agencies and organizations; and pass-through giving vehicles. It also administers the Joliet Region Education Scholarship Fund (established 2013), which has awarded more than 300 scholarships to local students.

CFWC's core "products" are community-impact services rather than technology platforms: an annual Community Partner Grants cycle that distributed 15 grants totaling more than $132,000 in 2025 (up from 9 grants at $86,126 in 2019), planned-giving and estate-planning services via its Legacy Society, professional-advisor resources for attorneys and wealth managers, and since 2025 a Qualified Community Foundation designation enabling a 25% Illinois state income tax credit on qualified endowment contributions (capped at $100,000 per donor per year). Underlying operations are supported by pooled investment management, a standard donor portal (cfwill.fcsuite.com), event-based engagement (Business After Hours, Gratitude Awards), and multi-channel donor communications across web, email, and social platforms. The foundation does not charge direct fees publicly; operating revenue is implied to be derived from administrative fees on managed assets, but no revenue or AUM figures are disclosed.

The go-to-market motion is community-led and relationship-driven. CFWC serves four primary personas — individual and family donors, professional advisors, Will County nonprofit agencies, and corporate donors — through direct outreach, advisor referral networks (with Board Chair Matt Schimanski from Edward Jones anchoring the financial-advisor channel), and sponsored events. Notable corporate partners include Amazon ($500,000 workforce development grant in 2021), Edward Jones, ExxonMobil, Southern Glazers, and Sentinus. The foundation employed approximately 6 staff as of the most recent data and is led by Executive Director Lisa Corrao (since March 2022) and Development Director Sheila Sasso (since 2025). Geographic scope is intentionally narrow: Will County, Illinois only, with no expansion outside the county indicated.

Name

The Community Foundation of Will County

Legal name

The Community Foundation of Will County

Website

https://willcountycf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Community Foundation of Will County is a 501(c)(3) public charity in Frankfort, Illinois that manages donor advised funds, permanent endowments, and community grants for donors, professional advisors, and nonprofits across Will County. It is a designated Qualified Community Foundation under the Illinois Gives Tax Credit Act.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Philanthropic Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH), Endowments (Universities, Foundations, Nonprofits) (FSAAAGAC)

Keywords

• Community foundation services
• Donor advised funds
• Charitable endowment management
• Community grantmaking
• Planned giving services

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfort

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Endowment Fund Management: The foundation manages permanent endowment funds for donors, with investment income used to promote philanthropic purposes. Donors can make qualified contributions to endowment funds and receive Illinois state tax credits.
2. Donor Advised Funds: Manages charitable funds for individuals, corporations, area organizations, and special community projects through donor advised fund structures.
3. Agency/Organization Endowment Funds: Holds various nonprofit agency and organization endowment funds, providing administrative services and investment management.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Community Foundation of Will County manages permanent endowment funds and donor advised funds for individuals, families, corporations, and nonprofit organizations in Will County, Illinois. It provides charitable giving vehicles, professional investment management, planned giving and estate planning services, and distributes annual competitive Community Partner Grants to local nonprofits in health, education, human services, and the arts. As a Qualified Community Foundation under the Illinois Gives Tax Credit Act, it offers donors a 25% Illinois state income tax credit on qualified endowment contributions.

