George B. Storer Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The George B. Storer Foundation supports early childhood education, Wyoming landscapes and communities and conservation economics. Its early childhood education program invests in teacher development and the sharing of best practices, while its environmental giving supports organizations that balance the need for energy resource development and the conservation of national resources with the need for building and supporting a “diverse and thriving economy.”
IP TAKE: This modest funder is not accessible. While its grant programs prioritize Wyoming, a significant portion of Storer’s environmental and ECE grants are national. But for the best local opportunities, think of wildlife conservation, community building and civic engagement around Jackson.
PROFILE: George B. Storer Foundation seeks to “promote an ecologically rich and economically prosperous future for current and future generations.” Based in Jackson, Wyoming, the foundation honors the memory of its namesake, a 20th-century businessman and radio and television broadcasting pioneer. The foundation funds early childhood education, Wyoming landscapes and communities and conservation economics.
Grants for Early Childhood Education
The Storer Foundation’s early childhood education program aims to integrate “developmentally appropriate, natural and imaginative learning opportunities into the fabric of early childhood education.” It supports projects that improve teacher quality, facilitate the sharing of best practices, and use place as an integrating context for learning. Past grantees include the Tiny Trees preschool program, which operates several outdoor preschools in public parks in the Seattle, Washington, area, and the Natural Learning Initiative at North Carolina State University, a community outreach program that helps communities “create stimulating places for play, learning and education.”
Grants for Environmental Conservation
The Storer Foundation’s conservation economics program supports organizations that promote the responsible management of public land and ecological sustainability by “balancing the need for energy resource development with the need to maintain the unique landscapes and vital natural resources.” The foundation aims to “achieve ecological sustainability while striving to meet society’s other needs” and promote “decision-making that is supported by economic models that recognize long-term and total costs to society.”
The foundation also funds conservation work specifically in Wyoming through its Wyoming Landscapes & Communities program, which centers on building strong communities in Wyoming and protecting the state’s landscapes and wildlife by “advocating for conservation of the state’s unique landscapes and wildlife, promoting economic diversification, developing sustainable communities and fostering an engaged citizenry.” Past grantees include Audubon, We Own It, Wyoming Pathways, Wyoming Outdoor Control, and Wyoming Migration Initiative.
Important Grant Details:
Grant amounts range from $5,000 to over $300,000. Storer largely awards grants to support specific projects and programs; however, it also awards grants for general operating support. The George B. Storer Foundation supports organizations of all sizes in the U.S., provided that programs are closely aligned with the foundation’s funding initiatives. The foundation’s grantees in action page offers brief videos that illustrate the work of recent grantees.
This funder does not accept unsolicited proposals. General inquiries may be made via the foundation’s contact page.
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