Supporting environmental stewardship

For 2024, NIPSCO’s Environmental Action Grant will fund 21 diverse environmental restoration and education projects across the territory.  

The 2024 NIPSCO Environmental Action Grant winners include:

• The Nature Conservancy in Indiana, Festival de la Monarcha, East Chicago, $4,000
• Saint Mary’s College, Campus Canopy Project’s Living Exhibition, $5,000
• LaPorte County Park Foundation, Habitat Restoration Project, $5,000
• Indiana Audubon Society, Chasing Melody, Lake and Jasper Counties, $5,000
• Blue Heron Ministries, Lupine Meadow Expansion at Headacres Farm, Steuben County, $5,000
• Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center, Nat’s Nature Club, $5,000
• ACRES Land Trust, Lee Family Perfect Lake Nature Preserve Habitat Restoration, Steuben County, $5,000
• The Outlet Youth Center, youth programming, Fulton County, $2,000
• The Morning Bishop Theatre Playhouse, summer youth environmental education, City of Gary,  $5,000
• Indiana Land Protection Alliance, Safety and Woods Worker Training Course, $5,000
• Sisters of the Holy Cross, Pollinator and Monarch Waystation Habitat Establishment, $5,000
• Town of Chesterton, Coffee Creek Park Pond Improvements, $1,500
• DeKalb County Soil and Water Conservation District, Invasive Species Education and Removal, $5,000
• East Chicago Sanitary District-Stormwater Dept., Rain off McShane, rain barrel project, $3,200
• Monarch Joint Venture, Cedar Swamp Pollinator Project, Steuben County, $5,000
• Little River Wetlands, Native Habitat Restoration, Allen County, $5,000
• Noble County Public Library, Rainscaping education, $1,500
• Speaks for the Trees and More, summer nature camp, Allen County, $500
• St. Joseph River Watershed Initiative, Flow the St. Joe, $1,000
• NICHES Land Trust, Sustainability Outreach, $3,500
• Augsburg Lutheran Church, Pollinator habitat, Porter, $500

For 2023, NIPSCO’s Environmental Action Grant will fund 15 diverse environmental restoration and education projects across the territory.

• The Nature Conservancy in Indiana, Festival de la Monarcha, East Chicago, $4,000
• Art Barn School of Art, Inc., Monarch Maker Gardens/Educational Arts Programming, $5,000
• LC Nature Park, Habitat Restoration Project, Allen County, $5,000
• Elkhart Environmental Center, Envirofest, $2,500
• The Wetlands Initiative, Volunteer Stewardship Events/Collaborative Habitat Restoration, West Branch of the Little Calumet River, $4,375
• Trees Indiana, Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom, Fort Wayne, $2,000
• LaPorte County Soil and Water Conservation District, Kankakee River Days Canoemobile Program, $5,000
• Limberlost and Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Sites, Invasive Species Cleanup, $2,250
• Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center, Woodland Vernal Pond Dock, $4500
• Anthony Wayne Area Council/Boy Scouts of America, Scout Camp Ecological Restoration Project, $2,400
• Mongo Community Development Association, Mongo Town Park Pollinator Garden, $2975
• Highland Community Foundation, Erie Lacklawanna Bike Trail Wetland Restoration, $5,000
• The Vine Learning Center, Prairie Restoration and Outdoor Classroom Engagement Areas, Steuben County, $5,000
• Indiana University Kokomo, Sustainability Week, $5,000
• Marshall County Park and Recreation Department, Invasive Species Control in Mill Pond and Memorial Forest, $5,000

The 2022, NIPSCO’s Environmental Action Grant recipients include:

