Illinois American Water Proudly Recognizes American Water Charitable Foundation 2025 Water and Environment Grantees

Recipients include 11 nonprofit organizations across Illinois American Water

The American Water Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic non-profit organization established by American Water (NYSE: AWK), the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the U.S., recently announced 11 organizations were awarded a 2025 Water and Environment grant, supporting communities served by Illinois American Water.

"We are thankful to the American Water Charitable Foundation for this funding opportunity,” said Kristie Baumgartner, Executive Director, Alton Educational Foundation. “The Alton Summer Watershed Academy will provide our high school students with hands-on experiences in studying regional watersheds and ecosystems."

The Water and Environment grant is part of the American Water Charitable Foundation’s Keep Communities Flowing Grant Program, focusing on three pillars of giving: Water, People and Communities. Due to the volume of grant applications received, each application was evaluated on a competitive basis. The Foundation strives to fund programs with a strong impact and measurable outcomes within its funding priorities.

“Illinois American Water is dedicated to helping our communities be more vibrant places to live, work, and play,” said Rebecca Losli, President, Illinois American Water. “We are excited to see many organizations that will educate our next generation on watersheds and environmental topics, better our environment through clean up and recycling efforts, and improve ecological health with the financial support of the American Water Charitable Foundation.”

Below is a list of grantees throughout Illinois.

• Alton Educational Foundation – To support the Alton Watershed Academy providing students with immersive experiences and educational opportunities surrounding regional watershed.
• Belleville Public Schools District 118 Education Foundation – To support a Monarch Butterfly Conservation Project for students.
• Champaign County Environmental Stewards – To support a residential tire collection.
• Gateway Region YMCA – To support water safety education for at-risk youth in St. Clair County.
• Greater Peoria Family YMCA – To support the YMCA Camp Big Hollow Day Camps for elementary-aged students.
• Heartlands Conservancy – To support the golf course retransformation promoting environmental education, water play, restoring biodiversity and habitat in Swansea.
• Lewis and Clark Community College Foundation – To support the E-learning program which will extend the education and training capacity of RiverWatch community science across Illinois.
• Peoria Park District Foundation – To support the annual Illinois River Sweep which includes a river cleanup and related school outreach day.
• Sola Gratia Farm – To support the K-12 agriculture education program in Urbana with a focus on watershed and water conservation.
• The Sinai Family Life Center – To support the community garden providing environmental and health education while improving biodiversity in Sauget.
• University of Illinois - Prairie Research Institute – To support the collection of long-term lake level data for water supply management and planning.

“The American Water Charitable Foundation is delighted to partner with eligible nonprofit organizations providing meaningful impact across Illinois,” said Carrie Williams, President, American Water Charitable Foundation. “Funding for Water and Environment grants supports projects focused on clean water, conservation, environmental education, climate variability, and water-based recreation.”

Learn more about Illinois American Water’s community impact, here.

About American Water

American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water's 6,700 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.

For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

About American Water Charitable Foundation

The American Water Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic non-profit organization established by American Water, focuses on three pillars of giving: Water, People, and Communities. Since 2012, the Foundation has invested more than $20 million in funding through grants and matching gifts to support eligible organizations in communities served by American Water. The Foundation is funded by American Water shareholders and has no impact on customer rates. For more information, visit amwater.com/awcf.

About Illinois American Water

Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water utility in the state, providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville.

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"Illinois American Water is dedicated to helping our communities be more vibrant places to live, work, and play,”