Melville, NY (July 2, 2019) –$316,000 has been awarded to 10 nonprofits that will work to restore and protect the health and living resources of Long Island Sound.
The Long Island Sound Funders Collaborative is a group of funders with missions that include the protection and restoration Long Island Sound. Since its inception, the Collaborative has worked together to educate the public about the myriad issues facing the Sound and about possible solutions. The Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund (LISSF) is an inaugural effort to pool investments and expand the Collaborative’s grantmaking. The LISSF is administered by the Long Island Community Foundation (LICF). These grants would not be made possible without the generous support from members of the Collaborative. They are Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, Jeniam Foundation, Long Island Community Foundation, McCance Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Lily Auchincloss Foundation, New York Community Bank Foundation, The New York Community Trust, Pamela and Richard Rubinstein Foundation, Rauch Foundation, and The Westchester Community Foundation.
“The Long Island Sound Funders Collaborative is extremely excited about this inaugural year of the Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund,” says Tripp Killin, executive director of the Jeniam Foundation. “We had many worthy applications, a robust review process, and we’ve funded some very important projects. The Stewardship Fund will be a critical part of protecting and restoring Long Island Sound. And for our family foundation, the Long Island Sound and the Stewardship Fund represent the best opportunity for big, lasting wins in conservation philanthropy.”
“As a community foundation, we believe in the power of collaboration and the potential it has to increase impact and engage a broader audience to make change happen,” said David Okorn, the Long Island Community Foundation’s executive director. “We are honored to be the connecting point for the Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund in working together toward the common vision of a healthier and stronger Long Island Sound.”
This is the Fund’s first set of grants from its recent RFP that was announced in January. The grantees, grant amounts, and purposes are listed below.
Connecticut Fund for the Environment/Save the Sound, $60,000 to advance the use of database and data visualization tools and strategies for presenting Unified Water Study and other data to inform management of and education about the Sound.
Chesapeake Commons, $60,000 to advance database and data visualization tools and strategies addressing pollution in the Long Island Sound.
Earthplace/Harbor Watch, $40,000 to advance database and data visualization tools and strategies addressing pollution in the Long Island Sound.
Sound Waters, $10,000 to install and operate a trash skimmer in Stamford Harbor.
The Sound School, $9,000 to create a living shoreline utilizing cultured oysters and reef balls in New Haven Harbor.
Group for the East End, $10,000 to enhance habitat planning for the protection and preservation of native plants at Hallock State Park.
Guardians of Flushing Bay, $25,000 to provide capacity building support for a new organization to better serve and protect a critical urban waterbody of Long Island Sound.
University of Connecticut (UConn), $47,000 to develop a green stormwater infrastructure installation and maintenance certification program for municipal government.
Henry Ferguson Museum, $15,000 to develop and implement a community-driven, community-based seagrass restoration plan for the coastal waters surrounding Fishers Island.
The Trust for Public Land, $40,000 to build a community-based, community-driven outreach and participatory design program for waterfront resiliency and public access as part of Bridgeport’s waterfront master plan.
The Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund (LISSF) at the Long Island Community Foundation was established in 2018 to support projects that address pressing challenges and provide for a healthy, productive, and resilient Sound now and into the future. The fund promotes a sustainable Sound by providing opportunities for funders who care about this natural resource to work together around a common mission to make a positive impact on its ecological health; support programs and projects that align with the federal Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan 2015; help nonprofits working to restore the health and living resources of the Sound achieve conservation outcomes in a more effective and collaborative way; and support capacity building efforts that strengthen nonprofits working to protect the Sound. For more information about the Long Island Sound Funders Collaborative click here.
Through the generosity of our donors, the Long Island Community Foundation invests in groups that create positive change and improve the quality of life on Long Island. To learn more about these grants and the Long Island Community Foundation, visit our website at www.licf.org. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @LICommunityFndt, connect with us on LinkedIn and find us on Instagram.
Since 1978, the Long Island Community Foundation has been the home of charitable Long Islanders who share a passion and commitment to improve their communities. LICF supports an array of effective nonprofits that help make Long Island a vital and secure place to live, learn, work, and play, while building permanent resources for the future. The Foundation has made nearly $180 million in grants from hundreds of funds established by individuals, families, and businesses. LICF is a division of The New York Community Trust, one of the country’s oldest and largest community foundations.
Need help or advice?
Marie C. Smith
Director of Donor Relations and Communications
(631) 991-8800, ext. 223
msmith@licf.org
Need help or advice?
Marie C. Smith
Director of Donor Relations and Communications
(631) 991-8800, ext. 223
msmith@licf.org