Chicago Regional Land Conservation Grant

Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation

Grants, technical assistance, and program-related investments to organizations for work that leads to landscape-scale preservation and stewardship in the Chicago Region. 

Monarch Butterfly & Pollinators Conservation Fund

National Fish And Wildlife Foundation

The goal of the fund is to protect, conserve, and increase habitat for the monarch butterfly and other pollinators. Two categories of funding: technical assistance for private working lands & habitat improvement. 

Pollinator Meadows Pilot Program

Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation

Designed to help local governments and nonprofits convert turf grass to pollinator habitat. A grant application is in the process of being developed and will be made available to those who fill out the Interest Survey.

ComEd Green Region Grant

Openlands

Awards grants to public agencies supporting their efforts to plan for, protect, and improve open space in ComEd's service area of Northern Illinois. Special program focus: Pollinator Conservation.

Open Space Lands Acquisition & Development Grant

Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Provides funding assistance to local government agencies for acquisition and/or development of land for public parks and open space. 

Vital Lands Illinois Small Grant

Vital Lands Illinois

Vital Lands Illinois is funding projects that align with their Desired Impact: "An interconnected system of land and water of sufficient scale and ecological health to allow habitat, wildlife, and people to thrive.

Land Acquisition 

Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation

Awards to projects that purchase land outright and is proud to support the protection of wildlife habitat at natural areas throughout the state. 

Pollinator Habitat Conservation

Trees Forever

Demonstration sites showcasing proper site selection and preparation, appropriate plant species composition, and maintenance requirements for the establishment of sustainable pollinator-friendly habitat. 

Vital Lands Grant

Grand Victoria Foundation

Supports acquisition and preservation of these extraordinary places, with an overall goal of creating a statewide, connected system of natural lands, ensuring their permanent protection and long-term stewardship, and building public support for conservation. 

Agriculture Education & Classroom Equipment Grant

Compeer Financial

Funding for programs and equipment for high school agriculture classrooms in Compeer Financial's territory.

Earth Day in the Parks

Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Students and their teachers throughout Illinois will go to participating Illinois State Parks to take part in natural resources stewardship activities during April and May.

Graduate Student Grant Program

North Central SARE

Supports projects by graduate students that address sustainable agriculture issues and are part of the student's degree program.

Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant

Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Grants are awarded to teachers of grades preK-12 and home-schooling teachers in Illinois for the purpose of studying some aspect of Illinois' biodiversity. 

Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant Program

Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Projects must emphasize student/youth involvement with planning, development, and maintenance and increase the educational and wildlife habitat values of the site. Two different application options.

Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education

Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes

Funding for native plants and seeds to create a native garden or habitat for outdoor learning areas. 

Bee Grant

Whole Kids Foundation

Allows for schools and non-profit organizations to receive support for educational be hives, so students can observe bees up close and learn about the vital role these pollinators play in our food system.

Education Grant 

Grand Victoria Foundation

Students, parents, and educators are shaping educational policy and practice into culturally relevant, high-quality experiences resulting in more equitable outcomes.

Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Book Grants for Teachers

Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom

Projects focus on integrating agriculture into a variety of curriculum areas. Choose from the list of books listed on their website.

Illinois Native Plant Society Research Fund

Illinois Native Plane Society

The Illinois Native Plant Society Research Grant Program was developed to promote the conservation of Illinois native plants and communities through scientific research.

K-12 Pollinator Schools Grant

Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation

Supports the creation of native pollinator habitat at locations in IL that provide K-12 environmental education programming. 

Target Field Trip Grant

Target

Funding to provide learning opportunities outside the classroom. 

Dave George, Sr. Matching Grant Program 

Greenhouse Megastore

Grant covers half the cost for one of the two greenhouse options available.

Garden Grant

Whole Kids Foundation

Through the grant program, schools and non-profit organizations turn outdoor spaces into hands-on learning gardens that connect kids with food, spark their curiosity, and support classroom curriculum. 

Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Project Grant for Teachers

Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom

Available to teachers across the state of Illinois to fund projects promoting agriculture literacy in the classroom. 

Illinois Native Plant Society Survey Grant

Illinois Native Plane Society

Developed to assess the status of Illinois Endangered and Threatened species through comprehensive field surveys.

K-12 Solar Schools

Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation

Grants support the installation of 1 kW photovoltaic (PV) systems throughout IL at institutions serving grades K-12. 

Youth Educator Grant Program

North Central SARE

Youth Educator grants support projects by youth educators that encourage youth to try sustainable practices and explore sustainable agriculture as a viable career option.

Community Impact Grants

The Home Depot

For 501(c)(3) organizations who are using the power of volunteers to improve the community. Grants are for the purchase of tools, materials, or services at Home Depot. 

Federal Recreational Trails Program

Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Provides funding assistance for acquisition, development, rehabilitation, and maintenance of both motorized and non-motorized recreational trails. 

Community Stewardship Challenge Grant

Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation

Provides support under three categories. Cash Donation Match: monies go towards stewardship of eligible project site. Volunteer Labor: receive monies for stewardship activities. Equipment Purchase: reimbursement of stewardship equipment for nonprofit-owned sites.

Public Amenities Events Grants

Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation

This program helps nonprofit organizations add amenities and host public events are Illinois.

Communityworks Grant

Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley

The goal of the Community Foundation is to improve the quality of life in greater Kankakee and Iroquois counties by supporting needs that are not being adequately met.

General Use Grant

Compeer Financial

Funding for programs and organizations whose works aligns with Compeer Financial's mission of "Enriching agriculture and rural America."

NACD Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant Initative

National Association of Conservation Districts

Designed to enhance districts' urban agriculture conservation technical assistance activities in developed and developing areas of both urban and rural communities.

Regional Conservation Partnership Program

Natural Resources Conservation Center

Promotes the coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand their collective ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns.

Section 319(h) Grant Program

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Financial assistance grant program established to help control nonpoint source (NPS) pollution.

Beginning with Compeer 

Compeer Financial

Help sustain farming as a way of life in the communities Compeer Financial serves. Helping beginning farmers, who started farming no longer than 10 years ago, is a vital part in doing so. 

Illinois Buffer Partnership

Trees Forever

Trees Forever works with rural landowners who are committed to planting strips of their land with native trees and prairie plant species to benefit their land, as well as the larger community.

Professional Development Grant Program

North Central SARE

Emphasize training agricultureal educators in extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service, private, and not-for-profit sectors, using farmers as educators as educators and addressing emerging issues in the farm community. 

Farmer Rancher Grant Program

North Central SARE

A competitive grant program for farmers and ranchers who want to explore sustainable solutions to problems through on-farm research, demonstration, and education projects. 

Nutrient Stewardship Grant Program

Illinois Farm Bureau

Program is to support farmers in their efforts to address water quality challenges facing Illinois.

Research and Education Grant Program

North Central SARE

Grant program for researchers and educators involved in projects that explore and promote environmentally sound, profitable, and socially responsible food and/or fiber systems.

Friends of NACD Grant Program

National Association of Conservation Districts

Enables individuals to support individual conservation districts. 

Partnership Grant Program

North Central SARE

Intended to foster cooperation between agriculture professionals and small groups of farmers and ranchers to catalyze on-farm research, demonstration, and education activities related to sustainable agriculture.

Seed a Legacy

The Bee and Butterfly Fund

This program is being offered to help meed the critical habitat needs for monarch butterflies, honey bees, native pollinators, and other wildlife.