What is the Illinois Green Schools Project?
The Illinois Green Schools Project (IGSP)
is an annual K-12 sustainability action and recognition program. We help educators engage students and school stakeholders in hands-on projects that improve health, efficiency, and environmental impact.
Join the cohort of schools who are implementing sustainability projects with educational tools and mentor guidance.
No matter where you are on your sustainability journey, we want to help you advance down the path to sustainability through projects that reduce your school’s impact and waste of energy, water, and materials.
How does it work?
List of Services
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Complete the IGSP Sustainability Workbook.List Item 1
Make your way through the IGSP Sustainability Workbook to discover your school's current footprint, brainstorm possible pathways to efficiency improvements, and create an outline for a low-cost schoolwide sustainability project focused on resource use reduction.
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Execute a sustainability project.List Item 2
Using the data collected and project outline created during Stage One, execute a sustainability project that addresses multiple pillars of sustainability and engages the school community.
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Share your story and receive recognition!List Item 3
Share your project outcomes with the IGSP Cohort and broader sustainability community during our Virtual Illinois Green Schools Celebration. We'll recognize schools across each project stage, celebrate achievements with an awards ceremony, and help schools consider sustainability next steps.
2025-26 Program Timeline
July 7 - July 25
Mentor Application Period
July 28 - September 26
School Registration Period
January 31
Sustainability Workbook Due
February 14
Mini Grant Award Winners Announced
May 2
Project Report Due
May 22
End of Year Celebration Event
Mentors are here to help!
We have an amazing network of volunteers that are excited to help your green team learn more about sustainability, identify opportunities for action, and implement a holistic and impactful project!
Mentors are matched with IGSP Schools to help:
- Complete the IGSP Sustainability Workbook.
- Understand sustainability practices & terminology.
- Effectively assemble and communicate with school stakeholders.
- Research and identify achievable goals.
- Brainstorm funding opportunities unique to each school.
- Keep project on track.
- Speak to students about green career pathways.
- Visit school for an audit or walkthrough.
- And more!
Join the 2025-26 Cohort to be paired with a sustainability professional!
Benefits of joining the cohort
Access a framework to help you design a project
Let us help you get started! IGSP is a great catalyst for recruiting school stakeholders to support sustainability efforts, developing student-involved initiatives, or forming an action plan towards future work.
- The 'What's in it for me?' Resource and Letter of Commitment templates make it simple to recruite a diverse community of school stakeholders to join your Green Team.
- The Sustainability Workbook is designed to help schools determine their next steps forward.
Create hands-on education opportunities for your students
Sustainability projects can be designed to incorporate art and creativity, communications and graphic design, leadership and stewardship opportunities, and so much more!
Receive personal support from a sustainability professional
We have an amazing network of volunteers with professional backgrounds in sustainability and building science who are excited to help you and your Green Team create a relevant and effective project! Green Schools Mentors work with their assigned school to answer questions, make informed recommedations, and work through their IGSP Sustainability Workbook.
Apply for funding and discover potential savings
School decarbonization efforts like reducing resource use and increasing resource efficiency are linked to significant potential savings. On top of that, there are many ways for schools to seek funding and benefit from free programs!
- Participating schools are eligable to apply for the IGSP Mini Grant to help fund projects up to $1000.
- Green Teams will also receive resources and support in exploring other local funding sources.
- All public schools in Illinois can request a FREE school-wide sustainability assessment through their region's primary energy provider, ComEd or Ameren.
Earn the Green Classroom Professional Certificate
Participating schools can receive up to 3 course subscriptions for USGBC's Green Classroom Professional program, which provides pre K-12 educators and school staff with the knowledge to identify what supports or impedes healthy, resource-efficient and environmentally sustainable learning spaces.
Gain recognition and share your story
Schools that submit and end of year project report are in the running to win an award!
To wrap up each year, we host a virtual Illinois Green Schools Celebration, where we invite awardees to present their projects to the cohort and the broader sustainability community! We urge schools to invite their students, teachers, families, community members, etc. to tune in!
Schools that make significant advancements towards sustainability goals are urged to apply for the US Department of Education's national program, Green Ribbon Schools.
Illinois Green Alliance is the Illinois host of the Green Ribbon program and will offer additional support to IGSP schools working on a Green Ribbon application.
Discover how sustainability
benefits all school stakeholders:
- Administrators
- Students
- Teachers
- School Board
- Facility Director
- Grounds Supervisor
- Custodians
- Nutrition Staff
- Parents/Community Members
