Nine organizations were awarded funding in the inaugural round of St. Croix Valley Foundation's (SCVF's) competitive Environmental Grants Program. Grants totaled just over $41,000.
Interest in the grants far exceeded expectations, with 27 organizations requesting nearly $200,000 in funding. SCVF will continue to grow the endowed fund to better address future needs and opportunities, while actively collaborating with funding partners to meet the needs of today; this year, All Energy Solar provided additional funding to supplement SCVF’s available resources.
"We were so pleased with both the quality and quantity of applications," said Angie Pilgrim, SCVF's Vice President of Community Impact. "There's so much good work going on to support environmental protection and education in the Valley that we've only just scratched the surface."
This year, five organizations received operating support: Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center, Kinnickinnic River Land Trust, Wild Rivers Conservancy, St. Croix 360, and Sustainable Stillwater. Four organizations received funding to support environmental programming and education: The Prairie Enthusiasts, Friends of the St. Croix Wetland Management District, Frederic Arts Inc, and Deer Park Public Library.
Established in 2021 by a generous gift from Jim and Judy Freund, the St. Croix Valley Environmental Fund is an endowed field of interest fund, allowing anyone to become a donor. Already, dozens of community members and organizations have donated to the Fund, growing the balance to over $720,000 in just three years. SCVF stewards those donations, investing them with a focus on growth and annual grantmaking from earnings forever.
For the Freunds, whose donation established the St. Croix Valley Environmental Fund, flexible funding was also a priority.
"We might think we know all the Valley's needs, but we really don't," said Judy, who is also an SCVF board member. "And obviously in the future, we don't know what the needs will be. COVID taught us that there were so many situations where organizations did complete pivots because they said, 'Gee, we didn't know this was going to be a need.' It's the same thing really, with the St. Croix Valley Environmental Fund. The idea is that if we just create it, then SCVF will put together a committee that will oversee the review of grants. That's kind of the way it should be."
Because the St. Croix Valley Environmental Fund was also established as an endowed fund - a permanent fund that will provide perpetual income for the purpose for which it was created - it will support environmental causes in the region forever.
"We will continue working to make sure that we're plugged into our region's environmental needs and opportunities, and that that the Environmental Grants can help fill gaps," said Pilgrim. "This first round of grantmaking was inspiring – our nonprofit partners are already doing great work. Now St. Croix Valley Foundation is charged with building the St. Croix Valley Environmental Fund to meet the ever-changing environmental needs of this beautiful region forever."
You can become a donor to the Valley Impact Environmental Fund, too.
See below for the complete list of 2024 Environmental Grant recipients:
ORGANIZATION | AMOUNT GRANTED |
Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center | $10,000 |
Kinnickinnic River Land Trust | $10,000 |
Wild Rivers Conservancy | $10,000 |
Sustainable Stillwater MN | $2,500 |
St. Croix 360 | $2,500 |
The Prairie Enthusiasts | $2,000 |
Friends of the St. Croix Wetland Management District | $1,700 |
Frederic Arts, Inc. | $1,583 |
Deer Park Public Library | $750 |
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