Greater Worcester Community Foundation starts $1M fund to combat climate change
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Greater Worcester Community Foundation is located at 1 Mercantile St. in Worcester.
As part of its efforts to promote environmental sustainability, Greater Worcester Community Foundation has launched the Worcester County Green Fund, a grant program aimed at bolstering local initiatives addressing the effects of climate change.
The fund will offer $1 million in grants over five years as the foundation is matching a donor family contribution of an annual $100,000, according to a Wednesday press release from the foundation.
The fund’s initial investments will go toward Worcester County land trusts through the foundation’s Land Trust Capacity-Building Grant Program. The region is home to 22 land trusts the foundation said often struggle with resource and capacity challenges. The grants will offer up to two years of financing, investing in the conservancies’ efforts including strategic planning, volunteer management, and leadership development.
“Based on our research and engagement with the land trusts to date, we believe investing in their capacity will lead to meaningful results,” Jonathan Cohen, vice president of community impact at the foundation, said in the release. “Supporting the land trusts will help strengthen these key climate partners and expand the base of residents who see a way to make a difference in the local climate space.”
The foundation is collaborating with the central region of Mass Audubon, a Lincoln-based land protection and wildlife preservation nonprofit, to explore opportunities to establish a county-wide climate coalition. The project expects to outline next steps in 2025.
“Climate change is a tremendous global challenge, insurmountable by any one person, organization or foundation,” Peter Dunn, GWCF president and CEO, said in the release. “We are grateful for the opportunity to launch this new fund, recognizing that while we can’t fix the whole planet, perhaps we can fix where we live by making strategic investments to those dedicated to environmental preservation in the region.”
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion industries.
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