Sustaining Prairies Fund

The Sustaining Prairies Fund, managed by the Grassland Heritage Foundation (GHF), supports ongoing care and educational use of existing prairie gardens and plantings in northeastern Kansas. GHF is a private foundation committed to the conservation and appreciation of native prairies in eastern Kansas through education, stewardship, and land preservation. Recognizing that many small prairie plantings created with initial enthusiasm can later suffer from neglect, GHF established this fund to reinvigorate those spaces and enhance their ecological value and use, particularly among youth. This grant program targets teachers and community leaders who have access to previously established prairie sites at schools, churches, or similar community spaces. Eligible sites must be primarily planted with native prairie species, ranging in scale from small pollinator gardens to larger prairie reconstructions. The program does not support the creation of new prairie plantings; instead, it is focused entirely on sustaining and utilizing existing ones. Funding is available for two main categories of activities: prairie management and prairie use. Prairie management funds may be used to control weedy or invasive plant species, acquire maintenance tools, compensate student workers, or hire conservation professionals for guidance or prescribed burns. In contrast, prairie use funding supports innovative strategies to engage young people with prairie environments, such as purchasing student gear (e.g., boots and jumpsuits), developing curriculum or interpretive signage, or organizing events like open house “prairie days.” The fund also welcomes creative proposals that align with its broader educational and ecological goals. Grants range from $500 to $1,000 and are intended to be used within a one-year timeframe. While GHF typically holds two funding cycles annually, the deadlines for the 2026 grant year are January 30 and July 30. The fund prioritizes projects within northeastern Kansas. Awardees are expected to provide a brief essay describing their project and how funds were utilized for inclusion in the GHF newsletter. This report serves as a light-touch reporting mechanism in place of formal grant closeout procedures. Applications should be submitted via email to [email protected], with the subject line "Sustaining Prairies Fund." No pre-application steps or additional forms are required. The application process appears streamlined and informal, favoring direct community engagement over bureaucratic hurdles. Evaluation criteria are not detailed in the source, but emphasis is clearly placed on practical impacts and youth involvement. The program is made possible through the support of Susan Lordi-Marker, a long-time GHF supporter dedicated to prairie preservation and education. While the Sustaining Prairies Fund is a recurring opportunity, its exact frequency is not quantified; based on the biannual deadlines, it is best understood as recurring semiannually. Interested applicants should plan ahead for either deadline and consider how their project could reinforce prairie stewardship and inspire educational use in community settings.

Include creative plans that engage young people or improve the use of existing prairie spaces.