Joining forces may get local environmental groups money

Krista Magaw, the executive director of Tecumseh Land Trust, looks over the 88 acre farm that is owned by Jerry and Jane Benham. She supports a plan for local environmental groups to join forces.

Staff photo by Ron Alvey Krista Magaw, the executive director of Tecumseh Land Trust, looks over the 88 acre farm that is owned by Jerry and Jane Benham. She supports a plan for local environmental groups to join forces.

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By Margo Rutledge Kissell, Staff Writer 9:29 PM Wednesday, July 22, 2009

DAYTON — The Dayton Foundation wants to bring more than 40 environmental groups together to give the region more clout in seeking conservation funding.

That’s one of the goals of the Greater Dayton Conservation Collaborative, the foundation’s new initiative.

Dayton Foundation President Michael Parks knows these are tough times for nonprofit organizations that rely on private donations and public funding, which have been reduced for many.

The idea for the collaborative grew out of a foundation workshop last year in which many of the conservation organizations that attended said they needed help putting together funding requests in an increasingly competitive environment.

“They told us loud and clear that often times grant requests that are more regional in nature, more collaborative ... will score higher and thus could mean more resources for our community,” Parks said.

The Dayton Foundation has committed to putting $70,000, or $35,000 a year, into the two-year pilot project to make the collaborative a reality for up to 43 conservation organizations that will be invited to participate.

The collaborative includes a partnership with the Miami Conservancy District with other funding from Five Rivers MetroParks and the foundation’s Greater Dayton Conservation Fund. Those entities collectively will contribute about $25,000 in dollars or in-kind contributions such as office space, Parks said.

The funding makes possible a part-time environmental professional position to identify key funding opportunities to support the work of the organizations.

Krista McGaw, executive director of the Tecumseh Land Trust, is enthusiastic about the chance to work with other conservation nonprofits that may become involved in collaborative.

“It seems like by collaborating we can get more attention on conservation efforts generally and build support for conservation,” she said Wednesday, July 22.

In 19 years, the Yellow Springs-based nonprofit has protected more than 16,000 acres of farm land and significant historic or natural sites. In May, it became the first land trust in Ohio to become accredited by the national Land Trust Accreditation Commission.

McGaw likes that the consortium will get environmental groups networking more with each other. It also will coordinate communications for information resource and public education purposes and develop joint grant proposals to further regional conservation.

“What this means is that conservation groups throughout Greater Dayton can gain new resources to do their work through increased access to information, discussion and joint grant-making opportunities,” Parks said.

Parks noted that the person who is hired as a part-time environmental professional will monitor and review funding opportunities on the state and national level and determine what to go after collectively as a region. That person also will work with the local groups to find ways in which they might be able to work together better.

Because this is a tough time for nonprofits, McGaw said it might offer an opportunity for some groups to explore the possibility of forming partnerships or merging with other organizations.

The foundation has created the Friends of The Greater Dayton Conservation Collaborative Fund so that other funding partners, as well as individuals who want to make a donation, can support the collaborative effort. For more information, call the Dayton Foundation at (937) 222-0410 or go to www.daytonfoundation.org.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2094 or mkissell@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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