Written by The Business Journal Staff
Six Valley nonprofits will pursue environment-enhancing projects with help from grants from the Fresno Regional Foundation.
Totaling $155,000 this year, the FEF’s environment grants are awarded annually for projects that advance public health, social equity, environmental sustainability and economic growth in the San Joaquin Valley.
The following organizations were named in the 2013 grant cycle:
• Fresno Metro Ministry with $35,000 for The Healthy-People/Healthy-Places Network, a project to establish a regional hub coordinating civic infrastructure planning according to smart growth policies in Fresno, Madera and Merced counties.
• Leadership Council for Justice and Accountability with $30,000 for Smart Growth in the San Joaquin Valley, a project to ensure equitable smart growth that increases investment and opportunities in existing communities of the San Joaquin Valley.
• Fresno City College with $21,000 for Children’s Garden Project, a mini-grant competition for local child care centers to facilitate in the creation or expansion of their gardens to increase children’s health.
• Tulare Basin Wildlife Partners with $19,000 for Land Use and Natural Resource Integration, a program that focuses on outreach to land-use decision makers in the Tulare Basin so they are fluent in the language of natural resources and plan growth strategies sensitive to the area.
• Revive the San Joaquin with $26,000 for Restoration Alive!, a program to engage the community in on-going programs developed to protect and restore the San Joaquin River.
• Fresno State’s biology department with $24,000 for San Joaquin River salmon restoration, a project with input from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish & Wildlife to aid in the reintroduction of Chinook salmon to the San Joaquin River.
The organizations will be presented with the grants during a reception on Dec. 17 from 4 to 6 p.m. at BitWise Industries located at 2210 San Joaquin St. in Fresno’s mural district.