1772 Foundation Doles Out $975,000 in Grants

The 1772 Foundation, partnering with the Land Trust Alliance, awarded grants totaling $975,000 to seven northeast land trusts protecting farmland located with a 100-mile radius of Boston or New York City. The Foundation received 18 grant applications.

This granting program supports sustainable regional food systems by protecting farmland critical to food production in the Boston and New York City foodsheds.

The grants ranged in amount from $10,000 to the maximum amount of $250,000. Awards were made for acquisition capital costs as well as transaction-related expenses. In Rhode Island, Tiverton Land Trust received $90,000 to protect Wingover Farm.

Other grant recipients were Connecticut Farmland Trust, East Quabbin Land Trust, Kestrel Land Trust, Monadnock Conservancy, Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, and Scenic Hudson.

B. Danforth Ely, president of The 1772 Foundation, said “land banking is a key strategy for increasing regional capacity to produce food. The funded projects protect over 800 total acres of land; over 600 acres classified as farmland. This is land which currently produces or has the potential to produce fresh and healthy food for the populations of two major East Coast metropolitan areas.”

The 1772 Foundation was named in honor of its first restoration project, Liberty Hall in Union, NJ, which was built in 1772 and is the ancestral home of the Livingston and Kean families. The late Stewart B. Kean was the original benefactor of The 1772 Foundation. The Foundation seeks to continue his legacy throughout the country by helping preserve architectural and cultural history and agricultural landscapes for generations to come. More information about The 1772 Foundation may be found at www.1772foundation.org.

Photo: Julie Munafo