The Community Foundation for McHenry County

06/09/2026

Friday was a special day! We were honored to award a $50,000 grant to the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District to support a firefighter training facility in collaboration with the City of Woodstock.

Investments like these help ensure our local firefighters have access to the training and resources they need to serve our community safely and effectively for years to come.

This grant came from the T. Thornton Family Fund, a donor advised fund at The Community Foundation for McHenry County. We thank the Thornton family for their generous grant and their commitment to bettering McHenry County.

We are honored to work alongside donors through donor advised funds, helping them support the causes and issues they care about throughout McHenry County.

06/04/2026

The Community Foundation for McHenry County recently hosted Giving Your Way, a Women in Philanthropy gathering designed to help women reflect on their personal approach to giving and the impact they hope to make.

Presented in partnership with the Institute on Generosity and Stanford University, the evening explored innovative approaches to philanthropy, including Giving 2.0, AI’s role in donor learning and connection, and inspiring stories from local women making a difference.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this meaningful evening possible. Together, we’re strengthening McHenry County through generosity, conversation, and thoughtful action.

Read More on Women in Philanthropy - https://thecfmc.org/initiatives/women-in-philanthropy/

Learn about the Institute on Generosity - https://www.instituteongenerosity.org/

05/11/2026

Guess what! We are a check-in and pouring location for the Midsummer Wine Walk, which means if you select our location when purchasing tickets, you'll be steps away from your first pour! We also have great parking!

We hope you will join us, walk through The Community Foundation space, and admire our curated art exhibit by Nancy Merkling Productions, featuring McHenry County artists!

Tickets are live now: downtowncl.org/wine-walk

05/05/2026

We’re proud to celebrate Pam Mathison, Associate Executive Director of The Community Foundation, for her participation in Leadership Greater McHenry County (LGMC).

LGMC is an outstanding community leadership program that brings professionals from across the county together for a year of learning, growth, and service to McHenry County, creating meaningful connections and a deeper understanding of the community we serve.

As Pam enters the final months of the program, we wish her continued success and congratulate her on embracing this experience so fully. We’re grateful for the insights, relationships, and perspective she’s gained and brings back to strengthen The Community Foundation’s work in McHenry County!

05/04/2026

Celebrating Our Team’s Milestones!

At The Community Foundation for McHenry County, we’re proud to recognize and thank four incredible team members on their work anniversaries:

👏 Amy Hernon, Executive Director – 3 Years
👏 Jessica Rizza, Director of Philanthropy – 2 Years
👏 Carrie Holtz, Director of Finance – 2 Years
👏 Jake Schlicht, Manager of Grants and Scholarships – 2 Years

Please join us in celebrating their milestones. Drop your congratulations below and help us cheer them on! 🎉

05/01/2026

Ending the week feeling especially grateful for the power of community 💙

Getting to stand alongside our 2025 Transformational Grant partners, with a giant check in hand, is always a fun (and pretty powerful) moment. There’s so much energy in the room, and a real sense of connection and shared purpose, but it’s just the beginning. The real impact happens every day as organizations across McHenry County put these funds, made possible by community generosity, into action.

That’s what community foundation work is all about: connecting people who care with causes that matter to create lasting impact in McHenry County.

We’re grateful to our donors and inspired by our nonprofit partners. We look forward to sharing updates as this work continues and to awarding more community grants in 2026!

04/30/2026

The Community Foundation was honored to participate in the Service League of Crystal Lake Fashion Show, which raised funds to support the League’s mission of providing immediate resources to those in need, as well as a significant amount in student scholarships in Crystal Lake.

We are grateful for this incredible organization, which has served our community for over 100 years.

Our Executive Director, Amy Hernon, and Director of Philanthropy, Jessica Rizza, also had a wonderful time walking alongside fellow servant leaders from across the county, including a board member, an emeritus board member, and fund holders here at The Community Foundation!

Thank you, Service League, for having us and for the many ways you continue to inspire philanthropy in our community.

04/21/2026

We’re proud to share some exciting news 🎉

The Community Foundation for McHenry County has officially achieved national accreditation through the Community Foundations National Standards program. Recognizing our commitment to the highest levels of transparency, accountability, and philanthropic excellence.

This milestone means our donors and partners can continue to give with confidence, knowing CFMC meets rigorous national standards in donor services, grantmaking, investment management, and more.

Thank you to our community, donors, and partners who make this work possible!

🔗 Full article: https://thecfmc.org/2026/04/20/the-community-foundation-for-mchenry-county-achieves-national-accreditation/
🔗 Learn more about national standards: www.cfstandards.org

04/14/2026

Amy Hernon and Jessica Rizza recently attended the Illinois Local News Summit hosted by Press Forward Chicago and Press Forward Springfield, joining funders, advocates, and leaders from across the state.

Together, we explored the growing need to support local, fact-based journalism and the role philanthropy can play in sustaining it. Strong communities depend on access to trusted local news and we’re grateful to be part of the dialogue shaping its future.

Read more on our website: https://thecfmc.org/2026/04/14/illinois-local-news-submit-supporting-local-news-through-philanthropy/

04/09/2026

We’re honored to partner with MeetMcc on this transformative effort. This investment reflects the power of local philanthropy, supporting future nonprofit leaders and strengthening organizations across McHenry County. We’re grateful to help bring this vision to life!

MCC received a $150,000 Transformational Grant from The Community Foundation for McHenry County to fund paid internships over two years, fostering future nonprofit leaders. This initiative will strengthen local nonprofits and help prepare the next generation to serve McHenry County, creating a lasting, positive impact. Thanks to the Community Foundation for supporting this meaningful effort.