Frequently Asked Questions

How is my donation to the Bright Promises Foundation used?

As one of the oldest public charities in Illinois, Bright Promises Foundation has a long legacy of understanding and responding to the needs of low-income and at-risk children. Through our one-of-a-kind approach to grantmaking, there are many things Bright Promises Foundation does to make an even bigger impact with your generous support:

• 100% of your gift goes to helping low-income & at-risk children. Bright Promises invests every gift we receive in critical services and programs for low-income children and families.
  
  
• Your gift helps address children's most urgent, unmet needs and puts them on a path to success. Our initiatives strive to address the most critical issues impacting children that are currently under-recognized and under-funded.
  
  
• Your gift helps multiple organizations at the same time, now and in the future. Your donation makes a lasting difference by helping organizations gain the know-how to better serve low-income and at-risk children.

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How does Bright Promises decide what to fund?

To determine where the Bright Promises Foundation should focus our support, we convene an impressive community of leaders from diverse fields and backgrounds in the child-serving community. Based on the recommendations of these experts, Bright Promises focuses our resources to confront emerging issues that greatly impact at-risk children in Illinois.

Through our Focused Funding initiatives, the Bright Promises Foundation directs resources to qualifying programs and provides capacity-building tools throughout a multi-year funding cycle, while also striving to increase awareness and support for these issues.

Learn more about our current programs:

• Focused Funding: SEL@Home (Social Emotional Learning at Home)
• EQUIP: Early Childhood Quality Improvement Program
• Special Initiatives

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How do I apply for a grant from the Bright Promises Foundation?

Each year the Bright Promises Foundation awards substantial, multi-year grants to organizations who offer programs that align with our current funding guidelines. To find out if your organization is eligible, please visit our Programs page and carefully read the funding guidelines and instructions for applying.

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What is the Bright Promises Foundation’s tax ID?

Our Employer Identification Number (EIN)/Federal Tax Identification Number is 36-2182047.