In 2003, Grand Victoria Foundation (GVF) created a visionary initiative called Communityworks and engaged in partnerships with community foundations throughout Illinois to address issues in three target areas, two of which The DuPage Community Foundation is focusing on:

• Early Childhood Care and Education
• Workforce Development

GVF provided financial and technical resources to 18 foundation enabling them to engage their community in the dialogue and identification of specific concerns in each target area and to discover long-term economic opportunities and solutions to effect positive change in their local area.  As a direct result of Communityworks, community foundation through Illinois have made great strides in pursuing systemic solutions to problems and taking strategic action on the key issues that impact their particular community in the areas of education, economic development and the environment.

Additionally, the capacity of each community foundation has grown tremendously.