WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (August 21, 2025) – Wright Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation (WFSI) is pleased to award grants totaling $227,000 to seven organizations: three tree canopy improvement and four John Harsch regenerative agriculture grants.

“We are thrilled to see the impact the projects we’ve supported have made,” says Scott Packard, WFSI chairman. “This year, we received an overwhelming six times more applicants than last year, ultimately awarding funding toward seven projects we believe take positive action toward sustainable and innovative solutions that will better our communities.”

Arboretum Detroit received a $47,000 grant for the East Warren Filter Forest, a seven-parcel tree planting project in Detroit’s Poletown East. Filter Forest will be a part of Arboretum Detroit, a network of six connected tree-filled public parks within seven blocks. The site is currently a collection of vacant parcels covered with invasive grass and weeds, which will be replaced with a great diversity of 100 trees and shrubs along with a native meadow. The park will focus on evergreen and understory trees to create a full-time year-round vegetative buffer. Tree plantings will be publicized as volunteer opportunities for neighborhood residents and others, and the Filter Forest will be an important outdoor venue for educational opportunities.

Imagine Grinnell, a Claude W. & Dolly Ahrens Foundation program, was awarded $15,000 for tree canopy improvement efforts in Grinnell, Iowa, and surrounding communities in Poweshiek County to replace trees lost due to the 2020 derecho, emerald ash borer, and recent city construction projects. They will plant diverse, native tree species in residential yards, right-of-ways, and community greenspaces focusing on increasing species diversity by planting a mix of shade, low-growing, and fruit-bearing trees. Residents will receive free trees and planting assistance with the support of Imagine Grinnell’s established network of volunteers, businesses, and community partners.

The Student Conservation Association (SCA) will work collaboratively with CommuniTree partners and municipalities in Northwest Indiana to field an urban and community forestry crew from local communities. Their $50,000 in grant funds will support a three-person crew to plant 250 trees. In addition, crew members will participate in workforce development training, provide environmental education about the urban forest to K-12 students, and increase community awareness of the urban forest through educational and volunteer tree-planting and maintenance days, which will support long-term tree stewardship.

The Benton County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will use its $30,000 award to ecologically restore a 234-acre site along Big Pine Creek in Benton County, Indiana. The park will be utilized for educational demonstrations in conservation practices, while also changing the surrounding watershed landscape by offering cost-share programs to implement regenerative agricultural practices. Benton County SWCD will remove invasive species, establish a pollinator habitat, add native trees to the existing canopy, and establish new acres of regenerative agricultural practices.

Land Stewardship Project was awarded $25,000 to build on recent successes in farmer-to-farmer soil health education to support farmers in Minnesota and neighboring areas to increase small grain production and bolster regional and local infrastructure for oats, a key small grains opportunity in the region. This work will include supporting farmers to successfully expand small grains production through educational events and resources, peer learning groups, coordinating with farming communities and organizational partners to develop local small grains processing and market infrastructure; and equipping farmer leaders to promote this as a key tool for increasing soil health and addressing climate change.

With the addition of this $30,000 grant award, the Nebraska Soil Health Coalition will establish five Soil Health Hubs by agricultural regions across Nebraska to bolster the collaboration among existing soil health efforts and partnerships. Each hub integrates three distinct groups to engage, educate and empower. Their purpose is producer-centered education, outreach, and the adoption of soil health principles to build resilient farms, ranches, and thriving communities.

Practical Farmers of Iowa was awarded $30,000 to improve grazing management in the upper Midwest. Incorporating grazing livestock promotes farm financial resiliency while keeping living roots and cover on the ground year-round. They will support grazers making changes on their farms through financial and technical assistance, and by enabling farmer-to-farmer networking and knowledge sharing through field days, webinars and workshops.

Since WFSI’s inception in Fall 2020, $914,376 has been awarded to 13 organizations that further WFSI’s mission through their projects and initiatives.

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About Wright Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation
Wright Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation is a nonprofit organization focused on fostering innovative solutions in renewable agriculture, tree planting and environmental sectors to reduce environmental risk for our communities and the planet at large. Through fundraising and grant-making, WFSI empowers sustainability projects that reduce carbon footprints and promote carbon positive practices. WFSI is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. Visit wrightfortomorrow.org to learn more.

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