Stewardship Ozarks Initiative
“Clean air, clean water, like freedom, isn’t free. It takes work and resources and commitment to keep what we have and make it even better.”
– Peter Herschend, Chairman, Upper White River Basin Foundation
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks focused on the environment through the Stewardship Ozarks Initiative, an effort to strengthen regional organizations that are committed to conservation efforts in the Missouri Ozarks. This program was included in the Foundation’s 2006-07 action plan, and it worked directly on the sustainability of conservation and environmental nonprofit groups. The program included three main strategies designed to help achieve these goals:
- Targeted grantmaking: Enhanced conservation grantmaking is a focal point of the initiative. CFO has committed $100,000 a year to this effort through the Metropolitan Springfield community grantmaking program and the Coover Regional Grantmaking Program, a partnership between Commerce Trust Company and CFO.
- Planned giving development: CFO supported this effort by promoting the initiative and its participating nonprofits among professional advisors. The Foundation also reached out to potential donors with an education packet about sustaining the work of these organizations through thoughtful estate planning.
- Endowment building challenge: The $1,000,000 Challenge for Conservation, made possible with a major gift from Johnny Morris on behalf of Wonders of Wildlife, provided challenge grants to strengthen or establish endowment funds for environmental stewardship. This challenge was made possible by leadership contributions from Gregg and Nancy Galbraith, Larry and Dr. Nancy O’Reilly, Todd and Betty Parnell, and Ozarks Water Watch (the Upper White River Basin Foundation). Addition support comes from Sally Baird, Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ Philanthropy Initiative, Susie Henry, and Dr. Tom and Dr. Kim Prater.
The Stewardship Ozarks Initiative is helping to preserve the natural beauty of the Ozarks and ensure that future generations can enjoy the clean water, air and forests that make our region so special.
Participating organizations
Bryant Watershed Project
Discovery Center Conservation Education Fund
Friends of the Zoo Education Fund
Hidden Waters Nature Park
James River Basin Partnership
Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation
Missouri Prairie Foundation
Ozark Greenways
Ozark Regional Land Trust
Ozarks Water Watch (Upper White River Basin Foundation)
Rotary Club of Mountain View Nature Park
Southwest Missouri Resource Conservation and Development Endowment Fund
Stockton Lake Conservation Fund
Tumbling Creek Cave Foundation
Watershed Committee of the Ozarks
Wildcat Glades Conservation Area and Audubon Center
Wonders of Wildlife
