(CHICAGO, IL) July 13, 2026 – The Alliance for the Great Lakes is pleased to announce the new Community Partnerships Grant Program – Southern Lake Michigan (CPGP), a funding program to support the aims of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). Through CPGP, the Alliance will award a total of $1,125,000 in 2026 for community-driven projects that will reduce pollution, control invasive species, and restore lands and waters for communities within the Southern Lake Michigan Watershed program area.
CPGP was established under a cooperative agreement between the Alliance and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In collaboration with the Calumet Collaborative, Friends of the Chicago River, Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, and Faith in Place, the newly formed grant program will fund restoration projects in communities where they are needed most. Projects must be completed by September 15, 2028.
“For too long, many communities in Southern Lake Michigan have lived with the impacts of flooding, pollution, and habitat loss. This added Great Lakes funding will support a wide range of community-driven projects that meet critical needs – like capturing rainwater, cleaning and filtering water before it enters rivers and lakes, and creating healthy environments where people and wildlife can thrive for generations to come,” said Joel Brammeier, President, and CEO of Alliance for the Great Lakes.
To ensure that this funding opportunity is accessible to communities with the greatest need for restoration projects, CPGP partners will help ease administrative burdens and provide technical assistance – both through the application process and in support of project implementation.
“We are thrilled to be part of this program in which GLRI dollars will flow to communities that too often miss out on Federal investments. It is exciting that cherished community places like neighborhood farms and schoolyard gardens can receive funding and build their capacity,” said Maya Etienne, Co-Executive Director of Calumet Collaborative.
“This program is a pivotal initiative that aligns local priorities in northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana with the overarching goals of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative,” said EPA Great Lakes National Program Director Teresa Seidel. “By providing grant funding directly into the hands of communities, we are empowering them to tackle critical environmental challenges and ensure their projects not only succeed but also have lasting impacts on the health and vitality of the Great Lakes region.”
Eligible applicants including cities, states, Tribes, nonprofit organizations, houses of worship, educational institutions, school districts, soil and water conservation districts, land trusts and other eligible entities that represent Great Lakes communities can apply directly to the Community Partnerships Grant Program (CPGP). Applicants are strongly encouraged to partner with organizations and/or agencies that are in the community where the proposed GLRI project is located and that can play a role in ensuring durational success.
For the first round of funding, a Letter of Intent is required by September 4, 2026. Application workshops will be provided on Wednesday, July 22, 4:00 pm, at Altgeld Garden Library, 955 East 131st Street, Chicago, IL and on Thursday, July 23, 4:00 pm, at Gary Public Library & Cultural Center, 220 W 5th Ave, Gary, IN. A recorded workshop webinar is available online. Selected projects will be awarded up to $300,000.
For more information about CPGP and the application process, visit https://greatlakes.org/community-partnerships-grant-program/.
###