Grant Review Process and Scoring Criteria

The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office takes great pride in administering the Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund and is committed to a fair, transparent process that honors the fund’s purpose: awarding grants to deserving, qualified not-for-profit organizations in Illinois.

Charitable Trust grant applications are first reviewed by the Treasurer’s Office staff before final consideration by the Charitable Trust Stabilization Committee, which makes recommendations to the Illinois State Treasurer.

Applications are scored on a 100-point scale, with points awarded across several categories based on the strength of the responses. “Previous Experience,” including experience administering a program or securing funding from prior grant sources, is the most significant criterion and accounts for 25 of the 100 possible points.

The Treasurer’s Office and the Charitable Trust Stabilization Committee expect grant evaluators to follow the guidelines outlined in this document and uphold the highest ethical standards required by the Treasurer’s Office.

Category	Possible Points
Previous Experience	20
Knowledge of the Population Being Served	15
Program Design	15
Program Administration	10
Fiscal Sustainability	15
Demonstration of Need	20
Located in an Economically Depressed Area	5
Total Possible Score	100

How We Review: Previous Experience

Applicants may receive up to 20 points in this section.

As part of the application review, we will assess your organization’s prior experience, including its history, impact, and ability to manage funding. This may include factors such as how long your organization has been in operation, the results it has achieved, and its success in securing public or private grants.

Your application should clearly answer the following questions:

• What is your organization’s mission or purpose?
• How will this grant support people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?
• What experience does your organization have with this issue, topic, or population?
• What need will the grant address?
• What challenge or problem is the funding intended to solve?
• How will you measure success?
• What programs and services does your organization currently provide?

How We Review: Knowledge of the Population Being Served

Applicants may receive up to 15 points in this section.

Evaluators will assess an applicant organization based on a demonstration of understanding of the needs facing the target population in the target areas: Workforce Development, Housing, and Food Programs. This will be determined by judging the application as a whole, with additional focus on these application questions:

• Who is the target population for your organization’s grant
• What is your previous experience with this population?
• How many individuals will the program funded by this grant serve? How many do you typically serve in one year?

How We Review: Program Design

Applicants may receive up to 15 points in this section.

Evaluators will assess an applicant based on the program’s efficiency and its approach to addressing challenges and problems in the target areas: Workforce & Economic Development, Housing, and Food Programs. This will be determined by judging the application as a whole, with additional focus on these application questions:

• How many individuals will the grant serve?
• How will you evaluate the program’s success?

How We Review: Program Administration

Applicants may receive up to 10 points in this section.

Evaluators will assess an applicant organization’s ability to administer the grant effectively.  This will be determined by judging the application as a whole, with additional focus on these application questions:

• Supporting Documentation: Organization’s annual budget and proposed project budget.

How We Review: Fiscal Sustainability

Applicants may receive up to 15 points in this section.

Evaluators will assess the fiscal health and long-term fiscal stability of an applicant organization using the documentation required above.  This will be determined by judging the application as a whole, with additional focus on these application questions:

• Required Supporting Documentation: 
  • A financial statement in the form required by 14 Ill. Adm. 400.60,
  • Form IFC (for each fundraising campaign, if a professional fundraiser was used),
  • Any and all contracts with professional fundraisers,
  • Organization’s annual budget and proposed project budget,
  • Most recent and complete audited financial statements.

How We Review: Demonstration of Need

Applicants may receive up to 20 points in this section.

Scores will be based on answers to the following questions:

• What is the need for the grant, and what challenge or problem does the grant application seek to address?
• What is the grant budget, the organization’s annual budget, and the proposed project budget?

How We Review: Located in an Economically Depressed Area

Applicants may receive up to 5 points in this section.

Organizations located in communities with high poverty, high unemployment, or economic hardship will receive special consideration. You can check your location using the official U.S. Census Geocoder. Need help using it? Watch the Census Geocoder tutorial video.

Your organization may qualify if its location meets at least one of the following:

• The unemployment rate in the organization’s census tract is at least 20 percentage points higher than the state average for the most recent calendar or fiscal year, based on data from the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
• The organization is located in a census tract where at least 20% of residents live in poverty, based on the most recent U.S. Census data.
• The organization is located in a census tract in which 20% or more of households receive SNAP benefits, according to the most recent U.S. Census data.
• The organization is located in a census tract where 50% or more of children qualify for free or reduced-price school meals, according to data from the Illinois State Board of Education.