FY 2026
Funding Opportunities
The Metro East Park and Recreation District (MEPRD) FY 2026 Grant Cycle offers four unique funding opportunities for qualifying applicants in Madison and St. Clair Counties, IL. Each grant opportunity is listed below by program name and status. Eligible applicants can receive up to one MEPRD award per grant program, per fiscal year. Click on any one of the below-listed grants to learn more about the program and download the application.
FY26 Community Planning Grant Program
- Program Status: Open (Now Accepting Applications)
- Applications accepted 7/9/2025 - 5/29/2026; or until program funds are depleted.
- Available Program Funding:
FY26 Event Sponsorship Grant Program
- Program Status: Open (Now Accepting Applications)
- Applications accepted 7/9/2025 - 5/29/2026; or until program funds are depleted.
- Available Program Funding:
FY26 Priority Paths Grant Program
- Program Status: Open (Now Accepting Applications)
- Applications accepted 7/9/2025 - 5/29/2026; or until program funds are depleted.
- Available Program Funding: $3,000,000.00
FY26 Park and Trail Grant Program
- Program Status: Closed (100% of Program Funds Awarded)
- Applications accepted 7/9/2025 - 5/29/2026; or until program funds are depleted.
- Available Program Funding:
FY 2026
Program Funding
- Budgeted:
- $3,000,000.00
- 0 Pending:
- - $0.00
- 17 Awarded:
- -$3,000,000.00
- Available:$0.00
- Budgeted:
- $400,000.00
- 1 Pending:
- - $14,000.00
- 1 Awarded:
- - $39,999.00
- Available:$346,001.00
- Budgeted:
- $30,000.00
- 0 Pending:
- - $0.00
- 6 Awarded:
- - $14,995.50
- Available:$15,004.50
DISCLAIMER: Pending and Remaining Funds are subject to change at any time and may increase or decrease as grant requests are reviewed and processed. Check back frequently for the latest updates. Updated 2/27/2026.
County Affiliates
The creation of the Metro East Park and Recreation District (MEPRD) and a one-tenth of one percent sales tax were approved by Madison and St. Clair County, Illinois voters in November 2000. Of these said funds, fifty percent is retained by the MEPRD organizational body (whose office is located at 104 United Dr, Collinsville, IL 62234) and the other fifty percent is distributed back to the respective Counties. In Madison County, the funds are received by the Madison County Park and Recreation Grant Commission and in St. Clair County, the funds are distributed equally between the St. Clair County Park and Recreation Grant Commission and the St. Clair County Property and Recreation Committee. Information pertaining to the availability and distribution of grant funds by these entities can be obtained by contacting each individual County agency.
