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Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant is sponsored by Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Division of Education. This grant provides funding for developing wildlife habitats on school grounds or other public places in Illinois. Projects must emphasize student/youth involvement with planning, development, and maintenance and increase the educational and wildlife habitat values of the site.
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Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant Application deadline is 11:59:59 p. m. , December 2, 2026.
Generous donations from the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation and others make this program possible.
In an effort to reduce errors on Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant applications, this video has been produced for persons wanting to apply for this grant. Watching this video prior to applying is mandatory. Any errors made that are addressed in this video will cause the application to be disqualified.
Teachers, nature center personnel and adults who are youth group leaders (grades prekindergarten through 12) in Illinois may apply. Individual student projects will not be funded. Awarded funds must be used, or the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Education (IDNR DOE) must be notified of forfeiture of these funds.
If you are awarded funds, you must use these funds or notify IDNR DOE that you cannot use these funds. If you DO notify IDNR DOE, there will be no penalty. You and your school will be eligible for funding for the next grant cycle.
If you DO NOT notify the IDNR DOE by November 30 the year the funds were awarded, of your intent to forfeit these funds, you and your school will be ineligible for Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant funding for the next grant cycle. Projects must emphasize student/youth involvement with planning, development and maintenance and increase the educational and wildlife habitat values of the site.
The applicant must be prepared to maintain and commit resources to the project for at least five years. The project must be implemented on school grounds or another public place (for example, a park or nature center/forest preserve district land). Illinois Conservation Foundation sites and Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) sites do not qualify for funding.
Admission fees cannot be charged to obtain access to the site. Individual student projects will not be funded. Evaluation judging criteria will include but not limited to: detailed information; student involvement; educational value; and the habitat project management plan.
Option One of this grant may only be used to establish a pollinator garden. It must be developed following the criteria stated in the instructions for this application form. This option is helpful if you are new to native gardening.
Click here for additional Option One information. Option Two is for all other projects. Habitat projects may include, but not be limited to, the following activities: enhance or establish and maintain a schoolyard prairie plot, butterfly garden, rain garden, wetland, native tree arboretum, nesting platform or watering station; design and build a bird feeder or feeding station; or construct and install bat roosting boxes.
Vegetable gardens are not eligible for this grant. Option Three is for schools only in Chicago and East St. Louis metro areas that have no soil on their school grounds in which to plant.
Other schools may be considered if they have no soil around their school. This is not for every school to use instead of putting plants in the ground. It is creating a container garden at your school to have native species onsite.
It must be developed following the criteria stated in the instructions for this application form. Schools that choose this option have additional reporting that needs to be done as they will be part of a scientific study. You must check with us before you apply for this grant.
The maximum annual award is $2,000. 00 per project. Funds are provided on a reimbursement basis.
Only purchases approved by the grant committee from the original application will be reimbursed. Purchases occurring before the notification of the grant award winners for this application period do not qualify for funding. Only the school or organization will be reimbursed.
Reimbursements are not made to individuals. Original paid receipts for purchases must be submitted. Successful applicants are eligible to apply for additional funding in subsequent years.
Generous donations from the Jadel Youth Fund, the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation and others help make this program possible.
Funding requests for Option One grants may only include the following items: plants (not seeds) of the 14 native plant species shown in this application form; and mulch, topsoil or related soil product. No other items will be considered for purchase through this option. Items purchased prior to the notification of the grant award winners from this Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant application deadline do not qualify for funding.
This grant will pay for the purchase of simple gardening tools such as child- and adult-sized gloves, spades, shovels, rakes, trowels and hoes. Tool costs shall not account for more than 25% of the total project cost. Funding requests should focus on items necessary for enhancement or development of wildlife habitat, such as native plants, seeds, mulch and lumber/hardware for constructing nesting/roosting boxes and platforms.
Items purchased prior to the notification of the grant award winners from this Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant application deadline do not qualify for funding. This grant will pay for the purchase of simple gardening tools such as child- and adult-sized gloves, spades, shovels, rakes, trowels and hoes. Tool costs shall not account for more than 25% of the total project cost.
Funding requests will include containers, insulation, soil, plants, and mulch. This grant will pay for the purchase of simple gardening tools such as child- and adult-sized gloves, spades, shovels, rakes, trowels and hoes. Tool costs shall not account for more than 25% of the total project cost.
Ineligible costs include, but are not limited to: consultant fees, bird seed, bird baths, fuel, equipment, equipment rental, signs, labor, books, Web site development, land acquisition, chemicals (fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides, insecticides), certification fees, decorative items. A Final Report and attachments are required. Instructions will be provided to grant award recipients.
Successful grant recipients are required to acknowledge the funding sources in any project publicity or printed materials produced. Details will be provided in the award letter. If a grant award is made, it will be awarded to the Project Leader.
