"SFI anticipated far-reaching benefits through the grant program because we know first-hand how building conservation and community partnerships can lead to tangible, on-the-ground results," SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow said this week. "To say we are impressed with project outcomes so far is an understatement."
By opening its 2011 Request for Proposals for Conservation and Community Partnerships Grants, SFI is nviting applications for projects that address current topics of importance to the SFI program, such as the role of certified forests in emerging bioenergy markets, avoidance of controversial sources such as illegal logging in the global supply chain, improved wildlife habitat management and conservation of biodiversity, and community-based projects such as those that address management of culturally important lands.
There is also a new category to support smaller projects such as forestry educational programs for children and green building projects for low-income residents, with five to seven grants available in amounts up to $5,000. In 2011, SFI will award up to $200,000 in new grants.
The 2011 RFP and latest information about the SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant program are available online. The deadline for 2011 grant applications is Tuesday, February 15.
Last year, SFI awarded nine grants totaling $307,500 in funding for 2010, including some multi-year projects that brought the total commitment to $675,000 over three years. Through the involvement of partners, these projects will leverage additional resources and achieve a total value of almost $2.7 million, SFI notes.
TAPPI
http://www.tappi.org/