ILLINOIS CLEAN ENERGY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES GRANT TO PRAIRIE STATE CONSERVATION COALITION
March 5, 2024
The Board of Trustees of the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (the Foundation) has voted to provide a grant of up to $42 million to the Prairie State Conservation Coalition. In alliance with the mission of the Foundation, the funds will be designated for the specific purpose of awarding grants that support programs and projects intended to preserve or enhance the natural habitats and wildlife areas of the State of Illinois. Prairie State Conservation Coalition will utilize funds from the Foundation to provide grants to eligible 501(c)3 organizations or local government bodies engaged in the preservation and enhancement of natural habitats and wildlife areas in Illinois.
The Foundation is proud of the positive impact it has had on efficient, renewable energy and natural areas preservation in Illinois over the last 24 years. Foundation grants have supported clean energy and open lands activities in 101 of the 102 counties in Illinois.
“Over the last 24 years, the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation has made effective contributions in energy efficiency and conservation throughout Illinois. This grant to Prairie State Conservation Coalition will provide funding for conservation efforts that will benefit all of Illinois,” said Dennis O’Brien, Executive Director of the Foundation. “We are grateful to our board of trustees. Their outstanding guardianship of the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation funds and operations has allowed us to have a positive impact on energy efficiency and natural areas across Illinois.”
Founded in December 1999 with a $225 million endowment, thanks to sound fiscal management, the Foundation has distributed more than $300 million in completed grants and expects to distribute another $18 million in grants to which it has already committed. These distributions are in addition to the grant for the Prairie State Conservation Coalition.
Grants from the Foundation have funded more than 4,300 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects statewide and co-funded projects that protected more than 35,000 acres of natural areas and wildlife habitat in Illinois. Funds have been granted to schools, municipalities, local government agencies and nonprofit organizations in Illinois.
The foundation stopped accepting new applications for grants on November 29, 2023. Any outstanding grant commitments that the Foundation made prior to that date will be honored and the grants will be funded subject to the provisions of the grant agreement. The Foundation is not accepting new grant applications.
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