Strategic Vision
The Foundation for Northwest Illinois
OUR MISSION
Inspiring Donors and Empowering Community Partners for a Stronger Northwest Illinois.
OUR VALUES
- Collaboration & Innovation
- Integrity & Transparency
- Equity & Inclusiveness
OUR VISION
Stronger, Together.
We envision a flourishing Northwest Illinois defined by a culture of generosity with healthy, impact driven nonprofit organizations and collaborative relationships built on a foundation of trust and a desire to elevate our region for the common good.
OUR IMPACT STRATEGY
While all community partners strive for abetter future, no single organization can do it alone. Collaborative effort among multiple stakeholders is necessary to achieve and maintain a stronger Northwest Illinois. Our impact strategy
focuses on The Foundation for Northwest Illinois’ role to engage and partner with various stakeholders to create a long-term vision for a flourishing Northwest Illinois.
We drive progress in our strategic priorities in our work with donors, nonprofit organizations, and other community partners
OUR 3 INTERCONNECTED PRIORITIES
- Cultivating Communities
- Strenghthening Nonprofits
- Broadening Resources
OUR ACTIONS
- Listen with humility to all community voices to better understand needs.
- Nurture a robust culture of philanthropy.
- Foster a thriving culture of volunteerism.
- Facilitate sharing of community insights and efforts to equitably address needs, serving as a bridge between nonprofit organizations (NPOs), donors, civic organizations, and the corporate sector.
- Engage a wide, inclusive array of donors and community partners and strengthen charitable giving with intentional interactions.
- Build relationships with regional NPOs and strengthen their capacity to deliver on their mission.
- Convene partners to foster collaboration to enhance community impact.
OUR STRAGETIC DIRECTION
PRIORITY: Cultivating Communities
• Data Gathering & Community Needs Assessments
• Learning Together: Convenings and Collaborations
• Strategic Marketing of NPO Impact on Communities
PRIORITY: Strengthening Nonprofit Organizations
• Nonprofit Educational Resources through Northwest Illinois
Nonprofit Alliance (NINA)
• Strategic Granting Initiatives
• Proactive Engagement with Regional Nonprofit Leadership
PRIORITIY: Broadening Resources
• Foster a Philanthropic Mindset throughout Region
• Fund Growth & Development; Broaden financial resource
base
• Proactive Outreach with Potential and Existing Donors
• Expand Audiences and Increase Opportunities
• Inspire Donor Connectedness to Causes
OUR STRAGETIC GOALS
Goal 1: Support of nonprofits and programs that have clear community impact.
While mindful of community-specific needs, we will work toward further support of nonprofits and programs that have clear community impact. We will consider proactive support of modestly sized collaborative programs and consider seed funding for innovative programs.
Goal 2: Expand strategies for developiong existing donor relationships and reaching new donors
The Foundation will continue to build our unrestricted funds,
necessary to meet pressing community needs. We will leverage our relationship with donors, partnering with them to strategically develop a growing donor network. We will deepen our relationships with community leaders and build a network of professional advisors.
Goal 3: Explore and pursue opportunities to collaborate with other funders and community leaders.
Building on the power of collaboration, we will pursue work with regional and national funders and donors to more formally strategize efforts toward addressing regional needs. We will continue to convene conversations around these needs and work collectively toward solutions.
Goal 4: Reinforce The Foundation’s communications strategy.
We will bolster our message that philanthropy is for everyone and valued at all giving levels. We will work with our communities to build a culture of volunteerism. We will
widely promote the work of The Foundation including our
collaborative relationships, the work funded through our granting program, and the resources for NPO growth and
development available through the Northwest Illinois
Nonprofit Alliance.
Goal 5: Grow organizational capacity to support the growing impact of The Foundation.
The Foundation will expand organizational capacity as
necessitated by growth and opportunity, providing necessary training and continue planning for the future of the organization and its leadership. We will continue to foster a well-functioning Board of Directors that represents the community in many facets, including geography, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and sexual orientation.