franklin parker small grants program

The Franklin Parker Small Grants program provides funding for non-profit conservation organizations working in the Garden State.  These grants are designed to provide assistance to exemplary land acquisition, stewardship and restoration projects which are featured in The Conservation Exchange. Since its inception in 2006, the Franklin Parker Small Grants Program has awarded $411,000 for 126 non-profit conservation projects located throughout New Jersey.

The purpose of these grants is to provide seed money for the initiation of projects, to help cover certain costs which are not fully reimbursable by other existing grant programs, such as appraisal and survey expenses, and to provide matching funds to support non-profit stewardship and restoration projects.  Funding for these small grants has been provided by the William Penn Foundation, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Victoria Foundation, the Mary Reinhart Stackhouse Foundation, and several individuals.

Awards for past years: 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

Eligibility and Grant Award Criteria

• Eligibility for small grants is limited to projects in New Jersey which are featured in CRI’s Geographic Funds or The Conservation Exchange. To find out how to have a project featured, click here.

• Small grants will range from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $10,000, with the majority of grants in the $2,500 to $5,000 range;

• Small grants may be used only for specific purposes related to project initiation or leverage of other project funding, such as the costs of appraisals, surveys, closing costs or other items which are only partially reimbursable through existing public funding sources, and expenses necessary to satisfy matching grant requirements for small stewardship or restoration grants available through such public programs as the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, Partners for Wildlife, and the Landowner Incentives Program;

• Preference will be given to featured projects which: (1) have demonstrated superior initiative and progress; (2) provide higher leverage of CRI’s small grant funds; (3) demonstrate innovation or creativity in deal structure, range or nature of partnerships, or sources of funding; and (4) are being undertaken by small and intermediate-sized land trusts and other conservation organizations;

• Grant awards will seek to include a mix of projects from around New Jersey which include: “seed funding” awards to help jump-start projects; awards to help non-profits cover un-reimbursed project costs for featured projects which are under contract or which have recently closed; and highly-leveraged matching small grants for stewardship or restoration projects.

Application and Grant Award Process

• Grant proposals for the 2012 Round of Franklin Parker Small Grants Program will be due mid-September 2012. The exact due date will posted in early August.
  
  Please note that:
  
  1. Only projects featured with Conservation Resources are eligible for the Franklin Parker Small Grants Program.  To learn more about featuring a project, click here or contact us.  
     
     
  2. If you received a Small Grant from us in 2011 and would like to apply for a grant in 2012, you will need to provide us with a final report about your 2011 grant by September 2012. 
     
     
• Contact Julie Gause, Grants Administrator to apply for a Franklin Parker Small Grant.

* The Franklin Parker Small Grants Program is named in memory of CRI's founding board chairman, Franklin Parker III.

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