What is NextGen Leaders in Philanthropy?

NextGen Leaders is a giving group for emerging professionals and philanthropists in the Oak Park-River Forest area, whose mission is to make a positive impact on the community and to develop its members into lifelong philanthropists.

Each spring, through an innovative video grant making process, we award capacity-building grants for small organizations or projects with operating budgets of less than $1,000,000 to increase their operational effectiveness and bring them to the next level of growth.

It is our hope that through organic membership growth, we will expand our Funds and presence in the community as one of its long-standing philanthropic contributors.

Join NextGen Leaders in Philanthropy to…

• Collaborate with a diverse network of emerging professionals
• Engage in social and fundraising events
• Directly participate in our grant-awarding process

2019 Grant Recipients

NextGen Leaders in Philanthropy is pleased to announce this year's grant recipients:

We award small capacity building grants (up to $2,000) to organizations or projects with operating budgets of less than $1M that serve Oak Park-River Forest and our immediate surrounding communities.

Advisory Committee (3 meetings)

• determine overall strategy for group
• recruit new members
• elect committee officers
• review fund performance
• approve grant recommendations
• meet quarterly

Grants Sub-Committee (4 meetings)

• develop criteria for award and selection
• complete initial screening of proposals; determine final candidates
• review previous years’ awardees progress
• meet bi-monthly
• members at large may volunteer

Social & Fundraising Event Sub-Committee (4 planning meetings)

• plan fun quarterly social and philanthropic events
• recruit speakers
• meet bi-monthly
• members at large may volunteer

• Jennifer Convey, Senior Associate Consultant at Giving Tree Associates
  
• Judy Conway, Attorney at Cooney & Conway
  
• Connor Flynn, Buyer at Alliance Paper & Foodservice Equipment
  
• Laura Gutierrez, Administrative Assistant, Programs at The Chicago Community Trust
  
• Diana Shea, Yoga Teacher and Director at The Yoga Centre, www.DianaShea.com
  

• Michael Starrick, Personal Banker at Community Bank of Oak Park River Forest
  
• Maggie Sullivan, Account Coordinator at C.H. Robinson
  
• Ross Wasserstrom, Vice President, Operations at Avenue Computer
  
• Cheryl Wisniewski
  

Members-at-Large

• Carina Diaz, Director of Sales and Marketing at Acorn Wire and Iron Works
• Meridian Herman, Market Maven, The Salvation Army Chicago Metropolitan Division 
• Mark Walden, Program Coordinator, Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce 
• Rhea Yap, Senior Philanthropic Advisor, Oak Park and River Forest Community Foundation 
• Ken Zimmer, Financial Planning Specialist