This award is not transferable to another person, school/organization or grade level. According to the Illinois Pesticide Act, a pesticide license is required of anyone applying pesticides in a public space (minimum age to receive a license is 16 years).
If you are considering applying any type of pesticide (herbicide, insecticide, fungicide) to your habitat area, please contact the Illinois Department of Agriculture at 1-800-641-3934 for further information. To begin the application, you are required to enter your name and email address.
Once you complete your portion of the application, you will be required to enter the name and email address of the individual that will be signing off on your application. You will see this box: You are to put the name and email address of the principal/superintendent that is the signing official for this grant. DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME AS THIS WILL SND THE APPLICAION BACK TO YOU AND NOT SEND IT ON THE THE SIGNER.
You can save the application so you can continue to fill it out at a later date. On the upper left-hand portion of the application page, you will see a drop-down menu button labeled Options . Click this button and you will see where you can save the application.
You will need to enter your name and email address. The Abode system will send you an email link that will allow you to continue your application. Once that is complete and you submit the application, you will be sent a verification email to the address you listed on the application.
You may save the application and return to it to complete it at any time during the process. However, once the application is completed and signed, it cannot be edited. You will receive a PDF copy of your application as well as notification that the application has been received by the IDNR Division of Education.
The application is due to the Division of Education no later than 11:59:59 p. m. on December 2, 2026.
Option One Application Page Option Two Application Page Option Three Application Page Click here for the extra budget sheet. If you have any problems or have any questions, please contact IDNR Education at 217-524-4126 or email joe. bauer@illinois.
gov . One Natural Resources Way FOIA Request for Public Records Listing by Topic (A to Z)
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Teachers, nature center personnel, and adults who are youth group leaders (grades prekindergarten through 12) in Illinois may apply. The project must be implemented on school grounds or another public place. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
Applications for Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant are due December 2, 2026. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, and final submission checks.
Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant is funded by Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Division of Education. Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
This opportunity targets applicants in Illinois. If your organization operates elsewhere, check the official notice for location requirements.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
2026-2027 IDNR Historic Sites Field Trip Grant is a grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources that funds school field trips to Illinois state historic sites during the 2026-2027 academic year. The program reimburses transportation costs to help Illinois classrooms visit sites such as Lincoln's New Salem and Fort de Chartres. Eligible applicants are Illinois K-12 public and private schools. Reimbursements of up to $150 per trip are available, with priority given to schools with higher percentages of low-income students. Applications open in fall 2026.
2027 Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant is a grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources that funds the creation and restoration of native habitat gardens and outdoor learning spaces on school grounds. Projects may include native plant gardens, pollinator habitats, rain gardens, and outdoor classrooms. Eligible applicants are Illinois K-12 public and private schools. Awards of up to $3,000 are available; projects must incorporate student engagement and include a habitat management plan for long-term maintenance of the schoolyard habitat.
2027 Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant is a grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources that funds school field trips to Illinois natural areas and nature centers to promote biodiversity education. The program reimburses transportation expenses so K-12 students can visit forests, prairies, wetlands, and other ecosystems across the state. Eligible applicants are Illinois public and private K-12 schools. Reimbursements of up to $150 per trip are available, with preference for schools serving low-income communities. Applications are accepted during the 2026-2027 school year.
Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) Grant Program is a grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs that funds the acquisition and development of public parkland and outdoor recreational facilities. Eligible applicants include Massachusetts cities of any size and towns with 35,000 or more year-round residents that have an established park or recreation commission and an approved Open Space and Recreation Plan. Smaller communities may qualify under small town, regional, or statewide provisions. Awards reach up to $425,000, with a deadline of July 8, 2025. The program supports community green space, conservation, and recreational access across the Commonwealth.
Bats for the Future Fund is a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, that funds efforts to slow or halt the spread of white-nose syndrome (WNS) disease and support the recovery of affected bat populations in North America. Funded projects may address disease treatment, habitat conservation, population monitoring, or public education strategies that contribute to bat species survival. Additional support is provided by NextEra Energy Resources through its charitable foundation. Eligible applicants include researchers, nonprofits, universities, and government agencies with relevant conservation expertise. Awards range from $50,000 to $250,000, with the 2025 deadline on August 14, 2025.
Northern California Environmental Grassroots Fund is a grant from Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment that funds small and emerging grassroots organizations in California building climate resilience and advancing environmental justice. The fund prioritizes groups rooted in historically marginalized communities, including BIPOC, frontline, and low-income populations, with strong advocacy, organizing, and outreach components. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations or fiscally-sponsored groups with annual income or expenses of $150,000 or less; government agencies, colleges, and universities are not eligible. Awards typically range from $4,000 to $7,500, with a maximum of $7,500.
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