
Environment
In the crowded state of New Jersey, there is a real danger of sacrificing a high quality of life to our traditional patterns of consumption and development. Protecting the health of our ecosystems helps ensure our individual health and well-being as well as the strength of our economy.
Dodge’s environment grants encourage comprehensive thinking about how to safeguard our water and reinforce our natural systems in order to promote more sustainable communities. We also support ongoing, careful stewardship of our land, which includes efforts to support sustainable agriculture and develop regional food systems that offer plentiful access to fresh, local foods.
We are particularly interested in empowering communities to identify their own unique challenges and opportunities, and to take ownership of thoughtful planning and decision-making. Furthermore, we believe that protecting limited resources must fundamentally include efforts to connect people to their natural environment.
Environment Guidelines:
Achieve ecosystem resilience and environmentally healthy, sustainable communities in New Jersey; connect people to their natural world; and build an environmental ethic of care and responsibility.
We strive to fulfill this vision for the Environment in New Jersey by funding organizations that:
- Increase the quality, function and public accessibility of watersheds through land preservation, resource management, and stewardship;
- Focus on urban greening, particularly through community-led design and decision making;
- Help develop regional food systems, including rural-to-urban farming connections and urban food market development.
Looking for Resources for Your Organization?
Dodge staff frequently hear from our nonprofit colleagues that they don't have enough time, money, staff or help from their boards to implement all their great ideas. If this sounds familiar to you too, help is just a click away.
Visit the Workshops section to learn how you can strengthen your organization through our workshop series. We also offer access to a suite of services for our grantees, including legal, financial and crisis management counseling.
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