Illinois Historic Preservation Agency

04/26/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/27/2026 12:50

IDNR awards 108 biodiversity field trip grants to Illinois state parks, historic sites and museums

SPRINGFIELD - Nearly 7,000 students will visit Illinois state parks, natural areas, museums and other natural resources sites thanks to grants from the Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant program administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Conservation Foundation (ICF).

This competitive grant program allows Illinois teachers to apply for funds to take students on a field trip to study Illinois' natural resources. Learning activities must directly relate to the school's curriculum, and funding covers such expenses as transportation and substitute teachers.

IDNR awarded more than $101,000 for 108 field trip grants. This year's grant recipients represent 34 Illinois counties.

"These field trip grants offer students the opportunity to get outdoors and experience what they've been learning about in the classroom," said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie. "The next generation of conservation leaders deserve a chance to experience Illinois' natural resources in person. IDNR is pleased to support learning outside the classroom."

Funding is made possible by private donations from the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation of Skokie and the D.F. and M.T. Grohne Family Foundation of Wilmington. The donations and funding are coordinated by ICF.

Since its inception in 2001, the Biodiversity Field Trip Grant program has distributed more than $1.7 million, and more than 146,000 students have been provided the opportunity to take part in a field trip. Grant recipients are located throughout Illinois and represent students from pre-kindergarten through high school.


Teachers can apply online by Jan. 31 for the next round of field trip funding. For more information about program, contact the IDNR Division of Education by emailing [email protected] or calling 217-524-4126.

The Illinois Conservation Foundation gladly accepts donations for the Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant Program. Visit ICF online for additional information. View the complete list of grant recipients below and online .

Champaign County

  • Faith and Reason Learning Community, Urbana, $1,315: grades 4-12, The Nature Institute in Godfrey

Clark County

  • Monroe Elementary School, Casey, $685.85: grades 5-6, Fox Ridge State Park

Cook County

  • ACE Amandla Charter School, Chicago, $500: grades 9-12, Starved Rock State Park
  • Bell Elementary School, Chicago, $910: grades 3-6, LaBagh Woods and Wild Mile, Chicago
  • Bret Harte Elementary School, Chicago, $1,000: grades 3 and 5, Steelworkers Park, Chicago
  • Bret Harte Elementary School, Chicago, $1,000: grade 4, Steelworkers Park, Chicago
  • Chicago Academy Elementary, Chicago, $367.13: kindergarten, North Park Village Nature Center, Chicago
  • Congress Park School, Brookfield, $1,000: grade 2, Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Willow Springs
  • Forest Road School, La Grange Park, $2,000: Grade 4, Lincoln Marsh, Wheaton
  • Harry E. Fry School, Burbank, $650: Grade 5, Matthiessen State Park
  • Lane Technical College Prep High School, Chicago, $1,000: grades 9-12, Humboldt Park, Chicago
  • Locke Elementary School, Chicago, $825: grade 5, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe
  • Lorca Elementary School, Chicago, $1,000: grade 6, Chicago River, Chicago
  • Loyola Academy, Wilmette, $1,500 (two grants): grades 10-11, Skokie Lagoons, Glencoe
  • Loyola Academy, Wilmette, $600: grades 10-11, Dixon Prairie and Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe
  • Loyola Academy, Wilmette, $1,000 (four grants): grade 11, Munz Campus Prairie, Glenview
  • Loyola Academy, Wilmette, $600 (four grants): grade 12, Munz Campus Prairie, Glenview
  • Loyola Academy, Wilmette, $1,000 (two grants): grade 12, Illinois Beach State Park
  • Loyola Academy, Wilmette, $600 (two grants): grade 12, West Fork Chicago River at Munz Campus, Glenview
  • Maine West High School, Des Plaines, $500: grades 10-12, Linne Woods, Morton Grove
  • McGaw YMCA Children's Center, Evanston, $1,390: pre-K, Emily Oaks Nature Center, Skokie
  • North River Elementary, Chicago, $520: grades 3-4, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe
  • Our Lady of Tepeyac High School, Chicago, $700: grades 9-10, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago
  • Palmer Elementary School, Chicago, $1,000: grade 3, North Park Village Nature Center, Chicago
  • St. Thomas the Apostle School, Chicago, $720: grades 3-5, Steelworkers Park, Chicago
  • University of Chicago Charter School (NKO Campus), Chicago, $1,000: grade 3, Steelworkers Park, Chicago
  • West Ridge Elementary School, Chicago, $550: kindergarten, North Park Village Nature Center, Chicago
  • William H. Ryder Math and Science Specialty School, Chicago, $1,000: grade 5, Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area, Riverwoods

