Quaker Earthcare Witness

Mini-Grants 2011

Bill Holcombe, Clerk

Housatonic (CT) MM NYYM

2011 QEW Mini-Grants

• Environmental project matching grants for Quaker

meetings and partners

• Grant applicants match from their budget or fund-raising

• Grants Awarded:

– El Alto, Bolivia Tree Planting

– Miami FL Native Garden

– Saratoga Springs NY Rain Garden

– Vancouver Canada Drip Irrigation

– West VA Friends Wilderness Center LED Lighting

– Kenya: Munyu Youth Group Sericulture/Apiary

Miami MM Native Garden

• Goals:

– Beautify grounds with native plants

– Create native landscape to attract butterflies, bees and birds

– Lower energy use—no watering required

– Sustainable garden for education of local children

• Local community involvement; partners include:

– TREEmendous Miami

– Native Plant Society of South Dade

– Tropical Audobon Society

• Buildings & Grounds enlisted support of:

– First Day School Children ages 4 to 13

– Children & parents of neighboring Bilingual Coop Pre-school

Miami MM Garden Planting: Happy Helpers

Miami MM Garden Early Learning

Miami MM Children Discover a

Lovely Fungus

Miami MM Child Beholds a

Beautiful Spider Web

El Alto Proyecto de Arbolizacion

• Goals:

– Initiate tree planting in treeless high altitude environment

– Beautify grounds around the church

– Over 100 trees planted

– Demonstrate possibility of trees survival at altitude

• Local community involvement; partners include:

– Local Youth Group of Young Friends

– Mayor’s Office donates trees to project

El Alto Bolivia

Tree Planting

Project

First ever tree

planting in one of

America’s highest

populated places.

El Alto: Lining Up the Job

El Alto: Laying the Ground Work for Tree Planting

El Alto: Community Pitches in to get Planting

under way

Saratoga Springs, NY Rain Garden

• Rain Garden Project Goals:

– Redress drainage problems on grounds

– Redress splashing on clapboard Meeting House walls

– Beautify grounds with native plants

– Create native landscape to attract butterflies, wild bees and birds

– Lower water use

– Limit runoff in to septic system

– Sustainable garden for education of local children

• Other Benefits include:

– Use of Compost on grounds

– Educational opportunities for First Day School children

– Involvement/contributions from many members

Vancouver Drip Irrigation

• Drip Irrigation Project Goals:

– Demonstrate viability of drip irrigation

– Reduce water use by 50%

– Install drip irrigation for 100 ft perennial bed

– Save time and money

• Local Meeting involvement:

– Resident Friend to purchase materials & install system

– Expertise/advice donated locally

– Costs kept to a minimum

– Project came in at less than projected $150 total

Vancouver Drip Irrigation Project

Vancouver Drip Irrigation Project: coming in on

time and under modest budget of $120

Vancouver Drip Irrigation Project: Resourceful

Canadians produce big bang for small bucks

West Virginia Friends Wilderness

Center

• West Virginia Wilderness Center LED Lighting Goals:

– Increase Lighting level

– Lower costs

– Lower energy Usage

• Follow Ups:

– Before & After photos in progress

– Costs and energy usage measures to be taken over time

Kenya Munyu Youth Group

• Goals:

– Involve Youth Group in agriculture development & education

– Develop existing tree nursery using indigenous trees

– Initiate sericulture (silk worms) and apiary (bees) projects

– Plant indigenous trees and strawberry plants worms feed on

– Develop business to redress poverty among locals

• Other Benefits include:

– Educate Local Youth Group of Young Friends

– Involve Friends and Advancement for non-members

• Photos and Progress Reports over Life of 2 Year Project

Direction & Pipeline 2012

• Non-U.S. applicants

• Increase in partnership projects

• New Application form

• New Grant Limit: $350

• Increase in project variation and

scope

• We welcome more project applications!

How YOU can help:

• CONTRIBUTE to mini-grant fund with a

fund-raiser or by direct contributions

• Contributions of carbon offsets for trips may be

donated to QEW for the Mini-Grant Fund.

• Plan an environmental project for your Quaker

meeting, church, or group.

• Application resides: <www.quakerearthcare.org>.

• Contact Bill Holcombe at bholc7@hotmail.com

• Deadline: May 2, 2012.