Foundations on the Hill 2026

April 20, 2026

Historic Participation at Foundations on the Hill 2026

Every spring, United Philanthropy Forum, Council on Foundations, and  Independent Sector host the largest annual policy conference for the philanthropic sector, Foundations on the Hill (FOTH). In March 2026, Forefront led the historically large delegation from Illinois to FOTH; read more below and plan now to join us in 2027!

Illinois delegation with Rep. Jonathan Jackson.

The 2026 Illinois Delegation

Grantmakers and public charities of all sizes and types from every corner of Illinois participated in Foundations on the Hill in 2026, showcasing the sector’s depth, diversity, expertise, and engagement. Thank you to these organizations for their time and efforts:

Chicago African Americans in Philanthropy (CAAIP)
The Chicago Community Trust
Conlon Public Strategies
Comer Family Foundation
Dekalb County Community Foundation
Evanston Community Foundation
Healthy Communities Foundation
IFF
Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Illinois Collaboration on Youth
Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living
Illinois Partners for Human Service
The Joyce Foundation
Lumpkin Family Foundation
Michael Reese Health Trust
MIGMIR Fund
Morton Community Foundation
New Moms
RRF Foundation for Aging
Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation
The Planned Giving Initiative
Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation
William G. McGowan Charitable Fund

Meetings with Congressional Officials

In 2026, we secured meetings with both Illinois State Senate offices and sixteen of the seventeen House members representing Illinois from both sides of the aisle. We are grateful to Rep. Jonathan Jackson, Rep. Delia Ramirez. Chuy Garcia, Rep. Darin LaHood, Rep. Mike Quigley, Rep. Danny Davis, and Rep. Brad Schneider for being able to attend the meetings in person. Thank you to all the Congressional staffers in both the Senate and House for helping to coordinate these important conversations and engaging in thoughtful discussions.

Rep. Darin LaHood sits on the influential Ways & Means Committee in the House.

Rep. Mike Quigley sits on the Appropriations Committee.

Rep. Delia Ramirez speaking with delegates in the hallway of the Rayburn Building.

Rep. Chuy Garcia and constituents. He will be retiring on January 3, 2027.

2026 Priorities and Impact

At each Congressional meeting, delegates educated policymakers about the work of their organizations in the district, and Forefront staff discussed the Small Nonprofit Retirement Securities Act (H.R.4548/ S. 2365) and Post Graduation Scholarships (H.R. 7594 LaHood/Sewell). Not only did we discuss bills that policymakers should vote in favor of, but the Forefront staff also discussed bills that policymakers should oppose like the SAVE America Act (S. 1383) and the Tax Exempt/ Terror Supporting (H.R. 6800/S.3554). As a result of these conversations, policymakers should have a clearer understanding of how these bills will either have beneficial outcomes to the nonprofit sector in IL or be detrimental to the work nonprofits are conducting to the communities we serve.

We also discussed the immediate and long-term impacts H.R. 1 has in Illinois and raised concerns about the impact of proposed Medicaid cuts, the SNAP work requirements and ongoing attacks on the nonprofit sector have on many communities and direct service organizations. Each office was given data showing the nonprofit workforce and Medicaid enrollment in their district.
Delegates spoke directly with Congressional offices about the health of our sector and how its stability determines our capacity to serve the communities we love and cherish. They made clear that when our sector is strong, our impact is strong—and when it’s strained, the people we care about feel it first.

Equally meaningful, participants returned home with sharpened advocacy abilities and deeper connections with one another and with key policymakers. These strengthened relationships help carry our work forward beyond FOTH, supporting a more connected and capable sector.

Rep. Danny Davis was awarded The John Lewis Civic Leadership in Philanthropy Award. Forefront had the honor of presenting him with the award.

FOTH is FUN!

Tiring, but joyful. We hope to see you in 2027! These connections are tremendously valuable, not just with each other as sector colleagues, but also to strengthen our connections with our Illinois lawmakers.