Environment

Land Protection Policy and Grant Guidelines 

The Cook Family Foundation seeks to protect and enhance natural areas and agricultural lands in the Shiawassee watershed to improve water quality, protect wildlife, facilitate access to nature, and mitigate and prevent the impacts of climate change.

The Foundation is open to grant requests for projects in Shiawassee County and/or the Shiawassee River watershed.  Consideration will also be given to land protection efforts in the Saginaw Bay watershed or areas of importance to the legacy of the Cook Family.  

Snow Trillium along the banks of the Shiawassee River on land that the Cook Family Foundation helped protect

Specifically, the Foundation will consider grants that support:
  • Permanent land protection through tools tied to property ownership.
  • Land restoration and stewardship activities that benefit water quality, biodiversity, soil conservation, and/or wildlife habitats.
  • Working land conservation and management practices that benefit the environment and economy and support agriculture, recreation, clean or renewable energy, and/or climate mitigation.

 

Permanent Protection Through Land Ownership Tools. The Foundation will consider grants for land preservation, including for public and private acquisition, easements, or other permanent protection methods. Preference will be given to projects or approaches which:

  • Provide environmental benefits and support economic benefits through agriculture, recreation, energy, or climate mitigation.
  • Leverage other sources of public or private funding.
  • Are innovative or build the capacity of a Michigan nonprofit organization serving Shiawassee County

 

Land Restoration and Stewardship. The Foundation will consider grants for land restoration and stewardship that benefit water quality, soil conservation, biodiversity, or wildlife habitats on public or nonprofit-owned parks or natural areas, or on privately owned lands that are being managed in coordination with governments or nonprofits, and/or are protected with a permanent conservation easement. Preference will be given to projects or approaches which:

  • Prioritize connectivity and demonstrate a greater-than-parcel-based approach.
  • Are innovative or build the capacity of a Michigan nonprofit organization serving Shiawassee County. 

 

Working Land Conservation. The Foundation will consider grants that benefit the environment and support agriculture, recreation, clean or renewable energy, and/or climate mitigation. Preference will be given to projects or approaches which:

  • Support land-based industries or jobs.
  • Provide demonstrated environmental and economic benefits tied to agriculture, recreation, energy, or climate mitigation activities or investments.
  • Are innovative or build the capacity of a Michigan nonprofit organization serving Shiawassee County.

 

For more information on how to apply for a grant, see our guidelines or contact the Foundation.

Our History

 

The Cook Family has cherished the Shiawassee River for several generations. In 1996 several family members came together with others to help establish the Friends of the Shiawassee River. In this photo, Tom, Bruce and Paul Cook volunteer with the Owosso Rotary Club in the annual river clean-up

 

In 1999, The Cook Family Foundation made the first of several grants to The Nature Conservancy in Michigan to support work in the Shiawassee River watershed. This funding has helped the Country’s largest conservation organization not only improve the environment of the Shiawassee River, but to develop and promote soil health policies and practices at the state and national level. Now that work continues on throughout Saginaw Valley with direct assistance to farmers, innovative federal conservation programs, and new supply chain initiatives in the private market.

The Shiawassee River is part of the Great Lakes, specifically the Saginaw Bay Watershed. For more than 20 years, the Cook Family Foundation has been an active participant in the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN) contributing over $500,000 in that time period.

Learn about some of the organizations we have worked with in the last 25 years:

Friends of the Shiawassee River

The Nature Conservancy and their soil health work in the Saginaw Valley

The Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN)