McKnight Advances Land Conservation and Protection Along Mississippi River

The McKnight Foundation in Minneapolis supported land conservation and protection along the Mississippi River as part of its fourth-quarter 2004 grantmaking. The foundation's latest grants also included funding for economic development in Minnesota.

To advance restoration of the Mississippi River basin, McKnight's board of directors approved grants totaling $1,350,000 to conserve and protect lands that affect water quality. In Minnesota, the Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota, St. Paul, received $250,000 for a land acquisition program; and the Land Stewardship Project, White Bear Lake, received $130,000 over two years to engage farmers in increased conservation efforts.

McKnight also approved $300,000 over two years in operating support for St. Paul's Friends of the Mississippi River, an organization which promotes river conservation in the Twin Cities region. Also in St. Paul, the foundation gave $450,000 over two years for The Trust for Public Land, to protect the Mississippi River watershed and open space in the Twin Cities, and to support the Regional Greenways Collaborative.

In other parts of the country, the board approved $40,000 for the Winrock International Institute for Agricultural Development of Morrilton, Ark., to support the Performance-based Environmental Policies for Agriculture initiative; $180,000 over two years for the Environmental Integrity Project of New York, N.Y., to reduce pollution threats to the Upper Mississippi River; and $750,000 for The Conservation Fund of Arlington, Va., for outreach to increase land protection along the entire Mississippi River and to expand the Mississippi River Revolving Fund.

"Healthy, sustainable farming practices and pollution controls along the river are crucial to improving water quality, but they're only part of the picture," said Erika L. Binger, McKnight's board chair. "We also must conserve and restore lands along the Mississippi River and its key tributaries."

To help Minnesotans improve their economic bases and businesses, and to compete more successfully worldwide, McKnight's board also approved nine grants totaling more than $1 million toward regional economic development around the state. Among the organizations funded is the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) in Duluth, which received $360,000 over three years to support affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization through the Duluth Fund for Neighborhood Development. By maintaining momentum in LISC's effective support of Duluth's neighborhoods, funding will help strengthen the economic base of the largest city in Greater Minnesota.

Other highlights of The McKnight Foundation's fourth-quarter 2004 grantmaking include the following grants:

• Hamline Midway Coalition, St. Paul: $90,000 over two years for operations and a youth collaborative.
    
• Minnesota Fathers & Families Network, Minneapolis: $140,000 over two years to support practitioners who work with fathers and families.
     
• Oxfam America, Boston: $140,000 over two years for a program to strengthen the livelihoods of small-scale fishers and farmers in the Mekong River Basin in Cambodia.
     
• Pillsbury United Communities, Minneapolis: $70,000 over two years for general operations of the Pillsbury House Theatre.
     
• Summit Academy OIC, Minneapolis: $135,000 for youth services, job training for Somali immigrants and general operations.
     
• Twin Cities Public Television, St. Paul: $200,000 over two years for the "Minnesota Channel," a program service devoted to programs by, for and about Minnesotans.
     
• Volunteer Efforts for Development Concerns of Kampala, Uganda: $120,000 over three years to enhance commercial competitiveness of agricultural products grown by women in Uganda.
     
• Women's Initiative for Self-Empowerment, St. Paul: $100,000 over two years to support social service staff working with Asian and Latino families around financial management and savings.

In total, The McKnight Foundation awarded 139 grants totaling $24,358,600 in its fourth-quarter 2004 grantmaking in the following areas: arts: 27 grants/$1,635,000; children and families: 57 grants/$12,626,100; environment: 19 grants/$2,579,500: international: 13 grants/$1,128,000; region and communities: 23 grants/$6,390,000. For a complete list of grants, visit the foundation's Web site.

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