Three initiatives through the Laura Jane Musser Fund are opening applications starting this month:
Through the Environmental Initiative, the Laura Jane Musser Fund assists public or not-for-profit entities to initiate or implement projects that enhance the ecological integrity of publically owned open spaces, while encouraging compatible human activities. The Fund's goal is to promote public use of open space that improves a community's quality of life and public health, while also ensuring the protection of healthy, viable and sustainable ecosystems by protecting or restoring habitat for a diversity of plant and animal species. Planning grants up to $8,000 and implementation grants up to $35,000 will be considered for this initiative. The geographic area for this initiative is Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, Texas (Hidalgo, Cameron, Willacy, and Starr counties only), and Wyoming. Applications will be accepted online through the Fund’s website from February 9 – March 9, 2018.
Through the Rural Arts Initiative, the Laura Jane Musser Fund hopes to assist nonprofit arts organizations to develop, implement or sustain exceptional artistic opportunities for adults and children in the areas of literary, visual, music and performing arts. In recognition of Laura Jane Musser's life-long commitment to excellence in the arts, and with awareness that pivotal and life-changing experience can occur for individuals through introduction to and participation in the arts, the Fund hopes to encourage and excite a wider population to appreciate, learn, and participate in the arts. General operating grants of up to $10,000 will be considered for this initiative. The geographic area for this initiatives is Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota (Aitkin, Becker, Cass, Clay, Clearwater, Hubbard, Itasca, Koochiching, Mahnomen, Todd, and Wadena counties), Texas (Hidalgo, Cameron, Willacy, and Starr counties only), and Wyoming. For the Rural Arts initiative, applications from Minnesota are limited to. Applications will be accepted online through the Fund’s website from February 16 – March 16, 2018.
The Little Falls/Morrison County Initiative is open to all charitable, 501(c)(3) organizations located in Little Falls and/or Morrison County. The Laura Jane Musser Fund wants to help the citizens of Little Falls and Morrison County continue to develop and maintain strong, vibrant, and healthy communities. Musser Fund grants in this area are available through two distinct programs – the General Operating Support Program (with grants up to $10,000) and the Small Grants Program (with grants up to $7,500). Applications will be accepted online through the Fund’s website from February 23 – March 23, 2018.
The complete guidelines for all of the initiatives are available at http://www.musserfund.org.