Aquidneck Land Trust Announces April 1 Deadline for Community Grants
Middletown, RI – March 11, 2024 – Aquidneck Land Trust is now accepting applications for grants from the Merritt Neighborhood Fund, an endowed fund which seeks to support the preservation of small parks, community gardens, and other natural spaces on Aquidneck Island. Established in 1999 to honor the late Peter M. Merritt, the Land Trust’s president emeritus, the Fund supports projects that strengthen community identity and character, and which model the ethic of land conservation and stewardship through community volunteerism. Grants provide up to $2,500 to each awardee.
“The Merritt Neighborhood Fund is a wonderful program,” Terry Sullivan, Executive Director, said. “It provides the Aquidneck Land Trust the opportunity to support community-based efforts to protect and enhance small green spaces in neighborhoods. Giving a little love, in the form of small grants, to these projects helps people connect to the land around them and beautify the community for years to come.”
The projects funded in the 2023 grant cycle were: Aquidneck Community Table (community garden art signage); Battle of Rhode Island Association (Butts Fort Hill walking path); Clean Ocean Access (vermiculture compost bins for classrooms); God’s Community Garden (herb garden materials); Emmanuel Church (creating a community garden); FabNewport (garden tools and plants); Four Hearts Foundation (landscaping for new Portsmouth Playground); James L. Maher Center (pocket park creation); Newport Tree Conservancy (100 trees at Miantonomi Park); Newport Spring Leadership Committee (Spring Park amenities); Norman Bird Sanctuary (Hügelkultur Beds and cut flower garden); and Portsmouth Dog Park (trees for new walking path expansion).
Applications for the 2024 Merritt Neighborhood Fund grants can be found on the Land Trust’s website (https://ailt.org/our-work/merritt-fund/). Applications must be received by April 1, 2024. Award decisions will be made by the end of April.
