[SustainableTompkins] looking for projects to fund

[Margaret McCasland]

>Hello--
>
>   I'm on the board of directors of a foundation whose mission is to
>foster ecologically sustainable human interaction with the natural
>environment.
>
>   I live in Ithaca and would love to come up with worthy and specific
>project funding proposals from local 501(c)(3)'s.
>
>   Any leads? Please contact me.
>
>Thank you!
>
>--Ira
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Hi Ira,

I have several ideas which various groups in the area may be 
interested in doing if they had funding (I am an environmental 
educator with experience in curriculum design and in science and 
environmental education for the general public).

	1.) portable activity packs for classroom teachers on various 
aspects of "what we can do to slow global warming" (with background 
info so teacher's feel "up to speed" on the topics).  A positive, 
can-do, science-based curriculum so kids feel they--with the rest of 
us also doing our parts--can minimize global warming. Possible local 
partner: Teachers for a Sustainable Future.*

	2.)  similar material  on "sustainability wedges" for the 
Climate Change Action Group*  for educating the general public on 
changes we can make in various sectors (electric power, housing, 
transport, agriculture, etc) to slow global warming AND on the 
changes we should be asking government and industry to make.

	3.)  a wiki-based interactive (but moderated and edited) 
website on worst/bad/not-so-good/ better/ best options for 
environmentally-related decisions we make as householders (eg, 
conservation that doesn't involve buying something), as consumers 
(tho avoiding purchases whenever possible), as citizens, as business 
people, etc.  I would love to partner with a group such as Yes! 
Magazine/The Great Turning on this project.  I have NOT yet 
approached them; am still doing background reading on their 
organization (David Korten at el).

This last idea I feel the most invested in personally.  However with 
any of them, I am happy to see these and/or related ideas done by 
anyone, as long as they get done, even if I am only involved in the 
development phase.  I have been a professional grant writer as well 
as curriculum designer, so this is "what I do."  I recently came out 
of retirement to work on climate change issues because my background 
seems more useful than ever. So far, all my work has been voluntary. 
I personally will need part-time funding in the near future.


* Neither of these groups are 501-c-3s.  However the TSF could 
probably receive funding through one or more local school districts. 
The Center for Environmental Sustainability (which I helped 
incorporate a few years back, but am no longer officially affiliated 
with) might be willing to act as an "umbrella" for one or more of 
these projects. They DO have 501-c-3 status. Museum of the Earth 
might be another option for partnering on one or more of these 
projects (I have had very early talks with them).

At area eco group "summits," we have discussed that finding an 
appropriate 501-c-3 through  which to receive funding is one of the 
biggest  challenges we face.  So seed money for such a project 
umbrella organization might be an important first step.  I don't know 
who you work with, but the Park Foundation in the past has helped 
non-tax exempt groups with seed funding, so perhaps there could be 
some kind of two-step project.

However incorporating and then getting IRS status is time-consuming. 
So looking for existing 501-c-3s--as you are doing--is important. I 
understand (from a discussion we had at a coordinating meeting at the 
Museum of the Earth last summer) that the IRS is making it harder 
than previously to get 501-c-3 status (at least for these sorts of 
community education groups).

I'll bet you're getting inundated with response from many of the 
folks I'm referring to.  How exciting!


Margaret McCasland

351-1892