Deadline: 28-Mar-25
Applications are now open for the Special Focus: Climate Resiliency & Pollinator Conservation Grant Program to demonstrate climate resiliency, specifically nature-based solutions that help the region prepare for, recover from, and adapt to climate change and support pollinator conservation.
ComEd and Openlands are committed to building climate resiliency through local stewardship.
Funding Information
- Grants will be for amounts up to $10,000 and may be used to pay for up to two-thirds of eligible activities.
Eligible Projects
- Examples of nature-based resiliency projects include, but are not limited to projects that:
- Increase biodiversity and create habitat for wetlands and grasslands systems of concern. Examples: restore wetlands, savanna ecosystems, or prairies; plant pollinator gardens; install bug hotels; install proper landscape structure (over story canopy, shrub layer, and native plants).
- Protect water quality and manage water where it falls. Examples: build rain gardens, bioswales, or underground cisterns and french drains; plant climate resistant trees; replace non-porous surfaces with permeable surfaces.
- Build healthy soil. Examples: plant deep rooted, climate resilient prairie species to sequester carbon; promote mycorrhizal and macroinvertebrate development within the soil for proper structure, composition.
Eligible Activities
- Eligible activities include:
- Developing or updating open space plans: Expenses may include consultant fees, costs associated with obtaining public input (hall rental, advertising, etc.), and publication costs.
- Improving applicant-owned open spaces, including planning costs: Funds may be used for habitat improvements such as installing or improving natural areas such as prairies, woodlands, wetlands, associated buffers, and other native natural communities. The plans also may include the installation of capital improvements for passive recreation, such as trails, boardwalks, kiosks, and observation platforms. Parking lots are not eligible for funding. Expenses related to capital improvements may include consultant fees for landscape architects, park designers, botanists, restoration specialists, engineers, etc.
- Acquisition (by purchase or donation) of parcels of land to be used for open space: Expenses may include land cost, legal or consultant fees, survey, environmental assessments, appraisals, etc.
- Acquisition (by purchase or donation) of conservation easements (also known as “development rights”) on parcels of land to be used for open space: Eligible expenses include legal costs to purchase development rights, consultant fees, survey, environmental assessments, appraisals, etc.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, schools, school districts, and housing authorities with a letter of support ,townships, counties, park districts, conservation districts, forest preserve districts, and municipalities-including municipal entities such as water reclamation districts- within ComEd’s service territory in the following counties: Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Ford, Grundy, Henry, Iroquois, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, McHenry, Ogle, Rock Island, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago and Woodford.
- Eligible Applicants must be in good standing with ComEd related to provision of utilities.
Ineligibility Criteria
- Ineligible Activities
- Staff time and ancillary expenses for applicant’s employees or interns, for any aspect of the project.
- Relocation of owner or tenant, condemnation, or building repair or demolition.
- Expenses not directly related to the use of land for open space and/or passive recreation.
- Active recreation amenities such as ball fields, golf courses, tennis courts, playgrounds, swimming pools, etc.
- Any activities that are required in connection with regulatory compliance.
For more information, visit Openlands.