When Jerry Smith, executive director of the DeKalb County Community Foundation, heard news his organization would receive $530,000 from the Grand Victoria Foundation, he was more than excited.

“It’s amazing, it really is,” Smith said. “It’s not only a sizable amount of money, but the education value is great.”

The DeKalb County Community Foundation, which began in 1993, aims to enhance the lives of the county’s citizens and support the non-profit organizations.

The Grand Victoria Foundation created Communityworks in order to improve child care, work force development and land use and protection in the counties. The Grand Victoria Foundation started in 1996 under the Hyatt Development Corporation and Mandalay Resort Group, which operate the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin. The casino donates 20 percent of its annual net operating income to help communities.

One of the foundation’s special initiatives is Communityworks, a five-year program to help county community foundations.

Communityworks, a two-phase plan, will span five years.

In the first phase, which lasts two years, DeKalb County will receive $100,000 for general operations and $50,000 through a challenge grant.

A challenge grant is for the county to raise a certain amount and a donor matches it.

In phase two, the foundation will receive $60,000 for three years and up to $200,000 in challenge grants.

The criteria to receive the grant were for the community foundation to be financially sound, evidence of leadership in the community, board commitment and at least one full-time professional employee.

“We looked at the spirit of the applications and if participation in this project would really make a difference to the foundation and the community it serves,” said Nancy Fishman, executive director of the Grand Victoria foundation.

Smith said the foundation will use the general operations money to upgrade computers, improve marketing and to build endowments.

In the past, the DeKalb County Community Foundation has helped organizations at NIU such as Founders Memorial Library, the communication department and childcare services.

Chris Herrmann, director of the NIU Campus Child Care Center, said DeKalb has received two grants in the past from the foundation.

The center was able to create new classrooms and buy shelving units, art easels, tables and chairs with the money received.

The foundation also helped with the library Web site and assisted with purchasing editing equipment in the communication department.

The DeKalb County Community Foundation is the fourth largest in the state, behind Chicago, Aurora and Rockford.

“This is really the start of something that will get significant rewards for the residents of DeKalb County,” Smith said.