Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation

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 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

download application

Download a new member application here.

Questions about the grant submission process or how to become a NextGen Leaders member?
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Development Associate, or call 708-848-1560, x105

2021 Grants & Grantee Partners:

NextGen is proud to share that these three organizations were selected in 2021 to receive capacity building grants:

YEMBA

"Empowering our youth for a better tomorrow by enhancing our capacity to serve using technology in a virtual environment. We look forward to using the NextGen funds to acquire more workstations needed to fulfill our technology center."

– Ed Redd, Executive Director, YEMBA

Welcome to Fatherhood

Welcome to Fatherhood is a 501c3 nonprofit created by Dr. Raheem Young and Sir Royce Briales. We work with dads to help them cope with the pressures and stresses of fatherhood.

“We are extremely honored to be selected to receive the NextGen Leaders in Philanthropy Capacity Building Grant. This opportunity will allow us to become more effective at engaging the fathers currently connected with our program as well as recruiting and retaining more fathers.”

– Dr. Raheem Young, co-founder, Welcome to Father (WTF)

Pro Bono Network

PBN will purchase technology to support new staff who will advance the racial equity legal assistance program and projects.

Member Roles

General Membership

In collaboration with the NextGen Chair, determines overall strategy for group

Encourages and welcomes new members
Gives or fundraises to support mission, as able
Attends social events, as able
Volunteers on a committee
Elects NextGen Chair and Committee Chairs
Approves grant recommendations from the Grants Committee
Meets quarterly

Committees

Grants Committee

Develops criteria for award and selection
Completes initial screening of proposals; determines final candidates
Reviews previous years’ awardees progress
Meets bi-monthly

Membership Committee

In collaboration with the NextGen Chair, sets new membership and retaining membership goals
Recruits and welcomes new members
Plans social and volunteer events, with support from CF Staff
Meets bi-monthly