Beith House in St. Charles
Beith House in St. Charles

Kane County Awards Over $1 Million in Grand Victoria Riverboat Funds to Community Projects

Kane County Connects Staff 7/11/2025 11:00AM

The Kane County Board has approved more than $1 million in funding for 26 community-based projects through the Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund.

Under a longstanding agreement with the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, Kane County receives annual contributions to invest in initiatives that strengthen and enrich local communities. For Fiscal Year 2025, the Riverboat Committee was tasked with evaluating proposals from nonprofit organizations and units of local government and recommended $1,066,613 in funding to support a range of local projects.

Among the recipients:

  • Food for Greater Elgin received $66,322 to expand warehouse operations and purchase needed equipment.

  • Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley was awarded $72,266 toward the acquisition of an Operations & Outreach Center.

  • Mutual Ground, Inc. will use its $60,000 grant to repair and pave a parking lot serving individuals affected by domestic and sexual violence.

  • Quad County Urban League was granted $51,492 for the purchase of a van and technology equipment to expand outreach and programming.

  • University of Illinois Extension – Kane County will receive $76,383 to support its community educational programs.

Other projects range from infrastructure improvements and accessibility upgrades to educational technology and mental health services. Proposals were reviewed based on impact, feasibility, budget soundness, and the ability to leverage additional funding.

​Now fully approved as part of the county’s FY2025 budget, the selected organizations are expected to begin work on their projects in the coming months.


FY2025 Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund – External Project Awards

  • Big Rock Plowing Match Association – Tree Revitalization at Plowman's Park – $51,244

  • Community Crisis Center (Project 1) – Replacement of Flooring in Dining Hall – $29,268

  • Community Crisis Center (Project 2) – Replacement of Flooring/New Appliances in Kitchen – $32,564

  • Dundee Township Historical Society – Solar Lit Flag and Flagpole – $2,764

  • Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley Region – Purchase of Physical Therapy Equipment – $25,943

  • Family Service Association of Greater Elgin Area – Technology System Upgrade – $70,740

  • Food for Greater Elgin – Expansion of Warehouse Operations & Equipment – $66,322

  • Friends of the Fox River – Schweitzer Center Facility Improvements – $25,000

  • Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley – Operations & Outreach Center Acquisition – $72,266

  • Hawthorne Hill Nature Center – Eco-Island Installation – $7,294

  • Little Friends, Inc. – Purchase of 14-Passenger Bus – $44,471

  • Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, Inc. – Purchase of Food Storage Freezer – $7,738

  • Marklund Children’s Home – Inspire Nurse Leaders Training Program – $20,000

  • Mutual Ground, Inc. – Remove, Repair, and Pave Parking Lot – $60,000

  • Northern Illinois Food Bank – Milling and Resurfacing of Parking Lot – $79,286

  • PADS of Elgin (Project 2) – Vehicle Purchase – $42,160

  • Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley (Project 1) – Beith House Interior Rehabilitation – $49,146

  • Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley (Project 2) – Fabyan Villa Museum & Japanese Garden Upgrades – $23,826

  • Quad County Urban League, Inc. – Van and Technology Equipment – $51,492

  • Rising Lights Project – Sensory Garden – $22,567

  • Side Street Studio Arts, NFP – Future Home Project – $64,875

  • Suicide Prevention Services of America – Upgrade Electrical System and Refinish Flooring – $13,330

  • The Neighbor Project – New Classroom, Office, and Accessible Lobby/Entrance – $67,480

  • The Wong Center for Education – VEX Robotics League – $35,643

  • Tri City Health Partnership – Technology Upgrade – $24,811

  • University of Illinois Extension, Kane County – Community Educational Programs – $76,383

Total: $1,066,613


Tags: Around Town Community Involvement Economy Families Featured
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