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The Nonprofit Green Infrastructure Center The Green Infrastructure is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable educational and scientific institution. The center can receive grants or donations from individuals, corporations, or foundations and localities or agencies. The Center’s projects are funded entirely through grants, corporate gifts and individual donations, and agencies. Administrative overhead is approximately 15 percent of the total budget. The center’s audit and tax returns are available for public inspection. Examples of general needs for the center include hardware, such as a computer fully loaded with GIS Software [$5000], an overhead projector and screen [$3,000] and a color printer [$1,000]. The center also needs assistance simply to cover overhead expenses as many grants do not pay for on-going annual costs, such as the annual audit. To meet these needs the center has launched its first annual fundraising campaign with a 2008 unrestricted donation goal of $25,000. The center is the only organization of its kind that provides direct service, advice and analysis at the local level for green infrastructure planning. Plans are created to meet community needs and each initiative is unique. What makes the center unique is that it seeks to build local capacity by not only working hand-in-hand with local groups to address their interests, but also in providing the training and tools for local governments, land trusts and others to update and manage their own local plans. While most of the center’s inaugural projects are in Virginia, center staff also have already participated in international efforts such as in Jordan and South Africa as well as sharing our knowledge with other regions, such as groups in Michigan or Washington D.C. All field tests and projects create valuable background and experience for creating manuals and guidance that are made available to everyone. By supporting the center’s work, you are helping us to share lessons learned though our projects across the U.S. and the world.To donate Individuals or others who wish to make tax-deductible donations to the Center can do so by sending a check made payable to the Green Infrastructure Center Inc. All contributions will be appreciated and acknowledged. Funds will be used to support the work of the Center. Funds may be restricted to a specific project by specifying the project name or activity in a letter or the memo portion of the check. Donations should be sent to: If you have questions about donations, please contact: info@gicinc.org. |
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Nationwide, almost 2 million acres of farmland and half a million acres of private forest are developing each year, leading to loss of species, groundwater depletion, climate change and lost recreation and open space. Lands threatened by imminent development produce 79% of the nation’s fruit, 69% of vegetables, 52% of dairy products, 28% of meat, and 27% of grain. Almost 2 million acres of farmland and half a million acres of private forest are developing each year. Over a recent 12 year period the U.S. population grew 17 percent but used 47 percent more land. In the U.S., parks, protected rivers, scenic lands, wildlife habitat, and recreational open space support $502-billion in tourism. Also greenways can increase property values by 10 to 30 percent, raising local tax revenues. |