Product overview

The Community Foundation of Will County operates as a single, unified philanthropic services organization rather than a platform-with-modules architecture. The foundation's core offerings center on donor advised funds for charitable giving, annual community partner grants to local nonprofits, and estate planning services including charitable bequests and the Legacy Society recognition program. The Illinois Gives Tax Credit program, newly designated in 2025 as a Qualified Community Foundation, enables donors to receive state income tax benefits. Professional advisor services support wealth managers and attorneys in guiding clients' charitable strategies. The foundation also administers the Joliet Region Education Scholarship Fund for local students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Donor Advised Funds Charitable funds where donors can recommend grants to qualified charitable organizations while the foundation handles administration, investment management, and compliance. Used by individuals, families, corporations, and area organizations seeking a flexible giving vehicle.
• Community Partner Grants Annual competitive grant program supporting nonprofits in Will County in priority areas of health, education, human services, and the arts. Helps recipient organizations expand existing programming and build capacity.
• Illinois Gives Tax Credit Program State income tax credit program allowing Illinois taxpayers who make qualified contributions to endowment funds held by the foundation to receive a 25% state income tax credit, up to $100,000 per year.
• Legacy Society Estate planning recognition program for donors who have included the foundation in their wills, trusts, or other planned giving arrangements.
• Charitable Bequests and Gift Vehicles Various charitable bequest vehicles including unrestricted bequests, restricted bequests, endowment bequests, and named fund bequests for donors to structure their planned gifts.
• Professional Advisor Services Resources and consultation services for attorneys, accountants, estate planners, and wealth managers to help clients achieve charitable giving goals, including customized presentations on tax and estate laws.
• Joliet Region Education Scholarship Fund Scholarship fund providing awards to local students in grades 4 through 8, with awards based on teacher recommendations and personal essays. Over 300 scholarships awarded since 2013.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1.5 million in grants awarded to Will County nonprofits since 2006
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• The Chicago Community TrustflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation was founded as a geographic Affiliate of The Chicago Community Trust in 2006. It serves as a local resource for donors and professional advisors, implementing charitable strategies through donor advised funds and other planning vehicles.
• Edward JonescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond level sponsor of foundation events and activities, including the Gratitude Award whiskey tasting event. Matt Schimanski from Edward Jones serves as Board Chair.
• SentinuscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor of foundation events. Provided sponsorship for the 2017 Grant Awards Reception and other activities.
• Southern Glazers Wine & SpiritscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor and raffle sponsor for the 2023 Gratitude Award whiskey tasting event.
• ExxonMobilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor of foundation activities.
• Hometown National BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor of foundation events.
• Heart Haven OutreachminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor of foundation events.
• AscensionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsor of foundation activities.
• Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR)coreOthersThrough the MyTax Illinois portal, IDOR issues Contribution Authorization Certificates (CAC) and Certificate of Receipt (COR) for the Illinois Gives Tax Credit program, enabling donors to claim the 25% state income tax credit.
• Lewis UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. David Livingston, President of Lewis University, serves as Chair of the Workforce Development Advisory Committee. Lewis University hosted the 10th Anniversary Celebration in 2016.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Fidelity Charitable: The largest U.S. donor advised fund sponsor; competes for the same Illinois-based HNW donor pool CFWC serves, but with national scale, lower-cost digital interface, and broader investment menu.
• Schwab Charitable: National donor advised fund sponsor that competes for the same donor-advised giving dollars as community foundations; relevant comparable for benchmarking DAF economics and donor acquisition approaches.
• National Philanthropic Trust: Large-scale donor advised fund and philanthropic infrastructure provider; competes with CFWC for HNW donors seeking national giving vehicles and administrative sophistication.
• The Chicago Community Trust: CFWC's parent affiliate and one of the largest community foundations in the Midwest; highly comparable as it operates the same donor advised fund and endowment management model, but at vastly greater scale and broader geographic reach.

Regional players

• Grand Victoria Foundation: Illinois-based philanthropy focused on the Fox River Valley region; comparable as a regional grantmaking body, though with a broader geographic remit and different funding source (riverboat gaming revenues).

Emerging players

• Telligen Community Foundation: Iowa-based regional community foundation with a health-and-education mission focus; comparable in scale and rural/suburban county scope, though operating in a different geography.

Direct peers

• Community Foundation of McHenry County: A fellow suburban Illinois community foundation affiliate of The Chicago Community Trust; operates with a similar county-bounded model, donor advised funds, and competitive grant cycle — making it a structurally close comparable.
• Kane County Community Foundation: County-bounded community foundation serving Kane County, Illinois, with parallel products (DAFs, scholarships, competitive grants); one of the most directly comparable peers in terms of mission and operating model.
• DuPage Foundation: Suburban Illinois community foundation offering donor advised funds, endowments, and competitive grantmaking; directly comparable in mission, scale, and target donor base as a Chicago-area county foundation.
• Community Foundation of Lake County: Another Chicago Community Trust affiliate community foundation serving Lake County; same affiliate structure, governance model, and grantmaking approach, differing primarily in geographic focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CF_Will_County
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@willcountycf
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheWillCountyCommunityFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-will-county-community-foundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Community Foundation of Will County