Illinois Environment Grants

The City of Evanston's "Sustain Evanston" Incentive Program is a funding tool designed to empower small business owners to implement sustainability measures. This initiative directly aligns with the City’s Climate Action & Resilience Plan, serving the foundational mission of fostering a more sustainable community. By offering financial assistance, the program aims to reduce operating costs for businesses while simultaneously enhancing their service to customers through environmentally friendly practices. This strategic alignment underscores the city's commitment to both economic vitality and ecological responsibility. The primary beneficiaries of this program include commercial property owners, tenants of commercial buildings, business districts, and coalitions of businesses within the City of Evanston. The impact goals are centered on improving the environmental footprint of local businesses, promoting sustainable infrastructure, and encouraging eco-conscious operations. Through these efforts, the program seeks to create a more resilient and environmentally sound local economy, benefiting both businesses and residents. The program prioritizes a broad range of sustainability measures, categorized into capital projects, equipment, services, and education materials. Key focuses include the adoption of heat pumps, EV charging infrastructure, solar PV, waste collection enclosures, green infrastructure like green roofs, and energy-efficient upgrades such as insulation and windows. Equipment priorities involve reusable containers, energy-efficient lighting, and appliances. Services like composting, recycling, energy/water benchmarking, and consulting are also emphasized, alongside educational signage and labels. These priorities reflect a holistic approach to sustainability, addressing various facets of business operations. Expected outcomes include a significant reduction in the operational costs for participating businesses due to increased energy efficiency and waste reduction. Measurable results will likely involve the number of businesses implementing sustainable upgrades, the amount of energy saved, the volume of waste diverted from landfills, and the expansion of green infrastructure within the city. The program's strategic approach is to incentivize tangible changes that collectively contribute to the City’s broader Climate Action & Resilience Plan, acting as a catalyst for widespread sustainable practices within the business community. This aligns with a theory of change where financial incentives drive behavioral and infrastructure changes, leading to a more sustainable and resilient urban environment.

This funding opportunity supports high schools and post-secondary institutions in Illinois to develop clean energy career pathways, particularly for students facing employment barriers, by providing education and training for jobs in the electric vehicle sector.

This program provides financial assistance to disadvantaged communities in Illinois for planting trees in public spaces, promoting biodiversity and sustainable urban forestry.

This program provides funding for farmers and ranchers in the North Central region to develop and share sustainable agricultural practices through research and educational projects.

This grant provides funding to arts organizations in Chicago and Cook County to help them adapt and innovate their operations and practices, with a focus on supporting BIPOC-led initiatives and fostering long-term sustainability.

This grant provides financial support and mentorship to early-stage cleantech entrepreneurs in the Midwest who are developing innovative solutions to promote economic growth and environmental sustainability.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations, universities, and government entities in Illinois and Iowa that focus on educating the public about climate change and natural resource depletion or conducting research for sustainable solutions.

This grant provides funding to organizations working on sustainable development initiatives that alleviate poverty in specific areas, including international locations, the Greater Metropolitan St. Louis region, and West Central Illinois.

The Youth Fund by Crossroads Fund offers grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 to youth activists (up to 26 years old) in selected counties of Illinois and Indiana, specifically Chicago and Gary, who are working on social justice projects in areas such as community, education, health, environment, violence, and media, with a focus on challenging policies and structures that hinder equality in their communities.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations in Will County, Illinois, that provide innovative programs addressing youth opportunities, community health, and financial security to promote equity and long-term stability.

This grant provides funding for programs and projects that address environmental and nature-related issues in McLean, DeWitt, Livingston, and Logan Counties in Illinois.

This grant provides financial support to arts organizations in Chicago and Cook County to help them adapt their operations and artistic practices in response to changing circumstances, with a focus on those led by and serving BIPOC communities.

This funding initiative supports community organizations in Chicago that promote equitable access to health resources, focusing on projects that enhance physical activity, healthy eating, and mental wellness, particularly for historically marginalized communities.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofits and educational institutions in East Central Illinois that implement nature-based projects to combat climate change and enhance biodiversity through ecological practices like tree planting and prairie restoration.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and local government entities in Illinois for acquiring land or conservation easements to protect and enhance natural habitats and wildlife areas.

This program provides financial support to licensed family childcare providers in specific Indiana and Illinois counties to help them overcome barriers to achieving high-quality childcare designations.

This program provides funding for graduate students in the North Central Region to conduct research that promotes sustainable agriculture practices.

This program provides financial assistance to local governments in Illinois for developing and improving public access areas for boats and canoes on state waterways.

This funding opportunity supports projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Illinois, benefiting farmers, nonprofits, and educational organizations focused on improving food safety, research, and public awareness.

This funding initiative provides financial support to nonprofit organizations, local and state governments, tribal entities, and educational institutions to promote conservation practices and technical assistance for farmers and ranchers on private working lands.