THE ENVIRONMENT
The Joseph & Vera Long Foundation seeks to protect the natural environments of Northern California and Hawaii by supporting well-established organizations actively working to promote ecological integrity.
For 2019, the Foundation will have the following grant program for the environment:
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Habitat Conservation - Protecting and restoring habitat areas for wild plants and animals, especially conservation reliant species, to prevent their extinction, fragmentation or reduction in range.
The Foundation is no longer seeking funding opportunities in the areas of access to public lands or scientific research unless they are considered a fit with our Habitat Conservation grant program. Prospective grantees seeking support for environmental education programs should consider our Education grant program for Connecting Youth with Nature.
For all Environment grants, we will continue to value projects that offer tangible results, matching funding, innovation, a balance of idealism with pragmatism and a response to the needs of the local economy and community. Preference will also be given to projects that catalyze additional support and conservation-related activities ancillary to the project's primary focus.
Habitat Conservation
"We don't inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
- David Brower
The future of our planet depends greatly on the choices that we make today. This is especially true for the threatened and endangered species that inhabit Northern California and Hawaii. Failing to manage the impacts of human activity on the functioning ecosystems of our world will endanger hundreds of endemic species of mammals, reptiles, plants, fish and birds. This will affect biodiversity and cause irreversible damage to the natural balance.
This outcome can be avoided. Wide social change, innovation and time will be required to overcome the many issues that threaten wildlife. However, even if we are successful in our efforts to control invasive species, limit climate change and reduce pollution, we won't avert the extinction of many animals and plants if we fail to protect and restore the critical habitats that still exist today.
Preventing natural habitat from being destroyed, fragmented or degraded provides the elemental space for vulnerable species to recover, stabilize, expand and ultimately thrive. By protecting our wetlands, conserving our watersheds, restoring our coral reefs and managing our forests, we are taking the critical first steps to avoid habitat loss and preserve the essential resources that are needed for life.
The Joseph & Vera Long Foundation aims to make significant contributions to collaborative efforts to manage, improve and preserve critical terrestrial and marine environments, with a preference for preservation in perpetuity.
By supporting the best set of partner organizations and projects, we will ensure that rural spaces of high conservation value are safeguarded and that ecologically important habitats are cared for.
Some examples of the types of projects that we are looking to support include (but are not limited to):
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Land acquisition
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Conservation Easements
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Restoration Work
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Stewardship of Natural Habitat (such as reefs and rivers)
Preference will be given to projects that demonstrate some of the following:
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Time-limited projects
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Overlooked opportunities
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A clear notion of what is at risk
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Projects addressing habitat loss affecting multiple conservation reliant species
To submit a request for funding from this grant program, please follow the process outlined on the Grants page.