Grant funders / Illinois / Environment & Conservation
Environment & Conservation Grant Funders in Illinois
381 foundations with a documented environment & conservation focus have made grants to Illinois nonprofits in recent years, together directing $328.3M to organizations across the state. Below are the most active — every funder links to a full giving profile, and Bespoke Grants will match all 381 against your nonprofit's specific mission, for free.
381
Environment & conservation funders
$328.3M
Given to Illinois nonprofits
3,209
Grants on record
2025
Most recent giving
Most active environment & conservation funders in Illinois
| # | Funder | Based in | Total Illinois giving | Grants | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Chicago Community Trust | Illinois | $29.9M | 80 | 2023 |
| 2 | Vulcan Materials Company Foundation | Alabama | $26.8M | 5 | 2024 |
| 3 | Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation | Illinois | $26.2M | 76 | 2024 |
| 4 | John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation (consolidated) | Illinois | $11.5M | 37 | 2024 |
| 5 | National Fish and Wildlife Foundation | District of Columbia | $9.1M | 55 | 2024 |
| 6 | The Joyce Foundation | Illinois | $8.8M | 49 | 2024 |
| 7 | Walder Foundation | Delaware | $7.9M | 49 | 2024 |
| 8 | Builders Initiative Foundation (fka the Builders Initiative Inc) | Arkansas | $7.4M | 26 | 2024 |
| 9 | Anne Ray Foundation | Minnesota | $7.1M | 4 | 2023 |
| 10 | The Nature Conservancy | Virginia | $6.6M | 117 | 2024 |
| 11 | Exelon Foundation | Illinois | $6.0M | 4 | 2024 |
This list is ranked by size. Yours should be ranked by fit.
The funders above are the biggest environment & conservation funders in Illinois — not necessarily the right ones for you. Bespoke Grants ranks all 381 against your nonprofit's actual mission, service area, and budget, and shows you why each one matches. Free, no credit card.
Rank these funders for my nonprofit →Environment & Conservation funders in other states
Other causes funded in Illinois
How this list is built. Bespoke Grants indexes 13M+ grants from public IRS Form 990 filings. This page shows foundations whose giving carries a documented environment & conservation focus and that have funded Illinois nonprofits. Giving figures reflect each funder's total recent grants to Illinois recipients. IRS data publishes on a 1–2 year lag; figures are current through the most recent available filings.