MacMurray Foundation opens grant funding for local projects
Applications open July 1 for MacMurray Foundation grants of up to $5,000, and Jacksonville-area schools and nonprofits do not need a direct MacMurray tie to compete.
The MacMurray Foundation & Alumni Association will open a new round of grants July 1, offering up to $5,000 each for educational and community project work in Jacksonville, across Morgan County, and beyond. Not-for-profit organizations and school districts can apply, and applicants do not need a direct connection to the former college.
The program is now in its second year of competitive funding, giving the MacMurray name a practical role after the college closed in 2020. The grant effort was first announced Jan. 7, 2026, and the initial round had limited funding, with hopes the pool will grow over time.
The foundation has split the money into two categories: Educational Grants and Community Project Grants. Both offer awards of up to $5,000. For schools, that could mean equipment or program support. For nonprofits, it could mean direct services, facility fixes or materials that reach students, families and volunteers quickly.
The first round already showed what the foundation is willing to back. On May 26, it announced four community organizations received nearly $15,000 total. Espirit de Corps in Jacksonville got support for musical education materials and instrument repair. The Crisis Center Foundation in Jacksonville received funding for a five-week healthy relationship program for youth ages 11 to 17. Western Illinois Fellowship of Christian Athletes was funded for an Athletes Mission Trip, and the Sangamon County Board and Fairgrounds in New Berlin received help for lighting a livestock barn used by youth in 4-H and FFA.
Foundation board chair David Ekin said making grants was one of the organization’s goals when it was founded in 2020. Jane Freiburg Nickerson chairs the grants committee. The committee wants proposals that make a difference in educational or community settings and benefit students or local communities. MacMurray College was a guiding presence in Jacksonville for 174 years, from 1846 to 2020, and the foundation continues to preserve archives and artifacts at the Jacksonville Area Museum.
MacMurray materials are displayed in a special area called Mac Hall, and 42 MacMurray Scholars received scholarships worth between $1,500 and $5,000 in June 2026.
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