The National Audubon Society, Inc., today received a $36,995 grant from the Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grant program, funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation and administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), to support the Native Plants for Birds and People project in Charlotte, Winston-Salem and Raleigh, N.C. The purpose of the project is to work with nurserymen to promote native plants and raise awareness of plant and bird-friendly gardens across North Carolina.
Established in 2012, the Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities five-year grant program has awarded $12 million to 207 grantees and funded 247 projects to date that promote conservation and environmental sustainability.
“We could not be more delighted,” said Curtis Smalling, Director of Land Bird Conservation for Audubon North Carolina. “The Bird-Friendly Native Plants program is proving very popular with citizens, particularly those that want to make a difference for birds in their own yards and communities. This grant will help us to remove barriers on the supply side so that citizens can easily find plants that are good for birds at participating local plant nurseries.”
“This year’s Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grantees will work on projects from Maine to Alaska, from Los Angeles to Birmingham,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “The dedication and commitment to conservation and helping local communities shown by Wells Fargo is inspirational and deeply appreciated by all who participate in these exciting projects. Without Wells Fargo’s support, none of this good work would be possible.”
“This environmental grant today is an investment in our local community and will provide much-needed funding aimed at protecting the environment for our local residents,” said Kendall Alley, Community Banking regional president for Wells Fargo. “We’re proud to collaborate with the National Audubon Society to use our financial resources, as well as the expertise of our team members, to protect and preserve a more sustainable environment for communities we serve.”
As part of Wells Fargo’s $100 million philanthropy commitment to nonprofits and universities by 2020, a $15 million, five-year relationship with NFWF was created and launched in 2012 to promote environmental stewardship across the country. The goal of the Wells Fargo-NFWF grant partnership and program is to provide grants for highly impactful projects that link economic development and community well-being to the stewardship and health of the environment. The program will fund proposals in select cities/regions (see website for full list)in the following areas:
- sustainable agriculture and forestry
- conservation of land and water resources
- restoration of urban ecosystems
- clean energy infrastructure
The National Audubon Society, Inc., was selected from among more than 450 requests submitted by local team members and nonprofits Wells Fargo identified as being in need of extra help with green revitalization projects. In April 2012, Wells Fargo released a set of environmental commitments to be achieved by 2020; including reducing the company’s environmental impact, financing the transition to a greener economy and encouraging stronger and more sustainable communities. Part of this goal includes a $100 million environmental grants commitment by 2020 to create a “greener” future for the communities they serve.
Details of the Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grant program and a link to the 2016 application (available in September 2015) can be found at the NFWF application website: www.nfwf.org/environmentalsolutions. Projects benefiting underserved communities and encouraging volunteerism are given priority consideration. The Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grant program is funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation to promote environmental stewardship across the country.
About Audubon North Carolina
With a century of conservation history in North Carolina, Audubon strives to conserve and restore the habitats we share with all wildlife, focusing on the needs of birds. Audubon North Carolina achieves its mission through a blend of science-based research and conservation, education and outreach, and advocacy. Audubon North Carolina has offices in Corolla, Boone, Wilmington and Chapel Hill. Learn more at nc.audubon.org and @audubonnc.
About Wells Fargo & Company
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.7 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,700 locations, 12,500 ATMs, and the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 36 countries to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 266,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 29 on Fortune’s 2014 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at Wells Fargo Blogs and Wells Fargo Stories.
