The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Coastal Management Program is accepting pre-applications for grant-funded projects to start in fall 2019.
“We will award grants to projects that protect, preserve, and restore the natural and cultural resources along the Illinois Lake Michigan shoreline ,” IDNR stated in their release.
Funding will be available for projects that:
“Beyond their economic impact and recreational opportunities, beaches provide habitat for sensitive species, serve as a buffer along the shoreline against wind and waves and play a big role in nearshore water quality, ” IDNR said in its notice of funding opportunity for the grant program, noting that thousands of visitors enjoy Lake Michigan beaches each year. “ We recognize that healthy beaches are essential for a healthy coast.”
Funding awarded as part of the program’s new beach category will help local governments or nonprofits develop ‘sustainable, cost-effective and comprehensive’ beach management plans outlining ‘specific, implementable actions that are customized to local conditions’, according to IDNR.
The pre-application submission deadline is January 18, 2019.