Special Wildlife Funds – State Pheasant Fund (FY27)
🏛 Illinois Department of Natural Resources
✓ Free, no account · Source: Illinois GATA Catalog (CSFA) · Last verified Jul 1, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for nonprofit organizations and governmental entities working on wild pheasant conservation in Illinois. Applicants must propose projects that preserve, protect, acquire, manage, or maintain high-quality habitat for wild pheasants. Projects addressing the Forest and Woodland, Farmland and Prairie, or Wetland Campaigns in the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan score higher.
Funding supports habitat improvement and connectivity projects statewide. Activities include land acquisition, habitat restoration, and public access development. Projects demonstrating reasonable costs, feasible methods, and public access opportunities are preferred.
Not the right fit? Find grants for your organization in 5 questions →
Program description
The State pheasant Fund provides grants to appropriate not-for-profit organizations and to governmental entities for projects for the purpose of wild pheasant conservation. This Fund is part of the Special Wildlife Funds Grant Program. Grants through the State Pheasant Fund are competitive and are evaluated for their merit.
These funds are provided through the purchase of Illinois Habitat Stamps. Projects that help meet the targeted goals of the Forest and Woodland, Farmland and Prairie, or Wetland Campaigns delineated in the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan Implementation Guide, that offer reasonable costs, that list methods that are feasible and appropriate, and offer public access tend to receive higher scores.
Grant funding through this Fund supports activities and programs undertaken to preserve, protect, acquire, manage, and maintain high quality habitat for wild pheasant conservation. Goals include improving habitat quality and connectivity. High quality habitat can be characterized by such parameters as type, native diversity, size, structure, scarcity and location. Connectivity is defined as linkage with neighboring habitat, whether existing or potential. Illinois’ habitat includes all wetlands, bodies of water, woodlands, grasslands and agricultural lands, natural or altered, that support or have the potential to support populations of wild pheasant in any or all phases of their life cycles. See 520 ILCS 5/1.31 for full text of the Pheasant Fund Act.
These Funds are governed by Administrative Rule set forth in 17 Ill. Adm. Code 3060. The Grantee agrees and understands that the grant shall be administered pursuant to the Administrative Rule and shall comply with these terms and conditions. State Pheasant Fund Administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources via the Illinois GATA Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA 422-20-1091).
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- Project narrative describing pheasant conservation goals
- Budget and cost justification
- Timeline for project completion
- Evidence of organizational capacity
- Letters of support from partners (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 Susan Duke
- 📧 susan.duke@illinois.gov
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply?
Nonprofit organizations and governmental entities in Illinois working on pheasant conservation. For-profit businesses and individuals are not eligible.
What projects does this fund support?
Habitat preservation, protection, acquisition, management, and maintenance for wild pheasants. Projects addressing Illinois Wildlife Action Plan campaigns score higher.
What is the funding range?
Awards range from $10,000 to $100,000. Total program funding is $200,000 annually.
Is cost-sharing required?
No cost-sharing is required for this grant.
How competitive is this fund?
This is a competitive grant. Proposals addressing specific wildlife action plan goals and offering public access tend to score highest.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Align your project with Illinois Wildlife Action Plan goals for Forest and Woodland, Farmland and Prairie, or Wetland Campaigns. Mention which campaigns your work supports.
- Demonstrate habitat quality improvements using measurable parameters like native diversity, size, structure, and connectivity to neighboring lands.
- Include detailed project methods and cost estimates. Reviewers favor proposals with feasible, appropriate approaches and reasonable budgets.
- Emphasize public access opportunities. Projects offering public hunting, education, or recreation access score higher in competitive review.
- Document how your project serves wild pheasant populations across their life cycles. Show understanding of pheasant habitat needs throughout the year.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Proposals lacking alignment with Illinois Wildlife Action Plan campaigns often score lower. Specify which campaign your project supports. Vague habitat quality descriptions without measurable metrics reduce competitiveness. Provide specific parameters for habitat improvements. Neglecting public access components limits scoring potential. Include public access in your project design.
Similar grants
- ROLLING SWG – State Wildlife Grants (FY24) — Illinois Department of Natural Resources
- ROLLING PR – Wildlife Restoration (FY24) — Illinois Department of Natural Resources
- ROLLING SWG – State Wildlife Grants (FY26) — Illinois Department of Natural Resources
- ROLLING PR – Wildlife Restoration (FY25) — Illinois Department of Natural Resources
- ROLLING SWG – State Wildlife Grants (FY25) — Illinois Department of Natural Resources