Historic Sites Field Trip Grant

The IDNR Historic Sites Field Trip Grant is a State of Illinois grant opportunity administered through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The program supports educational field trips that allow Illinois students to study aspects of Illinois history. Grants are available only to teachers of grades prekindergarten through 12 in Illinois schools. The proposed field trip must support Illinois historical topics that are currently being taught in the applicant's curriculum, connecting the field experience directly to classroom instruction. Eligible field trips must take place at a destination included on the program's approved list of participating historic sites. The 2026-2027 participating locations include Apple River Fort State Historic Site, Bishop Hill State Historic Site, Black Hawk State Historic Site, Cahokia Courthouse State Historic Site, Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site, David Davis Mansion State Historic Site, Fort de Chartres State Historic Site, Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site and Pierre Menard Home State Historic Site, Jarrot Mansion State Historic Site, Lewis and Clark State Historic Site, Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site and War Memorials in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site, Pullman Factory Grounds, U. S. Grant Home State Historic Site, and Vandalia State House State Historic Site. Funding is provided on a reimbursement basis to the school, with a maximum of $500 per application. Reimbursement is limited to transportation costs that have been approved by the judging committee. Payments are not made to individuals. The number of grants awarded depends on the amount of funding available, so the source does not establish a fixed number of awards or total program funding. No matching or cost-share requirement is stated. Grants are not transferable and may not be transferred to another person, school, or grade. The program is specifically focused on Illinois history. Field trips addressing geological or biological topics are not eligible for funding under this grant, and geological or biological field trips may not be combined with historical field trips for purposes of this program. Applicants seeking support for field trips concerning geological or biological topics are directed to the Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant instead. For this grant, the historical field trip must be connected to Illinois historical subject matter currently being taught in the applicant teacher's curriculum. The application deadline is September 30, 2026. The source identifies a 2026-2027 IDNR Historic Sites Field Trip Grant Application but does not provide an application opening date, pre-application requirement, letter of intent, concept paper, application portal procedure, required uploads, or detailed application questions in the supplied material. It also does not provide specific judging criteria beyond stating that transportation costs reimbursed under an award must have been approved by the judging committee. The number of awards will be determined by available funding. Funded field trips must occur before June 15, 2027. Grant winners will receive additional information, and a final report must be submitted no later than one month after the date of the field trip. The supplied material does not state an award notification date or establish that the opportunity recurs annually or on another regular schedule. Applicants with questions or problems may contact IDNR Education at 217-524-4126 or joe.bauer@illinois.gov. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources also lists its general contact address as One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702.

Select an approved participating historic site and ensure the trip supports Illinois historical topics currently being taught in the applicant's curriculum. Request reimbursement only for transportation costs. Do not include geological or biological field-trip topics or combine them with the historical field trip.