• The Nature Conservancy in Indiana, East Chicago Monarch Festival, $5,000
• Lakeshore Public Media, Share Shifting Sands documentary, $5,000
• The Watershed Foundation, Deeds Creek Dam Removal and Habitat Restoration Project, $5,000
• Art Barn School of Art, Inc., Monarch Habitat Revitalization, $5,000
• Christ Lutheran Church, Southern Bioswale Native Garden for Butterflies, Pollinators and Birds, $1,500
• LC Nature Park, Prairie & Wetland Seeding Project, $5,000
• Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana, It’s Your Planet-Love It!, $2,200
• Elkhart Environmental Center, Envirofest, $5,000
• Izaak Walton League’s Porter County Chapter, Gene Clifford Bluebird Trail, $5,000
• Humane Indiana, Environmental and Wildlife Education Center, $5,000
• Dunes Learning Center, Buds for Butterflies and Bees in the Indiana Dunes, $5,000
• Jasper County Economic Development Organization, Take A Hike programming, $1,200
• United Way of Miami County, Recycled Plarn Sleeping Mats, $5,000
• Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest, Native Plant & Monarch Waystation Garden Restoration, $4850
• Coolspring Citizen’s Association, Coolspring Elementary Tree Planting and Education, $850
• The Wetlands Initiative, Collaborative Habitat Restoration and Community Engagement, $5,000
• DeKalb County Soil & Water Conservation District, Community Pollinator Habitat Development, $3,500

The 2021 NIPSCO Environmental Action Grant winners include:

• Beverly Shores Environmental Restoration Group, Teaching, learning and digging in the Dunes, $2,000
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana, Conservation Buddies, $5,000
• Clear Lake Township Land Conservancy, Wetland restoration, $4,000
• Friends of the Fulton County Parks and Recreation Dept., Richland Restoration Nature Park, $5,000
• Indiana Audubon, 2021 Indiana Dunes Birding Festival, $3,000
• Jasper County Soil and Water Conservation District, Soil testing and waterway improvement, $1,700
• Lake Maxinkuckee Environmental Council, Rain Barrel Brigade, $3,000
• Michiana Area Council of Governments, Crossway Trails Month, $2,900
• Miller Garden Club, Rain garden restoration, $4,100
• The Montessori School at WPC, Forest school gear, $3,500
• Northview Elementary School in Valparaiso, Girl Scout garden, $1,500
• Oak Farm Montessori School, Prairie and oak woodland restoration project, $4,000
• Save the Dunes Conservation Fund, Pollinator Week, $5,000
• The Student Conservation Association, Calumet Tree Conservation Corps, $5,000
• Town of Hebron Parks and Recreation Dept., Trail and property improvements, $5000
• The Watershed Foundation, Smithsonian Water/Ways exhibit Wellfield Botanic Gardens, Wellfield wetland conservation, $5,000
• The Wetlands Initiative, Habitat restoration and community engagement on Little Calumet River, $5,000

The 2020 NIPSCO Environmental Action Grant winners include:

• Clear Lake Township Conservancy, Cyrus Brouse Clean Stream Project
• Dunes Learning Center, Virtual Citizen Science
• EACS Educational Foundation/Paul Harding High School, Nature Trail
• Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, Teens for Nature – Conservation Crew
• Friends of Indiana Dunes, Pollinator Gardens
• Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest, Woodland Restoration Project
• Izaak Walton Porter County Chapter, Bat Watch 2020
• LaGrange County Community Foundation/Friends of LaGrange County Parks, Student water quality monitoring
• NICHES Land Trust, Woodland Restoration Project
• Northwest Indiana Paddling Association, East Branch of the Little Calumet River Water Trail Extension Phase II
• Ryan Park Elementary, Nature Trail Improvement and Educational Enhancement
• Shirley Heinze Land Trust, environmental education programming
• TEkVenture Incorporated, outdoor wildflower meadow play area
• IU Kokomo, Camp Persimmon environmental sustainability day camp
• Windsong Pictures, youth environmental project videos

