2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding available and match requirement

Applicants may request between $50,000 and $250,000 with a 50% match required for most projects. Match must be directly related to work on the project and within the coastal region.  

Timeframe

Projects can last from 12 to 24 months, depending on the needs of their project. Projects should plan to begin on or around January 1, 2027 (precise start and end dates depend upon approval by NOAA and state funding authorization). Proposed projects can take less than 24 months, but not more than that timeframe.

Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants include units of local government (e.g., municipalities, park districts, school districts, forest preserve districts), universities, and non-profit organizations. Private individuals, for-profit organizations, and organizations that cannot be pre-qualified through the State of Illinois grantee portal (https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/) are not eligible to receive grant funds. 

Public landowners and long-term lease holders are the only eligible applicants for on-the-ground projects such as low-cost construction or habitat restoration. For planning projects, a letter of commitment is required from the landowner if the applicant does not own the land.

Application Materials

All applications must be submitted through the Euna Grant Management System (formerly Amplifund).

The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) can be found at:  https://il.amplifund.com/Public/Opportunities/Details/d908f110-018e-47a3-91a6-a7f5f3e00f43

All applicants must be pre-qualified on the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) website (https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/) to receive funding.

The State of Illinois adopted Euna as the statewide online grant management system in 2021. This system is used to apply for grants, complete grant reporting, and request payments. It allows grantee organizations to manage their State of Illinois grants in one place. The Euna Grant Management System uses a single log-in that is also used in the Grantee Portal. It pulls data from the Grantee Portal and the statewide Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA) to reduce the need for duplicate data entry. 

Instructions for applying to an IDNR Grant on Euna: https://dnr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dnr/grants/documents/how-to-apply.pdf

The required application components that must be filled out in Euna include:

1. Project Information
2. Application Project Narrative
3. Performance Plan/Timeline of Tasks 
4. Budget

These items can be downloaded as a PDF so applicants can prepare the proposal outside of the Euna platform. Click the blue “Download” button at the top of the page. After preparing outside of Euna, everything will need to be entered and submitted through the platform. Applications will not be accepted in any other way. 

Letter of Commitment is an optional document that should be filled out if partners are committing their resources towards the project. For planning projects or on the ground work, a letter of commitment is required from the landowner if the applicant does not own the land.

Reporting

Successful applicants will need to report progress on their work after the grant is awarded. Periodic Performance Reports and Periodic Financial Reports are required on quarterly or semi-annual basis for all projects. Final narrative reports are required after project completion. 

The deadline for applications is 5:00 pm CST, Wednesday May 20, 2026. Applications must be submitted through Euna by this deadline to be considered for funding.

Application can be accessed on Euna at:  https://il.amplifund.com/Public/Opportunities/Details/d908f110-018e-47a3-91a6-a7f5f3e00f43

Applications received after the application deadline will not be considered. Submission of an incomplete application does not extend the application deadline and will disqualify the applicant. Please plan on submitting your application prior to the deadline to address any technology issues that may come up. Paper applications, emailed applications, or any other submissions will not be accepted.

Multiple applications may be submitted by the same organization, but each application must be for a stand-alone project and shall not be dependent upon funding the other application(s). 

Summaries of previously funded projects are available on our website at: https://dnr.illinois.gov/cmp/coastalgrants/pastgrants.html

IDNR CMP works within a designated Illinois Coastal Area boundary while simultaneously advancing coastal priorities across the broader Illinois coastal region. To receive funding, a project must support CMP priorities in the region. Education and broader planning projects may be located outside of the coastal boundary but must advance coastal priorities. 

On-the-ground habitat and low-cost construction projects (including signage) MUST be located entirely within the official Illinois Coastal Area. To determine if your project qualifies, please review the Illinois Coastal Area boundary maps. 

• Zoomable map: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/6199265b6b2445b9a000e5b46e8a0018/  

• PDF maps: https://dnr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dnr/cmp/documents/program/programdocument/appendix-b.pdf  

• Google Earth layer (downloads kmz file): https://dnr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dnr/cmp/documents/grants/general-grant-docs/googleearthlayercoastalzone.kmz 

• ArcGIS layer (downloads zip file): https://dnr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dnr/cmp/documents/grants/general-grant-docs/coastalzoneboundary.zip 

Funding Category 1: Coastal Habitats and Species

The Illinois Coastal Area, while highly urbanized, contains a variety of remnant and essential habitats including oak savannah, woodlands, coastal bluffs and ravines, prairies, wetlands, urbanized waterways, beaches, and dune/swale habitats, as well as nearshore habitat, ancient cobble reefs, and open-water benthic and pelagic habitats. Habitat loss and degradation have caused a wide range of issues ranging from impaired water quality to invasive species to reduced ecosystem services. 

Projects in this category work towards protecting and improving coastal habitats for the species that depend upon them, plan to mitigate threats to habitats or species, or lay the groundwork for future conservation. Projects must show clear connection and make progress toward these goals.