DeWitt County

  • Ruth M. Schneider Elementary School, Farmer City, $499.55: grade 2, Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, Mahomet

Douglas County

  • Villa Grove CUSD 302, Villa Grove, $631.22: grades 7-8, Fox Ridge State Park
  • Villa Grove High School, Villa Grove, $1,000: grades 9-12, Vermilion River rafting trip, Oglesby

DuPage County

  • Evergreen Elementary School, West Chicago, $1,900: grade 2, Hickory Knolls Discovery Center, St. Charles
  • Evergreen Elementary School, West Chicago, $2,000: grade 4, Morton Arboretum, Lisle
  • Franzen Intermediate School, Itasca, $1,500: grade 5, Stronghold Center, Oregon
  • Fullerton Elementary School, Addison, $1,010: grade 3, Morton Arboretum, Lisle
  • Georgetown Elementary School, Aurora, $1,000: grade 2, Red Oak Nature Center, North Aurora
  • Lincoln Elementary School, Addison, $812: grade 3, Morton Arboretum, Lisle
  • St. James the Apostle School, Glen Ellyn, $825: grades 2-3, Morton Arboretum, Lisle
  • West Chicago Community High School, West Chicago, $655.95: grades 11-12, Urban Stream Research Center, Warrenville

Franklin County

  • Christopher High School, Christopher, $500: grades 11-12, Cache River Wetlands Center, Cypress

Hardin County

  • Hardin County Elementary School, Elizabethtown, $1,000: grades kindergarten through 5, University of Illinois Dixon Springs Agricultural Center, Simpson

Henderson County

  • West Central Elementary School, Biggsville, $963: grade 2, Wildlife Prairie Park, Hanna City

Jackson County

  • Carruthers Elementary School, Murphysboro, $658.75: grade 4, Lake Murphysboro State Park
  • Carruthers Elementary School, Murphysboro, $658.74: grade 4, Lake Murphysboro State Park
  • DeSoto Grade School, De Soto, $2,065: grades 6-8, Camp Manitowa, Benton
  • Murphysboro Middle School, Murphysboro, $806.96: grades 6-8, Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center, Makanda

Jersey County

  • Valley Economic Development Corp. Head Start Program, Jerseyville, $1,178: pre-K, The Nature Institute, Godfrey

Johnson County

  • New Simpson Hill School, Tunnel Hill, $500: grade 8, Cache River State Natural Area, Ullin

Kane County

  • Kenyon Woods Middle School, South Elgin, $1,000: grade 7, Starved Rock State Park
  • Long Beach Elementary School, Montgomery, $1,361: grade 5, Harris Forest Preserve, Yorkville
  • Vanguard Gifted Academy, Batavia, $715: grades kindergarten through 5, Morton Arboretum, Lisle

Lake County

  • Frassati Catholic Academy, Wauconda, $276-$334 (eight grants): grades 2-8 and kindergarten through first, Lake County Forest Preserves, Lake Forest
  • Little Scouts Preschool, Lake Forest, $570: pre-K, Danny Cunniff Park, Highland Park

Lee County

  • Madison Elementary School, Dixon, $1,000: grade 4, Byron Forest Preserve, Byron

