Natural Areas Stewardship Grant Program

Applications are now being accepted for the Illinois Natural Areas Stewardship Grant Program. Donor Name: Illinois Department of Natural Resources State: Illinois County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/14/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Illinois Natural Areas Stewardship Grant Program provides grants to Conservation Land Trusts to Increase stewardship on dedicated Illinois Nature Preserves and registered Land and Water Reserves, and Increase stewardship capacity within Conservation Land Trusts. Funding for this grant program is derived from the Illinois Natural Areas Acquisition Fund (NAAF) and must be used by the Department of Natural Resources for the acquisition, protection, and stewardship of natural areas, including habitats for endangered and threatened species (Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act, 525 ILCS 35/14). The Illinois Natural Areas Stewardship Grant Program was established to make grants to conservation land trusts for the purpose of promoting stewardship actions on eligible lands. The goal of the 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 on natural areas throughout the state have continued to outpace the ability to deliver these services by individuals, volunteers, organizations, and government agencies. This grant 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. Funding Information Grant Amount: Up to $100,000. What types of projects are eligible for grants? All projects must be on eligible lands. This includes Illinois Nature Preserves, dedicated buffers, and Land and Water Reserves. Project sites must have a current and approved management schedule and must be either owned by the applicant or there must be an executed agreement between the Conservation Land Trust and the property owner. Eligible expenses include: Stewardship Activities Contractual Services Purchase or Rental of Necessary Equipment Staff Time (excluding fringe/benefits) Indirect Costs. Eligible Applicants  Conservation Land Trusts exempt from taxation under Section 501 (c) (3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code and include in its purposes the restoration and stewardship of land for conservation purposes. For more information, visit DNR.