Eligible project types

1. Conduct on the ground habitat restoration on public land in the Coastal Zone.
   Examples include but are not limited to: Invasive species removal; Native plantings; Re-wilding of areas; Installation of fish habitat; restoration focused on specific species.
   
   
2. Develop plans for acquisition, enhancements, and restoration of publicly owned and accessible coastal habitats, especially ravines and wetlands that are hydrologically connected to Lake Michigan. Examples include but are not limited to: Engineering and design for restoration projects; Restoration planning or prioritization; acquisition planning and due diligence; Shoreline management planning; Building partnership coalitions centered around habitat management.
   
   
3. Provide educational programming, outreach, and/or resources that highlight coastal-specific natural habitats, species, and the value of our coastal natural resources. Examples include but are not limited to: Educational programming for schools, Faith-based groups, and other organizations and groups; Community outreach and awareness materials, programs, or events; Creation of interpretive signs; Creation of curricula or other education or outreach materials; Events, workshops, or symposia. 
   
   
4. Improve nearshore habitats by addressing sources of water quality degradation. Examples include but are not limited to: Planning to identify, prioritize, and address significant stormwater management issues; Engineering and design to implement nature-based solutions that improve water quality; Assessments to identify and reduce barriers to best management practice implementation; Building partnership coalitions centered around water resource management.

Funding Category 2: Coastal Public Access and Recreation

The Illinois Coastal Area provides many recreation and public access amenities including parks, forest preserves, swimming beaches, canoe and kayak launches, hiking and biking trails, boat launches, fishing piers, and so much more. 

Projects in this category support and facilitate coastal access and recreation. 

Eligible project types

1. Enhance and promote Lake Michigan coastal recreation opportunities in Illinois and regionally. Examples include but are not limited to: Small construction projects to make existing recreational facilities more accessible; recreation and tourism programming that connects local populations to coastal resources; Community outreach, events, and awareness materials or programs; Creation of interpretive signage or recreational wayfinding signage; Regional tourism planning; Creation of curricula or other education or outreach materials; Events, workshops, or symposisia 

Funding Category 3: Coastal Community Resilience 

The Lake Michigan shoreline is a dynamic system, with coastal hazards such as erosion, sand accretion, fluctuating lake levels, stormwater volume, and flooding posing major challenges. The health of coastal communities requires sustainable solutions to challenges that balance the needs of residents, recreational users, nature, and commerce.

Projects in this category move communities towards solutions that mitigate coastal hazards and ensure the long-term health of community assets. Goals include identification and improved understanding of hazards, planning for long-term solutions, increased capacity and coordination among communities to collaboratively solve regional problems, and inclusion/evaluation of nature-based solutions.

Eligible project types

1. Advance planning, design, and engineering of resilience projects. Inclusion of green infrastructure and other nature-based solutions is encouraged where possible. Examples include but are not limited to: Capacity support for coastal communities; Hazard vulnerability assessments; Land-use planning and master plan development; Development of tools or resources to improve decision-making; Development of engineering and design plans.
   
   
2. Enhance regional collaboration for improved coastal community resiliency. Examples include but are not limited to: Outreach, education, and training; Partnership and coalition building; Capacity support for regional initiatives.
   
   
3. Installation of green infrastructure and other nature-based solutions. Examples include but are not limited to: Rain garden installation; Nature-based water quality solutions; Bluff and shoreline stabilization; Naturalize shorelines.

Projects that focus solely on development of hardened shoreline structures and gray infrastructure will not be as competitive as those that consider natural or nature-based solutions or that have a habitat component. 

Funding Category 4: Coastal Community Development 

Ports, harbors, and marinas contribute to local and regional economic vitality. Enhancement of these opportunities improves quality of life, draws in tourists, creates jobs, and enhances the coastal economy. Additionally, workforce development programs can help fill positions in fields addressing coastal issues.

Projects in this category invest in coastal communities and support and facilitate economic development. 

Eligible project types

1. Improve economic viability, capacity, and development of Illinois’ Lake Michigan coastal ports, harbors, marinas, and other public coastal-dependent uses. Examples include but are not limited to: Sustainability planning; Needs assessments and feasibility studies; Planning, engineering and/or design of clean marina best management practices.
   
   
2. Promote economic development within the coastal resiliency sector and develop a workforce skilled in addressing coastal issues (e.g. nature-based solutions implementation, green infrastructure maintenance, etc.) Examples include but are not limited to: Skills training program development; Partnership building and coordination with employers; Outreach and engagement for worker recruitment; Capacity building for workforce development and community-based organizations.

