Money targets reforestation, community education at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center

Milwaukee, WI - March 26, 2013 - One of Milwaukee County's most renowned outdoor classrooms will have a chance to fend off one of the biggest threats to its beauty, thanks in part to a first quarter grant from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.

The $45,000 grant to the Friends of Schlitz Audubon Center helps enable the group to launch a two-year demonstration and education project to remove trees on the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center property that have been damaged by the emerald ash borer.

Emerald ash borer was first discovered in Milwaukee County in 2009. More than 75 percent of the trees found on Schlitz Audubon Nature Center's property are ash trees. Diseased trees have been documented within five miles of the agency's outdoor education center. Plans include remove some of the damaged trees, clearing the land for replanting and working with students from the Student Conservation Association.

The grant was a part of a total of $725,789 awarded through the Foundation's first quarter competitive grant cycle. Additional grants of $30,000 and above include:

Increasing income and building assets

African American Chamber of Commerce: $40,000 to conduct an assessment of the African American business community in greater Milwaukee.

Strengthening neighborhoods

Rebuilding Together Greater Milwaukee: $75,000 to provide free housing repair and other accessibility modifications for older adults living within neighborhoods participating in the Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative.

Common Ground: $50,000 for its Milwaukee Rising project, an effort to restore 100 homes in Milwaukee's Sherman Park neighborhood, which was severely affected by the foreclosure crisis. To date, 33 homes have been rehabbed, 29 have been sold and four others are near completion. more Housing Resources: $45,000 to help underwrite tours of the Healthy Neighborhood Initiative areas for lenders and realtors as well as provide support for its NeighborWorks Homeownership Center.

Strengthening education

Public Policy Forum: $100,000 (over two years) to expand its capacity to conduct education research. Schools That Can Milwaukee: $50,000 to support coaching for its 80 school teachers in 25 schools in Milwaukee. The grant will also help fund creation of a leadership development program in partnership with Alverno College.

Community responsive grantmaking

Planning Council for Health and Human Services: $50,000 (over two years) to create an evaluation institute that will help Milwaukee nonprofits incorporate evaluation principles and strategies so they can better determine the impact of their programs.

The Friendship Circle: $40,000 to expand its programming for children with special needs and their families throughout Milwaukee by partnering with more area schools and community centers.


About the Greater Milwaukee Foundation

The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is a family of more than 1,100 individual charitable funds, each created by donors to serve the local charitable causes of their choice. Grants from these funds serve people throughout Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties. Started in 1915, the Foundation is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the world.

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