ComEd and Openlands Announce 18 Recipients for 2025 Green Region Grant Program, Awarding $150,000 for Environmental Projects in Illinois Communities.

ComEd and Openlands announced the 18 recipients of the 2025 Green Region Grant Program, totaling over $150,000 in grants to support environmental projects in northern Illinois communities. The program focuses on preserving natural environments, expanding habitats, combating climate change, and creating environmental education spaces. Since its launch in 2013, over $2.45 million has been distributed across nearly 300 conservation projects, including the support of 86,000 feet of ADA-accessible trails and 39,000 new trees.

ComEd and Openlands have announced the 18 recipients of the 2025 Green Region Grant Program, totaling over $150,000 in grants to support environmental projects in northern Illinois communities. The program focuses on preserving natural environments, expanding habitats, combating climate change, and creating environmental education spaces. Since its launch in 2013, over $2.45 million has been distributed across nearly 300 conservation projects, including the support of 86,000 feet of ADA-accessible trails and 39,000 new trees [1].

Melissa Washington, Senior Vice President of Customer Operations and Strategic Initiatives at ComEd, stated, "ComEd proudly invests in the communities we serve across northern Illinois, and through our longstanding partnership with Openlands, we are supporting community-driven projects that will enhance green spaces all across northern Illinois" [1].

The grants, ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 each, will fund a diverse mix of projects aimed at expanding pollinator sites, curbing the effects of climate change, and driving environmental innovations. Some of the funded projects include the restoration of prairie lands, the creation of pollinator gardens, and the installation of greenhouses for native plant propagation [1].

Michael Davidson, President & CEO of Openlands, emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration, stating, "Real change in our region requires cross-sector collaboration. Since 2013, the ComEd Green Region Grant has been made possible through a strong partnership between ComEd and Openlands. Together, we’re expanding and protecting pollinator habitats, restoring green spaces, and empowering communities to care for the natural areas that sustain us all" [1].

The 2025 Green Region Grant Program recipients and their funded projects include:
- The Conservation Foundation (Algonquin) in partnership with Friends of Dundee Natural Areas and Dundee Township, will restore four acres of prairie at Dixie Briggs Fromm Nature Preserve in Dundee Township [1].
- Chicago Park District (Chicago) will convert an abandoned parcel within the North Park Village Complex into an interactive native plant propagation workshop [1].
- Friends of Gray PTO (Chicago) will support the Gray School Native Garden [1].
- Just Roots (Chicago) will use regenerative practices to plant a variety of trees, shrubs, and grasses at It Takes A Village Community Farm [1].
- Latinos Progresando (Chicago) will focus on maintenance and community conservation at the Hammond Elementary Green Schoolyard [1].
- Logan Square Preservation (Chicago) will transform an underutilized lot into a pollinator garden [1].
- NeighborSpace (Chicago) will create La Esquinita Community Garden in Little Village [1].
- Origin Woods Restoration (Chicago) through Voice of the City, will restore a .83-acre property in West Pullman [1].
- DeKalb Regional Office of Education (DeKalb) will be creating Toddler Gardens [1].
- Climate Action Evanston (Evanston) will support their program Edible Evanston [1].
- Flossmoor School District 161 (Flossmoor) through the Parker Junior High School Green Team and in partnership with the Flossmoor Green Commission, will create a pollinator garden on school grounds [1].
- City of Harvard (Harvard) will plant a variety of oak trees in Lions Park [1].
- North Chicago CUSD 187 (North Chicago) will redevelop the landscape at Neal Math and Science Academy [1].
- Peace Village (Palos Park) will restore its natural landscape and create a Monarch Waystation [1].
- Forest Preserve District of DuPage County (Warrenville) will construct a greenhouse in its Native Plant Nursery [1].
- The Theosophical Society in America (Wheaton) will purchase 50 trees for their 42-acre Level 1 public arboretum [1].
- Friends of the Woodstock Public Library (Woodstock) will partner with environmental nonprofits to create walking paths [1].
- Kendall County Forest Preserve District (Yorkville) will complete trail construction to connect three forest preserves [1].

The program is funded by ComEd and administered by Openlands, with details available at Openlands.org/GreenRegion [1].

References:
[1] https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250819456151/en/18-Illinois-Communities-Receive-a-Total-of-%24150000-in-Environmental-Grants-from-ComEd-Openlands