The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is accepting applications for the 2027 Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant. The program funds student-centered projects that create or enhance native wildlife habitat on school grounds or other qualifying public places in Illinois.
Deadline and funding
Applications are due December 2, 2026 at 11:59:59 PM. The maximum annual award is $2,000 per project. Funding is reimbursement-based, and only purchases approved from the original application are reimbursable.
Eligibility and project scope
Eligible applicants include Illinois teachers, nature-center personnel, and adult youth-group leaders serving grades prekindergarten through 12. Projects must emphasize student/youth involvement in planning, development and maintenance, increase educational and wildlife-habitat value, and carry a commitment to maintain the project for at least five years. The project must be implemented on school grounds or another qualifying public place.
Three application options cover pollinator gardens, broader native habitat projects, and a container-garden pathway for qualifying schools with no soil on school grounds. Eligible costs focus on native plants, seeds, soil products, habitat-construction materials, containers and limited simple gardening tools. Equipment, equipment rental, consultant fees, labor and several other cost categories are expressly ineligible.
Atlas analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 72/100. This is a verified statewide K-12 environmental-education grant with a clear deadline, accessible application pathway and $2,000 project ceiling. N9+ Direct Vendor Fit: 0/100. The grant is limited to habitat-development costs and expressly excludes equipment, leaving no defensible N9+ or healthcare-technology pathway.