The Mineral Point Excellence in Education Advisory Board, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin, is excited to announce that grant monies are available for projects in the 5-acre “Don Hawkins Community Oak Savanna” and the 20-acre tall-grass prairie located on the grounds of the Mineral Point Schools.
The grant application is available on the CFSW website. The deadline for completion and submission of the application is 11:59 p.m. Friday, February 15, 2019. Please note: grant applicants must be associated with a non-profit, government entity, school, or municipality. Questions about eligibility: please call the CFSW grant manager at (608) 758-0883 or email [email protected].
Grant applications should address at least one of the following:
- Encourage students and community members to spend time in the savannas experiencing nature, what Mr. Hawkins called “Vitamin N”;
- Provide opportunities for people to learn about the native plants and animals of Wisconsin;
- Emphasize the importance of conservation and responsible land stewardship;
- Provide hands-on learning activities in the savannas;
- Increase the community’s awareness of the savannas and encourage the spirit of volunteerism;
- Promote activities across age groups that capture the spirit that existed in a one-room school house; and/or
- Encourage continuous improvement, experimentation and innovation in savanna-related programming, activities, and events.
The initial seed money to establish the Don Hawkins Community Oak Savanna Endowment Fund came from a bequest in Mr. Hawkins’ will. The Hawkins family and friends have generously supplemented that bequest.
MPEIE board chair Kristin Mitchell noted, “This is the 2nd year that grants are available from this endowment. In the spring of 2018, two grants were awarded. One involved MP 3rd graders, planting native plants; the other, MP 5th graders spending a full-day in the savanna with special presentations, a scavenger hunt, and themed games. We are looking forward to reviewing the 2019 applications with their creative ideas.”
The Don Hawkins Community Oak Savanna Endowment Fund is a component of the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin, a 501(c)(3) public charity. For additional information, contact Kristin Mitchell, MPEIE board chair (608-987-3370 or [email protected]) or CFSW Donor Services Rep Barb Daus (608-778-3344 or [email protected]). For those interested in supporting this endowment, donations may be made online at www.cfsw.org or by mail to CFSW/Don Hawkins Community Oak Savanna Endowment Fund, PO Box 5, Mineral Point WI 53565.
