Community Partner Grant Project

In Fall 2020, students in Connecticut College’s Eco 212/ES 212 Environmental Economics course worked with local nonprofit environmental organizations to write grant applications for projects benefiting the greater New London community.

In the past, the culminating experience for students in this course was writing a 6-7 page individual research paper. As the instructor of this course, I've always been impressed with the quality of these papers, but I have also felt bad that their research efforts were only ever read and enjoyed by myself.

I’m hopeful that this year the research efforts of the Environmental Economics students this year will benefit not only ourselves, but our community partners and Southeastern Connecticut more broadly!

54 Student Participants

Students in this course are primarily Environmental Studies and Economics Majors.

There were students from every class year: first years, sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

This is a required course for the Environmental Studies major.

$127,000 of Funding Requested

Working with Community Partners, students developed projects to serve the New London and Southeastern Connecticut communities.

They then researched funding sources and wrote grants collectively requesting $127,000 in funding to bring these projects to life!

Featured

Alewife Cove Conservancy

This student team worked with Alewife Cove Conservancy on a proposal for $5,000.00 of funding from the Connecticut Sea Grant Development Award to conduct an initial research study on the health of the Cove pertaining to its water quality and sediment condition before possible dredging.

Connecticut College Arboretum

This student team worked with the Connecticut College Arboretum on a proposal for $35,000.00 of funding from Connecticut DEEP’s Recreational Trails Grant Program to restore trails in an accessible way with appropriate signage.

Eastern Connecticut Community Gardens Association

This student team worked with Eastern Connecticut Community Gardens Association on a proposal for $5,000.00 of funding from Eversource Grants for Non-Profits to develop a program to teach farmers the no till practice of organic farming.

New England Science and Sailing Foundation

This student team worked with the New England Science and Sailing Foundation on a proposal for $25,000.00 of funding from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation’s Environmental Education & Stewardship Grant to support the Shore Support program by funding student scholarships, staff and student PPE, and expanded program activities.

New London Trees

This student team worked with New London Trees on a proposal for $50,000.00 of funding from the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut Environmental Grants to plant native trees in New London’s Calkins Park.

Riverside Park Conservancy

This student team worked with Riverside Park Conservancy on a proposal for $2,000.00 of funding from New England Grassroots Environment Fund to develop a program to construct a rain garden using plants native to Connecticut next to the playscape in the park.

Sustainable CT New London

This student team worked with Sustainable CT New London on a proposal for $5,000.00 of funding from the Connecticut Urban Act Grant Program to purchase supplies for materials for an equitable take-home bug hotel kit under a program we are calling “The Art of Sustainability” serving 3-5th graders in New London Public Schools.

7 New London Community Partners

Students worked with seven New London nonprofit Community Partners including:

Alewife Cove Conservancy
Connecticut College Arboretum
Eastern CT Community Gardens Association
New England Science and Sailing Foundation
New London Trees
Riverside Park Conservancy
Sustainable CT - New London

7 Funding Sources

Students researched seven different funding sources to support their proposed projects:

Connecticut Sea Grant Development Award
DEEP’s Recreational Trails Grant Program
Eversource Grants for Non-Profits
Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation’s Environmental Education & Stewardship Grant
Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut Environmental Grant
New England Grassroots Environment Fund
Connecticut Urban Act Grant Program

Thanks

So many people helped out with this project. I am so appreciative the generosity of everyone’s time and expertise as well as their commitment to preserving and protecting our local environment!

Thank you to all our Community Partner Representatives: Edward Lamoureux and Angela Velilla (Alewife Cove Conservancy); Maggie Redfern and Miles Sax (Connecticut College Arboretum); Merrijo Logan (Eastern CT Community Gardens Association); Kelley Dupree and Maddie Troy (New England Science and Sailing Foundation); Vonice Carr, Caroline Driscoll, and Maggie Redfern (New London Trees); Ronna Stuller (Riverside Park Conservancy); and Merrijo Logan and Karen Stevenson (Sustainable CT - New London).

Thank you to the experts in the Panel on Best Practices in Grant Writing: Elizabeth Nocera (Economic Development Coordinator, City of New London) and Kate Rattan (SCCOG Transportation Program Manager)

Thank you to our colleagues at Connecticut College: Angela Barney (Assistant Director of Program in Community Action in the Holleran Center), Cara Masullo Ekwuabu (CISLA International Education Specialist), Professor Noel Garrett (Dean of Academic Support and the Director of the Academic Resource Center), Andrew Lopez (Research Support Librarian at Shain Library), Kimberly Sanchez (Associate Director of Engaged Scholarship and Community Learning in the Holleran Center).

Commemoration

One of our fellow classmates—Hans Horst-Martz ‘21—sadly passed away following the completion of this project. Hans was a thoughtful, funny, inquisitive, kind soul and the world is a less bright place without him in it. He was very enthusiastic about this class and project. All of us, but in particular his student team members and Community Partner organization—New London Trees—had amazingly positive experiences with him. We miss you Hans!