Bush Foundation Awards First Ecological Health Program Grants

The Bush Foundation in St. Paul has awarded the first grants from its new ecological health program, as part of its July 2002 grant awards. The foundation's board also funded a large number of education projects, and continued support for its three fellowship programs.

Bush's ecological health program is the 49-year-old foundation's most comprehensive environment-related funding to date. The program seeks to treat human, animal and ecosystem health as an interrelated system rather than a set of isolated problems to be solved. In July, the foundation awarded seven grants totaling $911,500 through the program, to help organizations promote clean and renewable energy, reduce exposure to environmental toxins, and improve water quality.

Among the recipients of the ecological health grants were Cannon River Watershed Partnership, Inc. and Illusion Theatre and School, Inc. Cannon River received $180,000 for a storm water runoff study and development of best practices in water management for small cities. The foundation says it selected Cannon River in part for its collaborative grassroots nature, and hopes the grant will provide valuable lessons for water quality work in the region.

Illusion Theatre and School, Inc. received a $100,000 Bush grant to help plan, develop and pilot a community-based program to reduce lead poisoning and other environmental hazards that affect young children. The program will use theatre and community health fairs to educate children and adults about environmental concerns.

Application to the Bush Foundation ecological health program is a two-step process, beginning with a preliminary letter of interest. For more information about the program, visit the foundation's Web site.

In education, the Bush Foundation board of directors approved grants totaling $3.8 million for faculty development programs at regional colleges and universities, fully accredited tribally controlled colleges, and private historically black colleges (in cooperation with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation). The goal of these programs is to provide faculty development opportunities to increase student learning.

The University of Minnesota received $1 million from Bush to improve literacy instruction by strengthening the preparation of future teachers at the university and three partner institutions in the state: Augsburg College, the College of St. Catherine and St. Cloud State University. Together these institutions prepare 50 percent of Minnesota's new teachers each year.

The foundation board also approved continuation in 2003 of three Bush fellowship programs, for artists, physicians and mid-career leaders in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and northwestern Wisconsin. Founder Archibald Bush believed mid-career enrichment and leadership development to be valuable to individuals as well as their communities. Since its founding in 1953, the foundation has dedicated approximately $54 million to the three fellowship programs.

In total, the Bush Foundation board of directors approved 76 grants totaling $18 million on July 9, 2002, in the following areas: arts and humanities: $7 million; education: $8.5 million: human services & health: $3.8 million; fellowships: $3.2 million; other: $1.8 million. For a complete list of grants, visit the foundation's Web site.

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