School & Community Habitat Grant
Due to COVID-19 and 2020 Spring school closings, the WCCD will not be awarding grants for Spring 2020. The grant will re-open for 2021. Watch for updated request for proposals by December 2020.
Purpose of this Program: The Washtenaw County Conservation District (WCCD) School and Community Habitat Grant is designed to assist schools and communities with accessing plants and establishing wildlife habitat. Grants will be awarded in the form of tree, shrub and native plant material through the WCCD distributions. Grant fund availability is dependent on donations made to the WCCD for this purpose and grant selections will be made based on the amount donated.
Eligibility: Must be a public or semi-public space and benefit school groups or communities (e.g. neighborhood associations, organizations, etc). Must be a school or nonprofit organization.
Application Submission & Deadlines: All grant applications must be submitted in digital form to megan.deleeuw@macd.org by April 24, 2020 at 4 p.m.
Timeline for grant awards:
December 2019-May 2020: Accept grant donations for grant program through tree, shrub and native plant pre-orders
January 2020: Begin accepting grant applications
April 24, 2020: Grant closes
June 2020: Grant awardees selected & announced
September & October 2020: Awards distributed for fall planting
What we are looking for:
What is considered Native?
We use the Ann Arbor Natural Areas Preservation description of native plants as “plants that were here before Europeans settled in Michigan in the 1700s”. For more information about what is considered a native species, please visit the Michigan Natural Features Inventory at https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/
Reporting
A written Final Project Report including pictures, is required of all grant recipients. This report should be submitted no later than September 30, 2020, to the WCCD District Manager. The report should have no less than 3 good quality photos that we may use on our website and in WCCD publications to show what types of projects our grants fund. The report and photos may be submitted electronically if desired at the email below. Signs associated with the project should also include the WCCD logo or acknowledgment of WCCD as a supporter of the project.
Please email the application form and all other supporting documents or questions to: megan.deleeuw@macd.org
Eligibility: Must be a public or semi-public space and benefit school groups or communities (e.g. neighborhood associations, organizations, etc). Must be a school or nonprofit organization.
Application Submission & Deadlines: All grant applications must be submitted in digital form to megan.deleeuw@macd.org by April 24, 2020 at 4 p.m.
Timeline for grant awards:
December 2019-May 2020: Accept grant donations for grant program through tree, shrub and native plant pre-orders
January 2020: Begin accepting grant applications
April 24, 2020: Grant closes
June 2020: Grant awardees selected & announced
September & October 2020: Awards distributed for fall planting
What we are looking for:
- Completed application
- List of native plant species and quantities requested from the District. Or if uncertain of what species to plant, a plan with the general effect or desired look of the space.
- Projects located in high-impact areas, without existing habitat projects
- Well-designed layout or dedicated area
- Projects that have ongoing support to maintain the site, including summer months
- Detail on how the project will benefit the school or community
- Assist with site selection and finalizing design (if requested)
- Work with awardee to finalize native plant order per design plan (if requested)
- Deliver requested native plant materials to designated site as requested by awardee
- Assist with planting in installation day (if requested)
- Submit list of requested tree, shrub and native plant species requested and quantities
- Document installation of materials, including photos
What is considered Native?
We use the Ann Arbor Natural Areas Preservation description of native plants as “plants that were here before Europeans settled in Michigan in the 1700s”. For more information about what is considered a native species, please visit the Michigan Natural Features Inventory at https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/
Reporting
A written Final Project Report including pictures, is required of all grant recipients. This report should be submitted no later than September 30, 2020, to the WCCD District Manager. The report should have no less than 3 good quality photos that we may use on our website and in WCCD publications to show what types of projects our grants fund. The report and photos may be submitted electronically if desired at the email below. Signs associated with the project should also include the WCCD logo or acknowledgment of WCCD as a supporter of the project.
Please email the application form and all other supporting documents or questions to: megan.deleeuw@macd.org
