Grants in Illinois for Wind Power

Overview of Grant Opportunities

• Only Pennsylvania has more grant opportunities for wind power than Illinois. According to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, there are five grants available for wind power in the state. Three of these are federal, one is operated by the state government and one is available through a nonprofit agency. The scope of the projects and the scale of the funding available varies widely. All of these grants offer assistance to forms of renewable energy other than wind power.

Federal Grant Opportunities

• There are three federal grants that fund wind power in Illinois.

  First, the High Energy Cost Grant Program offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides incentives of $75,000 to $5 million to improve energy facilities in rural communities whose energy costs are at least 275 percent above the national average. Individuals, nonprofits, private companies and state, local and tribal governments are eligible for the HECGP.

  A second USDA grant, the Rural Energy for America Program, funds 25 percent of costs for renewable energy programs associated with agricultural producers and rural small businesses. Schools, local, state and tribal governments, rural electric cooperatives, and agricultural, institutional and public power entities are eligible for REAP grants.

  Finally, the U.S. Department of the Treasury offers renewable energy grants through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- the legislation commonly known as "the stimulus." When applied to qualified small wind properties, these cash grants cover 30 percent of property costs. Commercial, agricultural and industrial entities are eligible.

State Grant Opportunities

• The only state grant opportunity for wind power is the School Efficiency Grant, offered through the Illinois State Board of Education. This program provides matching funds to schools and universities up to $250,000 on any alternative energy systems that reduce energy consumption.

Nonprofit Grant Opportunities

• The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation offers the only nonprofit grant opportunity for wind power in Illinois. This program provides funds for many kinds of renewable energy projects, however, the amount of money awarded varies on a case-by-case basis. Since 2001, the ICECF has issued approximately 3,000 grants totaling $160 million. Nonprofit agencies, schools and municipalities are eligible for this grant.