Awards
The Edith Chase Conservation Award is given to “a living individual in recognition of his/her/their meritorious contribution to resource use, allocation, and protection, especially the natural environment. It honors creative work of particular effectiveness in applying scientific knowledge, promoting awareness, or other innovative work to the conservation of energy, habitat, water, wetlands or wildlife. Individuals nominated for the award have made significant and well-recognized contributions to conservation, either in a volunteer role or above and beyond the responsibilities of their professional role.”
The awardee is honored at the Portage Park Foundation dinner in the Spring.
2023 Edith Chase Conservation Award Nomination Form (Due Monday, February 20, 2023)
Other Local Environmental Awards
Portage Park District Foundation’s 2023 Environmental Awards Dinner will be held on April 22, 2023, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the American Legion Hall.
Do you know someone who has made a significant contribution to improving Portage County’s quality of life through natural resource conservation and environmental awareness and protection? We are seeking nominations for potential awardees to be honored on April 22nd Environmental Awards dinner at the American Legion Hall in Kent.. Nominations should include the nominee’s name and contact information, along with a paragraph or two describing his/her/their contribution to environmental conservation in Portage County.
Nomination categories include:
- Environmental Education
- Green Business
- Green Building/Development
- Environmental Activism
- Stewardship
2023 Nomination Form (Due March 3, 2023)
Grants
KEC offers mini-grants (less than $200) throughout the year, funded by members’ extra contributions. Click Here for the Mini Grant application (docx).
KEC’s “Legacy for the Environment” grant is funded by its endowment and bequests. Grants are available by announcement only. Requests for Proposals go out as funds become available, typically every year or two. Funding varies, but typically several applicants receive between $500 and $1,000.
KEC accepts proposals from persons or organizations with ideas for improving the environment in Portage County. Areas of consideration will include, but are not limited to, environmental education, storm water management, the mitigation of stream and river degradation, the protection of other surface and groundwater resources, enhancement of alternative energy usage, and/or the creation of sustainable communities. We also welcome other areas of consideration that would improve air or water quality, natural beauty, and environmental awareness in Portage County. For 2021, we emphasized smaller community projects and gave preference to marginalized communities.
Visit Our 2023 Legacy for the Environment Grant Request for Proposals page for more information.