Foundation

The Educational & Research Foundation is a fund-raising arm of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association. Annual scholarships are provided to members of the fire service to continue their professional development.

The purposes of the Foundation are those enumerated in the Articles of Incorporation, dated December 20, 1978, and amended May 20, 1980: To operate as a not-for-profit corporation under the laws of the State of Illinois;
 
To receive from public, private, industrial and governmental sources any gifts, grants, bequests, contracts, legacies, and donations of money, real and personal property, services and other things of value and to disburse funds for the promotion of the objectives of this corporation consistent with the limitations on charitable, educational, and research groups as not-for-profit corporations under the laws of the State of Illinois and of the United States;
 
To conduct or cause to be conducted research and development of managerial and personnel systems, education, and training for governmental and fire service administration;
 
To provide educational scholarships and grants to students, educational institutions, municipal and state governmental units, and fire departments for under-graduate, post-graduate, and vocational education, training, and research;
 
To conduct or cause to be conducted research into technical, life safety, scientific, and other problems confronting the fire service.

To preserve and protect the information, processes, plans, equipment, technical data, and all other results and developments arising by the efforts of the corporation by patent, copyright, and other rights at law and to license such rights for the benefit of the corporation and the general public of the State of Illinois specifically and the public welfare in general;
 
To engage in any other act or acts consistent with the purposes of this corporation, consistent with the laws of this state.  No assets of this corporation shall be distributed to or inure to the benefit of, any member, officer, or director of this corporation.  This provision shall not restrict the right of the corporation to compensate any officer, member, or director, or any other person, for actual services performed or expenses incurred; membership classes shall be as stated in the by-laws.