Livingston County

  • Prairie Central Elementary School, Fairbury, $1,024.96: grade 2, Fugate Woods, Fairbury

Macon County

  • Ellsworth Dansby Jr. Magnet School, Decatur, $634: grade 3, 4-H Memorial Camp, Monticello
  • Franklin Grove Elementary School, Decatur, $1,334: grade 4, 4-H Memorial Camp, Monticello
  • Maroa-Forsyth Middle School, Maroa, $1,000: grade 8, Starved Rock State Park
  • Meridian Elementary School, Blue Mound, $280: grade 3, Griswold Conservation Area, Blue Mound
  • South Shores Elementary School, Decatur, $1,000: grade 3, Illinois Raptor Center, Decatur
  • South Shores Elementary School, Decatur, $990: grade 3, Rock Springs Nature Center, Decatur

Macoupin County

  • Carlinville Primary School, Carlinville, Grade two; Beaver Dam State Park, Plainview; $554.38.
  • Wolf Ridge Education Center, Edwardsville, Grade four; The Nature Institute, Godfrey; $729.50.

Madison County

  • Calvary Christian School, Alton, $307.50: grades 4-7, The Nature Institute, Godfrey
  • Roxana High School, Roxana, $940: grades 11-12, Willoughby Heritage Farms, Collinsville

Marion County

  • Salem Community High School, Salem, $750: grades 9-12, Illinois Caverns State Natural Area, Waterloo

McDonough County

  • Edison Elementary School, Macomb, $1,015: grade 4, Wildlife Prairie Park, Hanna City

McLean County

  • Carlock Elementary School, Carlock, $1,914.48: grades kindergarten through 5, Wildlife Prairie Park, Hanna City

Monroe County

  • Valmeyer Elementary School, Valmeyer, $178.48: grade 5, Waterloo Sportsman's Club, Waterloo

Peoria County

  • Annie Jo Gordon Community Learning Center, Peoria, $1,000: grades 6-8, Starved Rock State Park
  • Light House Academy, Peoria, $200: grades 1-6, Wildlife Prairie Park, Hanna City
  • Mossville Junior High and Elementary School, Chillicothe, $884: grade 2, Wildlife Prairie Park, Hanna City
  • Wilder-Waite Grade School, Peoria, $374: grade 3, Wildlife Prairie Park, Hanna City

Piatt County

  • DeLand-Weldon CUSD 57, DeLand, $550: grades 6-8, 4-H Memorial Camp, Monticello
  • White Heath Elementary School, White Heath, $1,960: grades 4-5, 4-H Memorial Camp, Monticello

Pike County

  • Pleasant Hill Elementary School, Pleasant Hill, $847.50: grades 3-4, The Nature Institute, Godfrey
  • Pleasant Hill Elementary School, Pleasant Hill, $957.50: grades 3-4, The Nature Institute, Godfrey

Richland County

  • St. Joseph School, Olney, $500: grade 8, Camp Ondessonk, Ozark

Saline County

  • East Side Intermediate School, Harrisburg, $3,500: grade 4, Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center, Makanda

Shelby County

  • Gregory Intermediate School, Moweaqua, $900: grade 5, Camp Maranatha, Ramsey

Union County

  • Lick Creek CCSD 16, Buncombe, $250: grade 2, Ferne Clyffe State Park, Goreville

Washington County

  • Trinity Lutheran School, Hoyleton, $500: grades 5-6, The Nature Institute, Godfrey

Will County

  • Brooks Middle School, Bolingbrook, $1,600: grade 7, Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, Channahon

Williamson County

  • Carterville Intermediate School, Carterville, $4,080: grade 5, Cache River State Natural Area, Ullin
  • Carterville Junior High School, Carterville, $2,500 (two grants): grade 8, outdoor education sites, Makanda
Illinois Historic Preservation Agency published this content on April 26, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 27, 2026 at 18:50 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]