Even before the Trump administration’s spending cuts and tax breaks bill created drama in the U.S. Senate by having the vice president break a tie July 1, officials in the northern suburbs expressed growing concern about federal funding cuts to local governments and nonprofits that receive grants or other funding.
They fear that agencies that do critical work in many sectors — domestic violence advocacy, public health, the arts, forestry and disaster relief, for example — are in danger of not receiving federal grants promised to them.
In President Donald Trump’s second term in office, the administration has warned that municipalities that have ordinances and laws that prohibit local agencies from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement will have federal grants frozen. The Trump administration has also authorized spending freezes and budget cuts recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency, the Associated Press reports.
A breakdown of those concerns, and how local groups are reacting to them, follows. Northbrook, Glenview and Wilmette officials did not report any issues with outstanding federal funds.
Evanston
According to Evanston City Manager Luke Stowe, the city of Evanston has several federal grants that the city assesses could have a high risk of being frozen, delayed or outright cut from the Trump administration.
Those include a $10.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, a $1.6 million to $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, an $800,000 Urban and Community Forestry grant, a $130,000 Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant and a $30,000 FEMA grant, he said.
Stowe says the city’s administration has been tracking its federal funds since two days after the 2024 presidential election.
“It remains a very difficult environment to assess. Obviously, there’s very fast moving developments and legal challenges. There’s been approximately 120 executive orders, 30 memos and 30 proclamations that have direct or indirect impact to municipalities,” he said.
The city isn’t the only agency in Evanston to have federal funds in legal limbo. In late May, the Evanston Arts Council announced that its expansion plans would not be moving forward after the National Endowment for the Arts cut funding for local arts councils. The council, however, is able to sustain itself from funding from the city of Evanston and the Illinois Arts Council. Both agencies contributed $75,000 to the Evanston Arts Council, which dispersed the funds to 32 nonprofit arts organizations in Evanston, according to a news release.
Skokie
Across the channel from Evanston, officials from the village of Skokie say they too are concerned about federal funds being stalled. The village’s Health and Human Services Department, which conducts disease surveillance and investigates, controls and reports respiratory outbreaks, could be impacted by pauses or cuts in federal funding.
The Illinois Department of Public Health provides federal Respiratory Surveillance and Outbreaks Response grants to local health departments across the state, according to the village’s Director of Communications and Community Engagement Patrick Deignan.
“Court proceedings have paused the federal government’s termination of this grant, and the village continues to be reimbursed for eligible expenses,” Deignan told Pioneer Press via email. “Local health departments have been advised by IDPH to continue using grant funds at this time.”
Winnetka
The village of Winnetka receives $28 million in federal funding across multiple agencies which may be in jeopardy due to recent federal actions including presidential executive orders, spending freezes, and/or budget cuts, according to the village’s Communications Manager Josie Clark.
Clark said the funding is used for a multitude of projects, including roadway reconstruction, EV charging, stormwater mitigation and nature trails.
“Most critically, in 2024 the village was awarded a $21.2 million Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant from FEMA to prevent massive flooding by funding a new stormwater storage and conveyance system. The infrastructure will provide flood protection for more than 560 area homes and safeguard two local elementary schools,” she said.
Domestic violence survivors
Cuts would also affect at least one social service agency that houses and helps domestic violence victims in the north suburbs and throughout Illinois escaping abuse. The nonprofit WINGS offers emergency shelters to survivors, housing programs so they can work toward financial stability, and community-based programs and counseling.
Sarah Swiston, media and communications manager, said WINGS Housing Programs served 387 survivors last year and the number would be reduced depending on how dramatically funding was decreased.
The agency does not know how many housing units would be lost, but Swiston said “depending on the percentage decrease, we would have to decrease the percentage of housing units we can offer.”
“This would mean less (sic) solutions for survivors exiting domestic violence shelters or calling the Illinois statewide hotline,” she said. “Many of these affected housing programs are one to two years, which allows survivors more time and support to heal from the trauma they have experienced.
“A majority of survivors have experienced financial abuse, so these housing programs allow clients to save funds. Financial instability and housing insecurity are some of the factors that may force survivors into a decision to return to their abuser.”
Last fiscal year, WINGS served 1,221 survivors and WINGS is on track to serve even more survivors this year.