The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is making $5 million available for watershed protection projects across the state, targeting the nonpoint source pollution that quietly degrades rivers, lakes, wetlands, and underground drinking water supplies every time it rains. The funding covers four distinct project types, giving local governments, conservation districts, and nonprofit partners the resources to plan, monitor, educate, and build practical solutions at the watershed level.
About the Illinois EPA Section 319(h) Grant
Administered by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and authorized under Section 319(h) of the federal Clean Water Act, the program channels U.S. EPA pass-through funding to Illinois applicants working to reduce nonpoint source pollution. Unlike point source pollution from industrial outfalls or sewage pipes, nonpoint source pollution travels with rainfall and snowmelt across land and into waterways, picking up fertilizers, pesticides, sediment, and other contaminants along the way. The program prioritizes projects that implement or advance Illinois EPA-approved watershed-based plans or Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation Plans, ensuring that funded work is grounded in science-based water quality frameworks already recognized by the state.
Funding Size
- Total available: $5,000,000
- Watershed-based planning projects: up to $500,000
- Education and information projects: up to $250,000
- Monitoring projects: up to $150,000
- Best management practice implementation projects: up to $3,700,000
- Actual amounts depend on the final U.S. EPA budget approved by Congress and Illinois’ allocated share
Who Can Apply
- Local governments and municipal entities in Illinois
- Soil and water conservation districts
- Nonprofit organizations and conservation groups
- Institutions of higher education and research organizations
- Any eligible applicant with projects aligned with an Illinois EPA-approved watershed-based plan or TMDL Implementation Plan
Geographic Eligibility
- Illinois only
- Projects must address nonpoint source pollution within Illinois watersheds
Sector or Thematic Focus
- Best management practice implementation to reduce agricultural and urban runoff
- Watershed-based planning and water quality management
- Environmental monitoring and social indicator monitoring
- Outreach, education, and public information on nonpoint source pollution
- Protection of lakes, rivers, wetlands, and groundwater from stormwater-driven contaminants
Application Process
Applications must be submitted through the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act Grantee Portal at grants.illinois.gov/portal. The Notice of Funding Opportunity is posted on Illinois EPA’s Nonpoint Source Grants webpage and on il.amplifund.com. Illinois EPA strongly encourages prospective applicants to review the full NOFO before beginning their application.
Read Also: EPA Environmental Education Grant – Apply Now
Required Materials
- Completed application submitted through the GATA Grantee Portal
- Project narrative demonstrating alignment with an Illinois EPA-approved watershed-based plan or TMDL Implementation Plan
- Budget aligned to one of the four eligible project categories
- Supporting documentation as specified in the Notice of Funding Opportunity
Key Dates
- NOFO posted: 22 July 2026
- Application deadline: 16 September 2026, 1:00 p.m. CDT
Read Also: Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Grant 2026 – Apply Now
Selection Notes
- Projects implementing components of an existing Illinois EPA-approved watershed-based plan or TMDL Implementation Plan receive priority consideration
- Funding allocations across the four categories are subject to adjustment based on final federal appropriations and Illinois EPA discretion
- Meeting eligibility criteria does not guarantee an award; the program is competitive