The Hulsebosch Hope Foundation (HHF) provides program grants to mid-sized, growth-oriented 501(c)(3) public charities based in the City of Chicago. With a mission to expand opportunity and enhance quality of life in under-resourced communities, HHF focuses especially on organizations serving the city’s south and west sides. Grants awarded through this program range from $10,000 to $20,000 annually, and the final amount is based on the organization’s history with HHF, alignment with focus areas, and the foundation’s annual grant budget.

HHF is guided by three primary focus areas: Good Health & Well-Being, Quality Education, and Meaningful Work & Economic Growth. Within these domains, the foundation supports a wide range of programming including preventive pediatric healthcare, trauma-informed mental health services, early childhood education, afterschool programs during the school year, workforce training for underserved groups, entrepreneurship support, and financial literacy efforts. All funded programs must primarily serve under-resourced populations in Chicago.

The 2025 application process is structured in two phases. Returning grantees can apply directly during the March 12 to May 7, 2025 application window. New applicants must first complete a “Prospective Grantee Application Survey” by April 30, 2025. HHF will review surveys and notify selected applicants by June 2, 2025, inviting them to submit full applications by July 11, 2025. Site visits for selected organizations will take place between mid-July and mid-September. Grant award notifications will be issued by October 1, 2025, with funds distributed upon completion of a Grant Award Agreement later that month.

To be eligible, new applicants must be a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) public charity with a 2024 operating budget between $150,000 and $5,000,000. They must demonstrate a commitment to increasing their impact in underserved communities and present a program aligned with HHF’s specified funding priorities. HHF does not fund weekend-only or summer-only programs, mentorship programs, organizations without trained clinical staff for mental health services, national nonprofit chapters, or those not primarily serving underserved communities. It also does not support deficit reduction or funding requests solely focused on producing materials or events.

More details and the application survey can be accessed on the foundation’s website, and organizations are encouraged to follow HHF on LinkedIn or Instagram for updates. For direct inquiries, applicants should refer to the Contact Us section of the foundation’s website.