Extends support of environmental conservation projects throughout the Muskegon River Watershed for next 20 years
Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) has committed to investing an additional $2 million into its Ice Mountain Environmental Stewardship Fund (IMESF). The IMESF supports the long-term sustainability of the Muskegon River Watershed and its ecosystems by funding environmental conservation projects and programs throughout the Watershed.
NWNA founded the fund in 2002 and supported it with an initial $500,000 investment over a five-year period. The company has continued to provide donations to the fund, in varying amounts, over the past 17 years. This latest $2 million investment will be paid in annual $100,000 installments for the next 20 years.
“Nestlé Waters North America is committed to sustainably managing our natural resources and the Ice Mountain Environmental Stewardship Fund is a powerful tool that has been used to enhance the Muskegon River Watershed communities for years,” said Arlene Anderson-Vincent, Natural Resource Manager in the Midwest for Nestlé Waters. “We have supported this fund for the past 17 years and are proud to extend our support throughout the region for the next 20 years.”
The IMESF is managed by the Fremont Area Community Foundation, located in Newaygo County within the heart of the Muskegon River Watershed. The Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life for residents in the area by connecting community needs with the passions of families, businesses, and individuals.
“An endowed fund is similar to the watershed itself,” said Carla Roberts, Fremont Area Community Foundation President and CEO. “It is a renewable asset and resource and, if preserved carefully, will continue in perpetuity. The Fremont Area Community Foundation is proud to work with Nestlé Waters to steward these funds and enhance the Muskegon River Watershed through dynamic projects brought to us by people in our communities who know the watershed best.”
Established in 2002, the IMESF supports the waters and water-dependent natural resources of the Muskegon River Watershed by investing in conservation, enhancement, and restoration projects that will result in preserving the integrity of the watershed. Funds from the IMESF go to projects located anywhere along the 2,700-square-mile watershed stretching across nine counties from near Houghton Lake to the City of Muskegon.
Since its inception, the IMESF has awarded nearly $625,000 in grants to a number of local organizations that are committed to improving, enhancing, protecting or preserving the Muskegon River Watershed and its ecosystem. Projects including erosion control, rain gardens, restoration to creeks and nature areas, site clean-ups and improvements, among many others, have been made possible by IMESF grants.
The next application period will open on June 1, 2019 and close on July 15, 2019. Interested applicants should visit the Fremont Area Community Foundation’s website at www.facommunityfoundation.org/icemountain for more information.
Published Mar 21, 2019 2pm EDT / 11am PDT / 6pm GMT / 7pm CET