Chicago Region Land Conservation Grants is sponsored by Gaylord And Dorothy Donnelley Foundation. Supports organizations and projects in the Chicago region that focus on preserving, restoring, and protecting strategic natural and working lands, building stewardship constituencies, and engaging young people with an emphasis on climate resiliency.

Geographic focus: Chicago Region (Cook, Lake, McHenry, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Will, Grundy, Kankakee counties in Illinois; Lake, Porter, LaPorte counties in Indiana)

Focus areas: Land Conservation, Environment, Climate Resilience, Habitat Enhancement

Apply for Land Conservation Grants in the Chicago Region | GDDF Apply for Chicago Region Land Conservation Grants We offer general operating and project grants to organizations that further natural and working land protection and stewardship in the greater Chicago region, with emphasis on integrating climate resiliency, advocacy, and inclusive conservation strategies. ​ Relationships are at the core of our grantmaking process.

Each grant starts with a conversation with a program officer so we can get to know you and your work. We strongly encourage you to contact us in advance of our proposal deadlines so that we can explore potential fit. Organizations that apply for grants must meet the following eligibility requirements.

See How to Apply to begin the process. Organization must be a 501(c)(3) public charity (or be fiscally sponsored by one). Organization must be in compliance with the Secretary of State where it is headquartered.

Organization must have completed at least one full fiscal year of operations before applying. Organization or project must have a strong nexus to land conservation in the greater Chicagoland geography, which includes an emphasis on the Illinois Counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will; the Wisconsin Counties of Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth; and the Indiana Counties of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte.

Eligible conservation activities include work furthering the protection and stewardship of strategically significant natural areas such as forests, prairies, grasslands, natural parklands, and wetlands, as well as important working lands such as agricultural land, stormwater-absorbing riparian areas, and habitat corridors that help buffer and connect other protected areas. Environmental education programs and religious activities.

Projects for trails, bike paths, developed parklands, community and school gardens, nature centers, botanic gardens, bioswales, rain gardens, green roofs, and permeable pavements. Projects or activities that involve political campaigns, electoral politics, or lobbying on pending legislation. Stand-alone conferences, publications, films, events, websites, or videos.

Endowments, capital campaigns, or debt reduction. Other organizations and programs that are not primarily focused on one or more of the below four goals of the Foundation’s land conservation strategy. Chicago region Land Conservation Grant Deadlines We encourage all potential grantees to contact us at least six weeks before the deadline.

Next grant deadline: Friday, March 27, 2026 Primary Goals of the Foundation’s Chicago Region Land Conservation Strategy Strategic Natural and Working Land Conservation We aim to support organizations and projects advancing natural and working land protection and stewardship in strategically significant areas across the Chicagoland region that provide both ecological and quality-of-life benefits.

Examples include wetland restoration in flood-prone communities, habitat connectivity improvements, and conservation easements on priority natural areas and agricultural land. Conservation that Integrates Climate Resilience We support an increased emphasis on incorporating climate resilience considerations in all land conservation programs and projects.

Examples include using resiliency prioritization in land acquisition and stewardship planning, protecting and restoring strategic parcels to increase habitat corridors, and working in vulnerable communities to mitigate climate and flooding impacts using land conservation and natural-focused green infrastructure strategies that deliver meaningful biodiversity and community benefits.

Advocacy and Engagement Efforts We believe that effective advocacy, public engagement, and communications strategies are critical to creating and enhancing land conservation programs and policies.

Examples include efforts to develop new public conservation funding programs at the state and local level, in addition to engagement on proposed land use activities or conservation policies that could impact land protection efforts at scale in the region.

Inclusive Conservation that Benefits All People We want to increase the relevance and reach of land conservation work by supporting inclusive efforts that provide both biodiversity and human quality of life benefits for the diverse communities across the region.

Examples include direct support of or meaningful engagement with community-based organizations to ensure that land conservation and resiliency efforts serve the needs of historically disinvested communities. Typical grant sizes range from between $15,000 to $75,000. The annual overall grant budget for Chicago Land Conservation is $1.

5 million. The amount and duration of grant awards are influenced by the organization’s/project’s level of impact on strategic land conservation efforts in the region, organizational/project size and budget, and the organization’s demonstrated leadership in advancing the core objectives of the Foundation’s land conservation strategy. Look for an emailed link to re-apply approximately six weeks before the deadline.

Information about process, reports, and other frequently asked questions can be found on our Current Grantee Resources page. If you have additional questions about the forms or process, email grants@gddf. org .

Confirm your eligibility. Prospective applicants must share more about their work with foundation staff to determine potential fit before applying. Rebecca Judd will be in touch.

Organization Name (Required) We want to explore applying for the following grant cycle (Required) Spring Cycle 2026 Fall Cycle 2026 Please share a brief paragraph (3-5 sentences) about your organization's land conservation work in the Chicago region. I have reviewed the eligibility requirements (Required) I have reviewed the eligibility requirements (Required) VIEW A SAMPLE APPLICATION Start typing and press enter to search