The Grand Victoria Foundation in Elgin, Illinois, has announced it will contribute $12 million over a five-year period to communities around the state of Illinois. Grand Victoria is forging partnerships with 18 community foundations, including the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend, which will receive $530,000. The purpose of this initiative is to help local community foundations improve the economic and environmental health of communities where they are located. The Community Foundation of Great River Bend and the Moline Foundation will work collaboratively to address common issues in their region.

CommunityWorks is a two-phase initiative that focuses on target issues of common interest to participating foundations: childcare, workforce development, and land use and protection. Grand Victoria's CommunityWorks will provide the much-needed financial support to enable the 18 participating community foundations to be adequately staffed and better equipped. Equally important, Grand Victoria Foundation is establishing a comprehensive learning support network that will provide participating foundations opportunities to learn from recognized experts, share knowledge with each other and gain expertise in areas of common interest.

At the heart of the CommunityWorks imitative is a grant-making program that focuses on education, economic development and the environment with special emphasis on childcare, workforce development, and land use and protection; which will greatly benefit our community.