We are pleased to announce the winners of the inaugural round of Norm Winn Grants. We are incredibly grateful for Norm’s gift to the Foundation that continues his legacy of conservation in Washington state and beyond. All told, in this first year, we are awarding $115,000 in Norm Winn Grants to the following groups and their projects:
- Cascades Wolverine Project (Geographic Focus: Eastern Washington) was awarded $20,000 that will be used for wolverine monitoring in North-Eastern Cascade mountains, mainly in the Chelan and Methow watersheds.
- Washington Conservation Action Education Fund (Geographic Focus: Eastern Washington) was awarded $20,000 that will support engagement with state leaders to influence updates to the Sustainable Harvest Calculation, which sets timber harvest levels on state lands for the next decade. The goal is to ensure that the calculation prioritizes climate change, watersheds, and ecosystem health.
- Pacific Northwest Forest Climate Alliance (Geographic Focus: Oregon) was awarded $15,000, which will fund the development of grassroots organizations to protect mature and old growth forests in the Pacific Northwest from logging through strengthening the Northwest Forest Management Plan.
- Environment America Research Policy Center (Geographic Focus: Oregon) was awarded $20,000 to support an expansive educational program to alert citizens of the importance of coastal underwater forests of kelp and eel grass ecosystems, which would also include a focus from youth input to state legislators.
- Greater Yellowstone Coalition (Geographic Focus: Montana) was awarded $20,000 to fund a pilot project in Custer-Gallatin National Forest to quickly and strategically install low-tech, process-based restoration efforts immediately post-wildfire to facilitate rapid riverscape recovery.
- Snake River Waterkeeper (Geographic Focus: Idaho) was awarded $20,000 to be used to protect and restore critical Yellowstone cutthroat trout habitat in Spring Creek on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation, including restoring the failing buck and rail fences and reseeding riverbanks with native vegetation. This work includes a partnership and matching funds with Shoshone-Bannock Tribe.
It’s an exciting time at the Foundation for many reasons, but being able to actively participate in Norm Winn’s long-term vision for conservation of our natural world brings us incredible joy. We look forward to seeing how his generous gift grows his legacy and helps preserve and protect landscapes, waterways and the creatures that call them home.
As always, thank you for your continued support of our work and the work of so many great groups in our area.
– Mindy Roberts, Secretary