The Foundation is pleased to be able to use funds to provide Endowment grants to support our many volunteer organizations.
The Friends of the Dane County Parks Endowment (managed by the Madison Community Foundation) was established to support education, interpretation, and volunteerism within our County Parks. The fund is permanent and the interest from the fund is used annually to support these three areas of focus.
In 2019, the Foundation for Dane County Parks announced that we would be accepting grant applications from volunteer organizations working on behalf of our County Parks. As we grow the Endowment fund, we will be increasingly able to support the many volunteer and nonprofit organizations supporting our County Parks.
A second round of funding is available. Applications were due October 31, 2020.
The Foundation is excited to announce the grant recipients from our first round of funding in 2019, totaling $17,284:
Rear-tine rototiller to assist volunteers with the pantry garden that will also assist with other volunteer activities related to demonstration plots, and restoration.
Equipment for volunteers doing invasive species removal.
Tools, material, and educational markers and print materials for prairie restoration for prairie classroom.
Purchase of equipment to assist volunteers with the restoration of Festge Park.
$1,000 towards the Make a Memory educational programs for senior adults and $871 for the purchase of plants for the Prairie Plant Propagation Garden planted by volunteers and used for educational programs.
Marcella’s Bedroom renovation in the farmhouse museum.
Interpretive signage fabrication for the agroforestry demonstration areas.
Domain name, maps, brochures, and speaker to enhance outdoor learning and community involvement.
Creation of content for a restored and moved informational/educational kiosk. The restoration and move of the kiosk will be done by Parks staff with parks funding, and this grant will be used to create content informed by a volunteer kiosk manager who will refresh content a minimum of four times a year.
Oak trees to be planted by volunteers on stream easements to create awareness of how providing shade trees protect coldwater resources.
Creation of the Outdoor Learning Series -- 12 educational events -- in Southwest Dane County.
Based on the success of our first round of grants, the board has announced a second round. Applications are due October 31, 2020.
Get the application form