Ineligible Costs

Grant and match funds cannot be used for:

• Food and beverage
• On-the-ground or site-specific planning projects outside of the Coastal Area 
• Any costs that are not allowed under section 306A of the Coastal Zone Management Act (https://coast.noaa.gov/data/czm/media/guide306a.pdf). This includes large-scale construction, improvements that result in private or commercial gain, hardened shoreline structures, beach re-nourishment, dredging, gray infrastructure, transportation projects, and general recreational facilities such as playground equipment.
• Any costs that are not allowed under Federal Grant Cost Principles (2 CFR 200, Subpart E, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E

Additional Environmental Information 

Depending on the scope of the project, IDNR CMP may request additional information pertaining to environmental impacts and environmental data collection for review and approval by IDNR and NOAA.  Applicants may be asked for detailed information such as maps, project footprints, techniques, timelines, or photos of historic structures or other resources. Including detailed information about planned mitigation activities at the time of application, especially if your project may cause adverse impacts to natural or cultural resources, can save time in the approval process. 

Projects that collect environmental data, such as GPS locations, soil cores, wildlife population surveys, etc., must complete a NOAA Office for Coastal Management (OCM) Data Management and Sharing Plan Review Form before a grant agreement can be executed. Projects involving ground disturbance will be required to fill out a NOAA OCM Section 306A Habitat Restoration and Small Construction Checklist before a grant agreement can be executed. These forms will be provided by IDNR CMP if your project is selected.

Match Requirement 

Most applicants are required to provide a 50% match (1:1 match) with the awarded grant funding 50% of the total project cost. 

The only exception is local governmental applicants from Economically Challenged Communities, which qualify for a 1:3 match requirement (the grant funds 75% of the total project cost). 

• Economically Challenged Communities for this program are defined as communities partially or completely within the Illinois coastal area having more than 15% of the population below the national poverty level according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 

• For the 2026 grant program, local government entities in the following municipalities qualify: Blue Island, Burnham, Calumet City, Dolton, North Chicago, Riverdale, Waukegan, and Zion. The criteria for Economically Challenged Communities are specific to this funding opportunity. It may be modified in subsequent grant rounds for this program to better assist such communities within the coastal area in accessing this funding program. 

Match expenditures must be integral to the accomplishment of project or program objectives and cannot come from a federal source. For example, a grantee may use the salary and fringe expenses of a staff member who is being paid by a non-federal source as match. However, they can only count the hours that staff member spends on activities related to the project as match. Counting time spent on other activities outside of the project scope is not allowed. This rule applies for both cash and in-kind match. 

If the project includes expenses in the Fringe cost category, the Fringe costs must be included on the same side of the budget (Grant Budget or Match Budget) as the respective Personnel costs. For example, if staff member A’s salary is being funded by the grant in the Personnel category, related Fringe expenses cannot be used as match.

Indirect Costs

Indirect Costs are a proportional allocation of general operating costs (commonly referred to as “overhead”), such as rent, utilities, and other costs that can’t be easily allocated to a specific project. If the applicant organization has a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) in place with the federal government, refer to the rate and base in the NICRA to correctly calculate indirect costs for your project. Applicants must submit their NICRA with their grant application.

If the applicant organization does not have a negotiated indirect cost agreement, they may elect to use the de minimis rate of 15% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). Modified direct total costs include all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $50,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award). MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant supports costs, and the portion of each subaward in excess of $50,000.

See 2 CFR 200.414 for more information:

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?node=2:1.1.2.2.1.5&rgn=div6#se2.1.200_1414

All applicants must be pre-qualified on the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Website (https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/) in order to receive funding. 

Applications will be reviewed by IDNR Coastal Management Program staff and a Technical Advisory Committee. Projects with the highest point totals will be recommended for funding. To ensure regional disbursement of funding the highest ranked project may be funded from each region (North, Central, South).

Full Application Scoring Criteria

• Need (14 points): 

  Project need is currently un-met, clearly articulated, and aligns with the funding category and Coastal Program objectives.

• Anticipated Impact (14 points): 

  Project is expected to have a positive impact on Coastal resources or populations; application includes quantifiable performance metrics.

• Feasibility and Timeline (10 points): 

  Goals are clear and the activities included will lead to desired outcomes. Project timeline, budget, narrative, and stakeholder buy-in all point to a project that can be expected to be completed on time and on budget.

• Coastal Communities and Populations (6 points): 

  Proposal considers the communities or populations in greatest need.

• Partnerships and Local Support (8 points): 

  Partner or stakeholder participation adds value to the project.

• Capacity and Qualifications (4 points): 

  Demonstrated capacity and qualifications show that the organization is likely to successfully meet grant requirements.

• Cost Effectiveness (4 points): 

  Project is cost effective for the anticipated impact.

TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS: 60

Projects selected for funding are subject to the State of Illinois Comprehensive Environmental Review Process (CERP) and National Environment Policy Act Review (NEPA) as well as approval by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the IDNR Director. 

Successful applicants will be required to enter into a grant agreement with the IDNR that includes standard terms and conditions that are not subject to modification. Failure of a successful applicant to complete all required steps will result in cancellation of the grant award.

Application information cannot be kept confidential. Grant applications are considered public information under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140/2.5.

The NOAA Environmental Data Sharing Policy requires all grant recipients to make environmental data and information collected through this grant program visible, accessible, and independently understandable to general users at no cost no later than two years after the data are collected or created. Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) compliant metadata are also required.