Thursday was Earth Day – an important annual call to action to protect the natural wonders of our world. At the Community Foundation of Broward, we make protecting and restoring the environment a year-round commitment.
We know that a vibrant community requires a healthy environment. And thanks to our Fundholders who step up to support the environment, we are deploying a new wave of ECO Broward grants.
ECO Broward is philanthropy that makes our community a more livable, resilient and sustainable place to call home. Support from ECO Broward protects wetlands, restores dwindling wildlife habitat and helps our community face sea-level rise and other effects of climate change.
The Community Foundation Board of Directors in March approved $115,000 in ECO Broward grants that support:
- Youth Environmental Alliance, Project ROC!: Restore beach dunes and other coastal habitat to benefit wildlife and create a buffer against rising seas. Teams of volunteers will clear out exotic, invasive vegetation and plant sea oats, mangroves or other native species. Community Foundation support for this program that bolsters Broward’s shoreline started five years ago. This year’s support targets coastal areas in Hollywood and Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.
- Florida Atlantic University Foundation, Broward Climate Resilience Stewardship: Teach residents in coastal neighborhoods to implement resiliency strategies – both at their homes and communitywide. These lessons help residents protect their properties from flooding and increase energy conservation. This is year two of the program, which is expected to empower another 200 residents to take action against sea-level rise. This year, the program includes a new emphasis on ways to improve Broward’s water quality. The goal is for this program to serve as a module that all Broward cities can implement.
- National Wildlife Federation, Broward Habitat Connectivity Project: Plant 2,000 trees across Broward. Create three new habitat buffer zones in our community. Also, certify 150 properties in Broward as “wildlife habitats” that establish more dedicated green spaces within our neighborhoods. Five hundred youth and adult volunteers are expected to participate in this huge environmental stewardship effort, which the Community Foundation began supporting five years ago to increase Broward’s tree canopies.
Here between the Atlantic Ocean and the Everglades, we are lucky to live in one of the world’s most beautiful environments. Yet, with rising seas threatening our community we can’t afford the luxury of ignoring climate change.
With ongoing support for ECO Broward, philanthropy through the Community Foundation protects our environment and helps make Broward a more sustainable and resilient community – where people will want to live for generations to come.
Support for the new ECO Broward grants came from the following Funds at the Community Foundation:
- Katz Family Fund
- Captain Blair Albert Fund
- Marlene Holder Fund for Broward
- Kresge Unrestricted Fund
- Joseph P. and Patricia A. Moore Fund
- Jan Moran Unrestricted Fund
- Frederick W. Jaqua Fund
- John O. and Victoria C. Kirby Fund
- Everett H. Metcalf, Jr. Unrestricted Fund
- Mary N. Porter Community Impact Fund
- Mary and Alex Mackenzie Community Impact Fund
To learn how you can support ECO Broward and other issues that matter in our community, contact Vice President of Philanthropic Services Nancy Thies at nthies@cfbroward.org or954-761-9503.
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