The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Conservation Foundation (ICF) have recently joined forces to support the greening of schoolyards across the state. A significant amount of over $40,000 in grants was handed out to 26 youth-led habitat enhancement initiatives, delivering a strong push to develop wildlife habitats in the educational environment. The Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant program, the focal point of this environmental endeavor, aims to both beautify school grounds and foster an educational atmosphere where nature is a hands-on learning experience, according to the State of Illinois.
In a move set to encourage young minds to intentionally engage with their natural surroundings, these projects include the creation of pollinator gardens, prairie plots, and woodland habitats. The implementation of these schemes aims to not only alter schoolyards but also to positively influence the youth to become eco-conscious leaders. As IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie detailed, the program is designed "to create native habitat in their schoolyards" and to teach students that their actions can have a substantial impact on the environment.
As per the official announcement, the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation has been a major sponsor of this initiative, supporting nearly $394,000 in funding distributed since the program's launch. Finnie expressed the goal to spread these projects throughout the state, hoping that "Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant program projects developed in every county of the state and eventually at every school." She further emphasized the importance of real-world learning, where students can actively partake in planning and maintaining their projects.
The projects receiving funding vary widely, with grants supporting pollinator gardens at schools like Bartelso School District 57 and Hawthorne Elementary School and woodland habitats at institutions such as Oswego East High School. Some of the most noteworthy awards include $2,000 for the Junior Master Naturalists in Canton to advance prairie and woodland plant education and another $2,000 designated for a woodland garden by Women for Green Spaces in partnership with Orozco Community School in Chicago.
Those interested in applying for the next round of funding can look forward to the grant application window opening this spring, with a deadline of December 3. Applications are available online at the IDNR education grants website, and additional questions can be directed to 217-524-4126 or sent via email at [email protected]. The list of the 2025 Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grants recipients and their projects can be found in detail on the official Illinois government website.
