Quality of Life Grants

Quality of Life Grants are annual competitive grants provided to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations that serve the residents of Aurora. The grant program is funded through the Casino Gaming Tax revenue and supports a wide range of service areas.

The service areas supported by Quality of Life funding include: basic needs, community, education & youth, mental health, museums, seniors, and public safety. More information about each service area is provided in the tabs below.

2026 Quality of Life Grant Application(DOCX, 73KB)

Basic Needs

Basic Needs are defined as services/programs residents require for a minimum standard of living.

Some examples include:

Homelessness Prevention
Food Assistance
Early Childhood Screenings

Community

Community services are defined as those that are provided to better Aurora as a whole.

Some examples include:

Legal aid
Job training
Shelter operations

Education & Youth

The education and youth service category includes services/programs provided to individuals from 0-24 years old.

Some examples include:

After-school programming
Summer camps
Training and education
Childcare

Mental Health

Mental Health services include those that assist in improving residents psychological and emotional well-being.

Some examples include:

Counseling Services
Support groups
Youth intervention programs

Museums

The museum service category supports services/programs providing historical, artistic, or cultural interests.

Museums supported by Quality of Life funding include:

Aurora Historical Society
Aurora Regional Fire Museum
Grand Army of the Republic Military Museum

Seniors

Senior services/programs are those provided to residents over the age of 60.

Some examples include:

Transportation programs
Adult daycare services
Meal delivery

Public Safety

Public safety includes services/programs that improve the safety of Aurora for its residents.

Some examples include:

Street outreach
Reentry services for ex-offenders

Between 2020 and 2025, over $5.5 million was provided to nonprofit organizations serving the Aurora community through the Quality of Life program.

For more information about the impact of our funded organizations, visit our success page.

Please reach out to Adam Grubbs, Management Assistant at grubbsa@aurora.il.us or (630) 256-3328 with any questions or inquiries regarding the Quality of Life program.