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 has formally launched Stewardship Ozarks Initiative, an effort to strengthen regional organizations that are committed to conservation efforts in the Missouri Ozarks. This program is a direct response to the Foundation’s board of directors’ 2006-2007 action plan, and it will focus directly on the sustainability of conservation and environmental nonprofit groups. The program includes 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, and already this year nine organizations have received more than $130,000 in grant support from both the Metropolitan Springfield community grantmaking program and the Coover Regional Grantmaking Program, a partnership between Commerce Trust Company and CFO.
- Planned giving development: CFO is supporting this effort by promoting the initiative and its participating nonprofits among professional advisors. The Foundation is also reaching out to potential donors with an education packet that informs them on they can sustain 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, will provide in challenge grants to strengthen or establish endowment funds for environmental stewardship. This challenge is made possible by leadership contributions from Gregg and Nancy Galbraith, Larry and Dr. Nancy O’Reilly, Todd and Betty Parnell, and 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 will help preserve the natural beauty of the Ozarks and make sure 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
Rotary Club of Mountain View Nature Park
Southwest Missouri Resource Conservation and Development Endowment Fund
Stockton Lake Conservation Fund
Tumbling Creek Cave Foundation
Upper White River Basin Foundation
Watershed Committee of the Ozarks
Wildcat Glades Conservation Area and Audubon Center
Wonders of Wildlife
