A new 27-acre regional park in the City of Palm Springs is just one of the projects expected to benefit from $1.2 million in funding being awarded through the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy (CVMC).
A total of five local groups were chosen by the CVMC Board of Directors for a financial boost from the Climate Resilience and Community Access (CRCA) Grant Program. The board made its decision on May 8 for the first round of funding totaling $1,224,000, a CVMC news release said.
Those earmarked for competitive grants are: The Living Desert, The Southern California Mountains Foundation, The Native American Land Conservancy, The California Alliance for Community Composting/Desert Compost and the City of Palm Desert.
"Today the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy Board of Directors approved five local grants under its Climate Resilience and Community Access (CRCA) Grant Program," the release said. "Now in its second year with funding from the state of California General Fund, this year's competitive round considered applications from organizations that seek to enhance access to outdoor recreation or education and combat climate change using nature-based and sustainable methods."
According to the release, The Living Desert was awarded $292,000 for its Native American Conservation Workforce Development Program, which prepares young tribal members for conservation careers through paid workforce development training in western and traditional methods of habitat conservation, sustainability and climate change mitigation.
The Southern California Mountains Foundation received $296,000 for its Urban Conservation Corps - Climate Corps Program, according to the release. Again assisting young adults, the program provides training in conservation and outdoor recreation jobs for those from financially disadvantaged areas of Eastern and Northern Coachella Valley. Besides training, it employs the trainees in Valley conservation work, benefiting three full-time corps members for one year and giving all members specialized training.
The Native American Land Conservancy will gain $136,175 for a pilot project that draws from nature to manage land in light of climate change, the release said. Protecting tribal lands and teaching the public about the Valley's cultural history are some goals of the educational workshops this project will offer. The mission includes granting local Native American tribes more access to culturally sensitive sites and restoring natural lands.
Additionally, $200,000 went to the California Alliance for Community Composting/Desert Compost to bolster its Composting for Climate Resilience Project. The goals are to maximize community composting, promote school-related compost programs and educate the public about composting and other sustainable practices.
Finally, the City of Palm Desert plans to use its $300,000 to finish design specifications for a new 27-acre regional park, along Interstate 10 and adjacent to Dinah Shore and Gerald Ford drives, with a focus on passive recreational facilities as well as innovative, sustainable practices seen nationwide. Plant and animal habitats will benefit from the park's natural features. Communities underserved by larger parks will join in producing programs, the release said.
On top of these grants, the Conservancy staff has $1.5 million left in its budget to present to other deserving applicants.