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ANCHOR Grants – (Advancing Neighborhood & Community Health, Opportunity & Resilience) Application & Details

We are excited to announce the fifth year of our ANCHOR Grants (Advancing Neighborhood & Community Health, Opportunity & Resilience). Proposals will be considered from both new partnerships and partnerships funded in previous years.

Northwestern is committing more than $500,000 annually to support collaborative projects in our home communities of Evanston and Chicago. Our goal is to foster mutually beneficial partnerships between community-based organizations and Northwestern University representatives, working to address longstanding social, economic, and structural barriers. By combining resources and expertise, we aim to enhance the well-being and opportunities for communities in need.

We invite you to apply for an ANCHOR Grant and join us in developing sustainable, community-focused solutions that enrich the lives of those we serve.

Partnership Grants were officially opened on Monday, November 25th.

What We Fund

Generally, up to 10 grants of $25,000 to $75,000 for community-based organization/Northwestern partnerships, with funds primarily allocated to the community-based organization.

The Northwestern partner can be funded for up to 25% of the total grant, particularly for stipends for students or other staff or faculty engagement in the project.

Who Should Apply

Projects that already have a community-based organization/Northwestern partnership in place OR can establish a working community-based organization/Northwestern relationship.

Previous Grant Recipients

  1. Eligibility for Successive Applications
    • Previous grant recipients may submit a subsequent application for the same project for one additional grant cycle.
    • Should the second application for the same project be approved, the request should be for no more than 80% of the initial grant award.
  2. Application for the ANCHOR Grant
    • Previous grant recipients are eligible to apply for the Racial Equity and Community Partnership Grant for a third time, but the project proposals must have a different focus area than the previous two applications.

Purpose

Work on a project that fosters lasting community improvements and addresses social and economic disparities.

  • Co-create and/or co-lead as a team (community-based organization and Northwestern representatives)

How to Apply

Grants will be selected through a two-stage process, including a Letter of Interest (LOI) and a full proposal for those invited to move forward.

Letter of Interest

To submit your LOI, please visit the Evanston Community Foundation grant portal (you may need to create an account).

When submitting your LOI, please address the following points:

1. Project Concept:

  •  Describe your idea: Is it a new concept, or does it build on existing work within your organization?
  • Community Impact: Which community or communities do you plan to serve, and how does your idea address the challenges or disparities they face (e.g., social, economic, or other structural barriers)?

2. Partnership Overview:

  • Key Collaborators: Introduce the community-based organization and the Northwestern representative(s).
  • Roles & Expertise: What unique perspectives or expertise does each partner bring, and how will you collaborate to advance the project’s goals?

3. Addressing Systemic Barriers:

  • Context & Obstacles: Explain the primary barriers or issues in your community—such as economic hardship, limited access to resources, or other systemic challenges—that this project aims to address.
  • Proposed Solutions: How will your project help reduce or remove these obstacles to promote greater well-being and opportunity?

4. Project Goals & Outcomes:

  • One-Year Milestones: What do you hope to accomplish with one year of funding, and how will you measure progress?
  • Defining Success: How will you determine whether your project has been successful at the end of that year, and what long-term impact do you envision?

5. Partnership Details:

  • Status of Collaboration: Is your partnership fully established, or are you still developing this relationship?
  • Mutual Benefit: Describe how both the community-based organization and the Northwestern representative stand to benefit from this collaboration. Why is this partnership meaningful to both parties?

You must submit the LOI to the portal by January 24, 2025.

Information Session

Learn more about our ANCHOR Grants – (Advancing Neighborhood & Community Health, Opportunity & Resilience) by registering for the Information Session.

Wednesday, December 18, 2024, 12-1PM

Register Here

Full Proposal

If your idea is invited to the full proposal stage, we will ask your team to explain your vision further, including the proposed budget and work plan.

Final proposals are due by March 14, 2025.


Apply through the grants portal

Application Timeline

  1. Apply for a partnership grant. Community-based organizations or Northwestern students, faculty, or staff are invited to submit a Letter of Interest (LOI) beginning November 25, 2024 to our online application system. This is a simple application that asks for you to describe your idea. LOIs are due by January 24, 2025.
  2. Our committee will reviewed the LOIs and selected applications to move to the second stage.
  3. Those selected to continue will complete a final, full proposal and submit it. Full grant application proposals open February 10, 2025 and will be due by March 14, 2025.
  4. We will announce grantees in May 2025.
  5. The grant cycle will run from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. We will distribute the first half of funding after the grant agreement is signed; the second half will be distributed after completion of a mid-term report.

Questions?

Check out our ANCHOR Grants FAQ

FAQ