Dieterich, IL -(Effingham Radio)- EJ Water Cooperative is pleased to announce that it has established a charitable fund with Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation to manage the organization’s philanthropic grantmaking. EJ Water Cooperative is a multi-county regional water system, serving members in Effingham, Jasper, Clark, Clay, Cumberland, Edwards, Richland, Sangamon, Shelby, Fayette, Crawford, Montgomery and Christian Counties.
The organization has a long history of giving back to the communities it serves, but was recently given an opportunity to expand its grantmaking with a matching grant from CoBank’s Sharing Success Program, which doubles the contributions of its customers to the charitable organizations and causes they care about most. Through this program, EJ Water obtained a matching grant of $7,500. Rather than making one large contribution, the EJ Water board decided to establish a donor-advised fund with Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation to make several grants throughout the communities served by EJ Water.
In 2019, EJ Water Cooperative made its first grants from its donor-advised funds. Additionally, EJ Water Cooperative granted $1,000 to Lincoln’s Place and $300 to the Effingham County Fair Association.
Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation manages more than 160 affiliated funds for the immediate and long-term benefit of communities in southeastern Illinois. For more information, contact Amanda Lessley, President/CEO of Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation, at 217.342.4988 or amanda@enrichingourcommunity.org.
