About Our Grants
The Illinois Native Plant Society Research Fund was developed to promote the conservation of Illinois native plants and communities through scientific research.
View past grants awarded, including grant recipients’ names, grant project descriptions, and links to published articles.
2025 Grants applications are now closed.
State Grants
Research Grants
Several research grants are available each year, up to $3,000. Eligible research projects may include studies on Illinois native plants and communities (including those threatened or endangered), such as life history, reproductive biology, demography, genetics, comparative site inventories, community ecology, ecological interactions, and threat impacts. Projects focused on research relating to education about or restoration of native plants and plant communities, including the effects of management practices, will be considered. INPS funds cannot be used for plants, seeds, or restoration supplies and equipment (except as an essential part of a research project). Applicants must demonstrate the justification or need for the research project, including providing references or other evidence as applicable.
Survey Grants
Beginning in 2020, INPS initiated a new grant program, the Survey Grant Program. This grant will fund searches for Illinois Endangered, Threatened, or Rare species for which current data is inadequate to assess their status and for which field surveys and recovery recommendations are needed up to $5,000. INPS is working with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to develop a survey priority list. Experienced botanical field surveyors, whether independent or associated with an institution, are invited to apply for this grant. Partnerships are encouraged.
Grants Funded by our Chapters
Central Chapter Grants
The Central Chapter of the Illinois Native Plant Society offers grants to individuals or groups to support projects promoting the conservation of Illinois native plants and natural communities.
Applications are limited to projects intended for Central Illinois, which includes the following counties for purposes of this grant program: Brown, Cass, Christian, DeWitt, Fulton, Greene, Jersey, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Mason, McLean, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, and Tazewell.
The Blooming Botanist Grant
The Kankakee Torrent Chapter of the Illinois Native Plant Society offers the Blooming Botanist grant to high school or early college students in Will or neighboring counties interested in learning to identify and monitor plants and manage native ecosystems. The grant provides a $1,200 stipend to support students while they take a summer botany course from the Morton Arboretum and perform Plants of Concern monitoring and natural land management for local conservation organizations. The goal is to inspire local students to pursue botanical careers.