Dane County Executive Joe Parisi & Dane County Parks Foundation President Bill Lunney Announce First Ever Dane County Parks Endowment Grants

September 09, 2019
Darren Marsh (608) 224-3766; Bill Lunney (608) 334-0072
County Executive

11 Nonprofit Organizations Receive Grants to Support Conservation Activities on Public Land

Today, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Foundation for Dane County Parks President Bill Lunney announced the first ever recipients of the Friends of Dane County Parks Endowment. The grants were awarded to 11 local nonprofit conservation organizations and total $17,284. The funds will be used to help provide educational programming, interpretation, and enhance volunteerism in local parks.

“Congratulations to all of those who are receiving the first grants from the Dane County Parks Endowment Fund,” said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. “Dane County is proud to have a robust parks system, and we are happy to make these investments in the community so our outdoor recreation destinations can continue to thrive for many years to come.”

“We are ecstatic to be able to use the endowment built by our generous donors to provide grants to improve the Parks and help build the County Parks over 3000 person volunteer base,” said Foundation President Bill Lunney. “Our Foundation's commitment to volunteerism, education, interpretation, in the Parks helps create a backbone of continuing support for our extraordinary Park system.”

The 11 conservation organizations, many of which are Parks Friends groups, received a total of $17,284 to support their efforts in their County Park or Natural Resource Area. In many cases, the grant will be matched by the organization to leverage the impact. The grant funds come from the Foundation for Dane County Parks through an endowment held by the Madison Community Foundation for the purpose of supporting special projects and programs, educational opportunities, interpretation, and volunteerism to a growing and diverse population.

Recipients include:

• Friends of Capital Springs Recreation Area will receive a grant of $1,706 for educational materials and restoration of the educational Prairie Learning Center at the William G. Lunney Lake Farm County Park. (Fitchburg, Monona, Madison)

• Friends of Schumacher Farm County Park, Inc. will receive a grant of $1,275 for renovation in the farmhouse museum at Schumacher Farm County Park. (Waunakee)

• Friends of Pheasant Branch, Inc. will receive a grant of $1,871 towards the Make Memory educational programs for senior adults and for the Prairie Plant Propagation Garden planted by volunteers and used for educational programs at the Pheasant Branch Conservancy. (Middleton)

• Upper Sugar River Watershed Association will receive a grant of $2,000 for the creation of the Outdoor Learning Series (12 educational events) in Southwest Dane County. (Verona)

• Friends of Anderson County Park, Inc. will receive a grant of  $1,175 for the purchase of equipment to assist volunteers with the pantry garden, other volunteer activities related to public demonstration plots, and restoration at Anderson Farm County Park. (Oregon)

• Friends of Festge County Park will receive a grant of $1,995 to assist volunteers with removal of invasive species at Festge County Park. (Cross Plains) 

• Friends of Silverwood County Park will receive a grant of $2,000 for interpretive signage for the agroforestry demonstration areas at Silverwood County Park. (Albion/Edgerton)

• Friends of Stewart Lake County Park will receive a grant of $1,330 for the purchase of materials to enhance outdoor learning and community involvement at Stewart County Park. (Mt. Horeb)

• Southern Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Unlimited will receive a grant of $950 for the purchase of oak trees to be planted by volunteers on stream easements to create awareness of how shade trees protect cold water resources.

• Friends of Prairie Moraine County Park will receive a grant of $1,500 for the creation of content at informational/educational kiosk at Prairie Moraine County Park. (Verona)

• Friends of Cam Rock Park will receive a grant of $1,482 for the purchase of equipment for volunteers doing invasive species removal. (Cambridge)

About Dane County Land & Water Resources Department

Dane County Parks is a division of the Dane County Land & Water Resources Department. The Dane County Land & Water Resources Department works to protect and enhance Dane County’s natural, cultural, and historic resources. It provides the county’s residents with a broad array of accessible, high quality resource-based recreational services and facilities, and supports residents, communities, local governments and other agencies and organizations in their resource management and protection activities.