Grants

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Land/Habitat Grants

Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation

Chicago Regional Land Conservation Grant

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

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National Fish And Wildlife Foundation

Monarch Butterfly & Pollinators Conservation Fund

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.

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Vital Lands Illinois

Vital Lands Illinois Small Grant

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.

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Openlands

ComEd Green Region Grant

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.

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Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Open Space Lands Acquisition & Development Grant

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

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Grand Victoria Foundation

Vital Lands Grant

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.

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Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation

Land Acquisition

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

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Trees Forever

Pollinator Habitat Conservation

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

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Habitat

Education Grants

Compeer Financial

Agriculture Education & Classroom Equipment Grant

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

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Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Earth Day in the Parks

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.

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North Central SARE

Graduate Student Grant Program

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

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Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant

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.

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Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant Program

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.

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Target

Target Field Trip Grant

Funding to provide learning opportunities outside the classroom.

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Whole Kids Foundation

Bee Grant

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.

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Grand Victoria Foundation

Education Grant

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

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Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom

Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Book Grants for Teachers

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

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Illinois Native Plant Society

Illinois Native Plant Society Research Fund

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

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Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation

K-12 Solar Schools

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

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North Central SARE

Youth Educator Grant Program

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

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Greenhouse Megastore

Dave George, Sr. Matching Grant Program

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

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Whole Kids Foundation

Garden Grant

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.

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Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom

Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Project Grant for Teachers

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

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Illinois Native Plant Society

Illinois Native Plant Society Survey Grant

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

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Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes

Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education

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

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Education

Community Grants

Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation

Community Stewardship Challenge Grant

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.

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Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley

Communityworks Grant

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.

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Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Federal Recreational Trails Program

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

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Community

Technical Assistance Grants

Compeer Financial

General Use Grant

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

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National Association of Conservation Districts

NACD Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant Initative

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

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Natural Resources Conservation Center

Regional Conservation Partnership Program

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.

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Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Section 319(h) Grant Program

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

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Farmer/Landowner Grants

Compeer Financial

Beginning with Compeer

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.

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Trees Forever

Illinois Buffer Partnership

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.

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North Central SARE

Professional Development Grant Program

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.

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North Central SARE

Farmer Rancher Grant Program

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

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Illinois Farm Bureau

Nutrient Stewardship Grant Program

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

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North Central SARE

Research and Education Grant Program

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

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National Association of Conservation Districts

Friends of NACD Grant Program

Enables individuals to support individual conservation districts.

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North Central SARE

Partnership Grant Program

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.

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The Bee and Butterfly Fund

Seed a Legacy

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

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Farmer