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Natural Areas Stewardship Grants Program application period is now open!
Prairie State Conservation Coalition wrote the bill and with the Illinois Environmental Council and many supporting partners it passed in 2017.
The goal of this grant program is to increase the delivery of much needed stewardship activities to natural areas protected within the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC) system. Stewardship needs throughout the statehave continued to outpace the ability to deliver these services by individuals, volunteers, organizations, and government agencies. The program is designed to fund projects that immediately address this deficiency and begin to expand on the stewardship capacity of Conservation Land Trusts through grants that will expand their staff and equipment for these activities.
Stewardship activities funded by this grant program must be included in the management schedules approved by the INPC and are limited to a maximum of $100,000 per proposal. Eligible costs may include contractual services, staff time related to the project, equipment, and materials necessary to complete stewardship projects such as tools, safety items, herbicide, construction materials, and indirect costs. Benefit costs are not eligible. Matching funds are required on all projects. The minimum match requirements allowed by administrative rule are 5% or $1,000, whichever is less, to ensure that all land trusts will have access to the program.
Eligible applicants are Conservation Land Trusts exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code and whose originating documents include in its purposes the restoration and stewardship of land for conservation purposes.
Potential applicants for thi program can find more information online HERE. Questions can be directed to Susan.Duke@Illinois.gov.
Funding for this grant program is derived from a portion of the Illinois Natural Areas Acquisition Fund and must be used by the IDNR for the stewardship of natural areas, including habitats for endangered and threatened species (Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act, 525 ILCS 35/14). You can view the Notice of Funding Opportunity for IDNR programs or to browse all state of Illinois grant opportunities right HERE.