• ACRES Land Trust, Trine University restoration partnership
• Highland Community Foundation, community tree canopy project
• Lake Station Community Schools, pollinator garden
• Little River Wetlands Project, urban turtle education and conservation efforts
• Michiana Area Council of Governments, Partners for Clean Air/Bicycle Parking Project
• Michigan City Parks Department, Trail Creek Week
• NICHES Land Trust, environmental steward docent training
• Porter County Chapter of Izaak Walton League of America, E-STEAM in the Field
• Porter County Conservation Trust, Eagle Scout project
• Sisters of the Holy Cross, Urban reforestation and pollinator support
• St. Joseph County Parks Foundation, playscape native plantings
• The Nature Conservancy in Indiana, East Chicago Monarch outreach and habitat support
• Town of Chesterton, Coffee Creek Park riparian restoration project
• Town of Churubusco/Smith-Green Community Schools, rain garden
• IU Kokomo, Camp Persimmon environmental sustainability day camp 

• Boys & Girls Club of White County, community environmental education programming
• Challenger Learning Center of Northwest Indiana, Spaceship Earth education programming
• City of La Porte Park and Recreation Department, erosion control project
• Clear Lake Township Land Conservancy, ecosystem education programming
• Highland Community Foundation, community tree canopy project
• Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center, scholarships for the Stewards of Tomorrow
• Little River Wetlands, urban turtle education and conservation efforts
• Michiana Area Council of Governments, Partners for Clean Air
• Michigan City Area Schools, high school environmental restoration team
• Porter County Parks Foundation, Sunset Hill Farm County Park Pond restoration phase IV
• Shirley Heinze Land Trust, educational guidebook project
• St. Joseph County Parks Foundation, nature education and literacy trail
• Tippecanoe Environmental Lake & Watershed Foundation, Winona Lake Limitless Park restoration project
• Trees Indiana, Woodland trails urban forest education
• Wildcat Guardians, Waterworks Dam Portage trail

• Acres Land Trust, restoration at James P. Covell Nature Preserve
• Causes for International Change, native plant and accessible garden
• Fort Wayne Zoological Society, Spy Run Creek River Watch
• Friends of Potato Creek State Park for invasive plant mapping and removal
• Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center, Promoting civic engagement through civic science for middle school students
• La Porte County Soil & Water Conservation District, Trail Creek Week
• Little River Wetlands, Monarch Festival 2017
• Logan’s Landing Association, 2017 Downtown Green & Clean Day
• NICHES Land Trust, Gish restoration project
• Porter County Convention, Recreation & Visitor Commission, Native American Ethnobotany Trail
• Porter County Parks Foundation, Sunset Hill Farm County Park Pond restoration phase III
• Pulaski County Soil & Water Conservation District, Tippecanoe River State Park stream bank restoration
• Save the Dunes Conservation Fund, Trail Creek watershed restoration & community engagement project
• The Child Care Consortium, Rain garden & outdoor environmental education
• Trees Indiana, Woodland Trails urban forest education

• Friends of Robinson Lake in Hobart for shoreline stabilization
• Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center in Chesterton for environmental education
• La Porte County Conservation Trust for restoration at McCloskey Wetlands
• La Porte County Soil and Water Conservation District for Michigan City’s Trail Creek Week
• Martin T. Krueger Middle School in Michigan City for prairie restoration
• Martin Luther King Montessori School in Fort Wayne for an outdoor classroom
• NICHES Land Trust in Carroll County for Moyer Gould Woods Habitat restoration
• Northwest Indiana Paddling Association in Valparaiso for Little Calumet River East Branch Stream restoration
• Porter County Parks Foundation for Sunset Hill Farm County Park pond restoration
• Save the Dunes Conservation Fund in Michigan City for 2016 Dunes Blowout: A Festival of Performance and Ecology
• Shirley Heinze Land Trust in Valparaiso for Meadowbrook native seed garden
• Trees Indiana in Fort Wayne for Nature Explore education
• Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation in Syracuse for habitat restoration
• Wildcat Guardians in Kokomo for public access site on Wildcat Creek