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.
2026 Research Grant applications will open December 1st, 2025.
Applications are due January 15th, 2026
Awards will be announced March 15th, 2026
Apply here: https://forms.gle/rs8QYANki4mHDeUq6
State Grants
Research Grants
Community scientists, students, and conservation groups are invited to apply for an INPS Research Grant for up to $3,000 to fund one-year projects in 2026. Research must be on Illinois native plants and their communities, such as their life history, reproductive biology, demography, genetics, community ecology, ecological interactions, threat impacts, analytic floristic inventories of a single site or multiple sites, and comprehensive surveys of priority* plant species. Research on threats to native plants and communities, such as invasive species, are acceptable. Laboratory research on native plants, as well as projects focused on research relating to education or restoration of native plants or communities are also eligible.
*Priority plant species are listed in a document along with grant instructions and guidelines. This information can be found in the link below.
For any questions regarding the INPS research grants, reach out to grants@illinoisplants.org
GRANT INFORMATION DOCUMENTS
2026 Research Grant Instructions
2026 Research Grant Guidelines
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.
