The Shulman Jewish Education & Life Grants are made possible by an estate gift from Dr. Sol Shulman, a former professor of chemistry at Illinois State University who served for 23 years before his passing in December 2010. These grants focus on supporting Jewish educational initiatives, Jewish-themed arts, music, and theater programs, as well as Jewish cultural enrichment efforts within DeWitt, McLean, Livingston, and Logan counties in Illinois. Eligible programs must be open to all and may include initiatives such as books for libraries, lectures, school curricula, and other educational resources. Preference is given to programs that serve larger populations rather than smaller, niche groups.

The application window for the 2025 grant cycle is open from February 1 to February 28, 2025. All applications must be submitted through the online grant portal, as paper applications will not be accepted. Organizations applying for a Shulman Grant may not submit the same program for funding under the IPCF General or IPCF/Mirza Arts & Culture Grants, which run concurrently. However, applicants may submit multiple applications under different grant categories if the proposed programs are distinct and meet the specific criteria for each category.

Approximately $33,000 in total funding is available for distribution through multiple grants. Grant funds may support new or existing programs but must align with the grant’s Jewish educational and cultural focus. Applicants are required to use a specific budget document developed by the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation (IPCF) Grants Committees, which is available for download through the online application portal. The submission deadline is February 28, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. (Central Time), at which point the application system will automatically close.

Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by the end of April 2025. Grant awards will be distributed beginning in May 2025, and funding must be utilized within the grant period from June 1, 2025, through May 31, 2026. Organizations receiving funding will be required to sign a Grant Agreement via the grant portal, with approval from their Executive Director, CEO, or President of the Board.

To be eligible, applicants must be tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, operate under a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status, be a local government entity, or be a tax-exempt religious organization recognized by the IRS. Programs must be available to residents of at least one of the four eligible counties and must adhere to all applicable anti-discrimination laws. Organizations that have previously received funding from IPCF must be current on all required grant Final Reports. The application must be approved by the Executive Director, CEO, or President of the Board of the applying organization.

The grant does not fund non-program-related expenses, endowment campaigns, annual fundraising events, capital improvements, conference or continuing education expenses, or scholarships. Applicants can begin the application process by accessing the online grant portal at https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=ipcf. For questions, applicants may contact Michele Evans, Grants & Communications Director at Illinois Prairie Community Foundation, at 309-662-4477 or mevans@ilprairiecf.org.