In April 2008, IGEN (formerly known as the Illinois Community College Sustainability Network, or ICCSN*) received a $490,000 start-up grant from the Illinois Deparment of Commerce and Economic Oppotunity (DCEO). With this funding, Heartland Community College, Kankakee Community College, Lewis and Clark Community College, and Wilbur Wright College created pilot college Sustainability Centers to provide sustainability resources to administration, faculty, staff, students and the community. In early 2009, IGEN received another $245,000 from DCEO to create additional Sustainability Centers at the College of Lake County and Southwestern Illinois College. With six Centers successfully underway and a growing vision for Centers on all 48 campuses in the Illinois Community College system, the founding presidents pressed for both state and federal funding to increase the number of Sustainability Centers across the state.

In November 2009, Governor Quinn committed to providing almost two years of state funding totaling $1.7 million through two DCEO grants to support the next stage of IGEN development. In addition to this state funding support, Illinois Congressional Representatives secured support on a federal level. Congresswoman Halvorson secured a congressionally-directed appropriation from the Department of Energy for $250,000 and Congressman Hare secured a congressionally-directed appropriation from the Department of Education for $600,000. 

This funding support has enabled Illinois Community College System to pilot green technologies, increase green campus initiatives related to sustainability, clean energy, energy conservation and efficiency, expand sustainability in the curriculum, grow green workforce training programs, and engage local communities in sustainability and energy use reduction initiatives. This collaborative effort enables colleges to support sustainability practices and the emerging green economy in local communities, prepare Illinois residents for the changing workforce, expand employment opportunities, improve human and environmental health, foster community engagement, and accelerate market competitiveness.

In July 2011, IGEN received another IL DCEO grant for $2 million to continue IGEN programming and expansion.

Above. The Pregracke Center in the Green Institute at Heartland Community College is just one example of how IGEN colleges are educating the public, acting as demonstration sites and promoting sustainability on campus, and in the community.