Environmental Initiative Program

THE LAURA JANE MUSSER FUND assists public or not-for-profit entities to initiate or implement projects that enhance the ecological integrity of publicly owned open spaces, while encouraging compatible human activities. 

The Fund's goal is to promote public use of open space that improves a community's quality of life and public health, while also ensuring the protection of healthy, viable and sustainable ecosystems by protecting or restoring habitat for a diversity of plant and animal species.

Grants of up to $35,000 may be made for programs in this program. The Musser Fund is likely to make a total of 4 to 6 grants in the Environmental Initiative this year. This is a very competitive granting initiative.

ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING FUNDING MUST DEMONSTRATE:

  • Stakeholder involvement
  • A plan for the long term financial and environmental sustainability of the proposed program

THE MUSSER FUND WILL CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF GRANTS:

  • New or existing programs or projects
  • Programs in the planning phase, or implementation phase 
  • Capital expenses
     

LIMITS OF GEOGRAPHY:

  • Programs in Colorado, Hawaii, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wyoming may apply

WHO CAN APPLY:

  • Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations
  • Organizations that are forming if sponsored by a 501(c)(3) organization
  • Local Units of government

HOW TO APPLY:

Online proposlas will be accepted between February 15 and March 13, 2013 by 5:00 p.m. CST. Funding decisions will be announced in July 2013.

Please read through the grant guidelines on this page PRIOR to going to the online proposal process.

To submit your online proposal click here.

The online proposal process will include:

  1. Your Login (you will be asked to create a unique login for your organization)
  2. Your Profile (your contact information)
  3. Your Organization (information about the organization applying for a grant)
  4. Your Request (this is where you enter your proposal info, including required document uploads)

Only complete and qualifying proposals will be accepted.

YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO UPLOAD THE FOLLWOING DOCUMENTS AS PART OF YOUR ONLINE PROPOSAL PROCESS:

Proposal Narrative (limited to 5 total pages):

  1. BACKGROUND: What is your organizational background? What is your organization's experience in this area?
  2. ENVRONMENTAL RESOURCE IN FOCUS: Please describe the open space for which you are seeking support, including a description of the public entity responsible for maintaining the open space.
  3. GOALS AND ACTIVITIES: Describe the overall goal(s) of your program and provide a timeline for implementation of the program goals and activities.  
    1. Describe how the program will: Promote public use of the open space described above while improving the community's quality of life and public health. 
    2. Ensure the protection of healthy, viable and sustainable ecosystems by protecting or restoring habitat for a diversity of plant and animal species.
  4. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT & STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: Describe the community's involvement in this program.  Describe the key stakeholders and how they will be involved.  (Signed letters of support from key stakeholders are required as described below). 
  5. PROJECT LEADERS/ORGANIZATIONAL CHART: Identify the leaders of the program and their qualifications and include an organizational chart with your application.
  6. OUTCOMES & COMMUNITY IMPACT: List your program outcomes and the community impact of this program.  Provide a description of your plan for the financial and environmental sustainability of this program.

The Directors of the Laura Jane Musser Fund continue to be interested in the replicability of programs requesting funding.  If you have plans to share your program results, please include them in your proposal.

Budget:     

  • Organizational budget (or if public entity, departmental budgets) for the most recently completed year; and projected budget for current year including revenue sources, amounts, and what is secured and pending (explain any large surpluses or deficits).
  • Project budget with detailed revenue sources – what is secure and what is pending.
     

Fiscal  Sponsors: 

  •  If the project will work with a fiscal sponsor, please provide a letter from the fiscal sponsor on their letterhead, indicating support and understanding of project. 
     

Letters of Support: 

  • Please include signed letters of support from at least two (but not more than six) community members and institutions involved in your proposed program. In addition, please provide a letter of support from the local government entity that is most closely involved in your program. The Fund is only able to consider letters that are attached to the proposal when it is submitted online.

IRS Status:

  • Please include a copy of your 501(c)(3) statement, or if you are a unit of local government, please provide a letter on letterhead stationary, signed by a head officer of your unit of government, indicating awareness of and support of this proposed program.