Illinois Launches Grant Program to Restore Neglected Cemeteries (Chicago, IL) – The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) announced Thursday a new grant program to help restore cemeteries across the state that have fallen into neglect or abandonment.
The Cemetery Relief Fund will provide up to 10 grants each year, with individual awards of up to $20,000. Funding for the program was included in the fiscal year 2026 state budget signed by Gov. JB Pritzker.
“Cemeteries hold deep historical and emotional significance for local communities, and it is vital they are properly maintained for future generations to honor and remember their loved ones,” said IDFPR Secretary Mario Treto, Jr. “This program will help qualified cemeteries obtain the resources they need to restore the beauty of countless final resting places across Illinois.”
Local governments and nonprofit organizations, including nonprofit cemetery authorities, are eligible to apply. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements under the Cemetery Oversight Act and be registered in the state’s Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) portal. Entities that do not own a cemetery will need to obtain permission from the owner or explain why that is not possible.
Applications are due by October 24, 2025.
To assist with the process, AmpliFund, Illinois’ grant management support service, will host a virtual training session on September 4 at 3 p.m. The session will be recorded and made available on IDFPR’s YouTube page.
Illinois Launches Grant Program to Restore Neglected Cemeteries
