Prairie State Conservation Coalition receives $42 million grant for land conservation
The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this blog are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Land Trust Alliance, its staff, its board of directors or any other individuals associated with the organization.
I like to dream big, but even I couldn’t have imagined the exciting news I would receive six months into my new role as executive director of Prairie State Conservation Coalition. I started with the organization in January 2023. Later that year, I learned that the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation would give its final grant to PSCC as the foundation winds down its operations in 2024, and I was stunned when I discovered that the grant amount would be $42 million.
The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation has been a leading funder of land acquisition and conservation in Illinois for 25 years, making an important and lasting impact by demonstrating that land conservation in Illinois not only preserves natural areas and wildlife habitats but makes environmental and financial sense. The grant to PSCC will allow us to continue and expand upon the decades of progress the foundation has made.
“We are pleased to know that the land conservation work of the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation will continue through Prairie State Conservation Coalition,” said Ed Collins, director of land preservation and natural resources for the McHenry County Conservation District. “ICECF’s support was instrumental in acquiring land for the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge which is restoring more than 11,000 acres of drained wetland basins, historic prairie and woodland habitats.”
Today, PSCC represents more than 40 conservation organizations in Illinois. We work with conservation organizations, landowners and communities to preserve natural areas and critical wildlife habitat. Collectively, our members have already helped protect more than 200,000 acres of open space in Illinois, and we are thrilled with the opportunity to enhance and protect even more awe-inspiring areas because of this grant.
“Funding from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation helped acquire Clifftop’s Paul Wightman Subterranean Nature Preserve, Storment Hauss Nature Preserve and the White Rock Nature Preserve,” said Clifftop board member Jim Hill. “We would not own and manage any of our nature preserves if it wasn't for the generous support of the ICECF. It’s great to know that Prairie State Conservation Coalition will continue the legacy of providing land conservation grants.”
Indeed, the $42 million grant is a transformational opportunity for PSCC to carry on the conservation work of ICECF and to significantly improve the quality of life in Illinois communities through land conservation for many years to come.
One of the important and unique aspects of the grant is that some funds will be dedicated to helping support the work of Illinois non-profit land conservation organizations led by people of color and expanding diversity throughout the conservation community. We believe this effort will be one of the first such programs in the nation, and funds will be earmarked to help support such organizations in land acquisition, enhancing awareness of grant opportunities and in helping land conservation organizations diversify their boards, staff and programming.
“Land acquisition and capacity building grants have been instrumental in making us leaders in land protection in northwest Illinois and in developing Native American cultural programs with Tribal Nations that once called Illinois home,” said Steve Barg, executive director of the Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation. "Illinois is fortunate that this type of funding will continue through Prairie State Conservation Coalition.”
As I said in the beginning, I like to dream big, and this $42 million grant allows PSCC to do just that. We are setting high goals for further growth to ensure we have a lasting impact on conservation in Illinois, and we intend this grant to be the start of an effort to increase the fund to $100 million over time.
“Land conservation and nature-based solutions are a cornerstone of environmental health. They are a positive solution for the environment and for people,” said Jerry Adelmann, ICECF board member and the president emeritus at Openlands. “This grant will provide a solid foundation as PSCC takes up the mantle of helping preserve natural areas and wildlife habitat in Illinois.”
Not surprisingly, a lot of planning and work goes into putting all the systems, people and programs in place to accept this amazing gift. That effort is well underway, and we hope to start implementing our initial programs sometime in 2025.
“This grant will enable Prairie State Conservation Coalition to be an even more effective voice for land conservation in Illinois,” said Brook McDonald, PSCC’s board president and the president and CEO of The Conservation Foundation. “It will help us elevate the collective power of land conservation groups in our state. We are excited about the future.”