Municipalities, individuals, businesses, and nonprofits are eligible to apply for a natural resource protection grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' Conservation 2000 Program (C2000). Since its inception, C2000 has awarded over $34.9 million in grants for habitat restoration, land acquisition, planning, research, and outreach projects across Illinois.

Back by popular demand, UDPREP will be offering its free C2000 pre-proposal review service in 2008. Applicants are invited to email their draft proposals to upperdesplainesriver@yahoo.com by 3 p.m. on Wednesday, January 16, 2008. UDPREP will convene a panel of experts to review the pre-proposals and meet with applicants individually to offer helpful suggestions and feedback. The panel will be meeting in late January, and each applicant will be assigned a time slot.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to include a draft budget and near-final narrative in their pre-proposal submission.

Applicants submit final proposals directly to C2000 by 5 p.m on Friday, February 29, 2008. Once C2000 officials review the final proposals, they send them to UDPREP. Our committee reconvenes, reviews each final proposal, and prepares recommendations and comments. C2000 officials use this input to help them make final funding decisions.

Applicants must establish a username and password in order to apply for funding online. There can be a delay in getting your username/password approved by C2000. It is recommended that applicants establish a username/password early in the process.

Also, applicants may begin developing their draft proposals online anytime. IDNR's web site allows applicants to save their work and return to it later.

Click here for some helpful tips on how to develop a grant proposal.