LCEC awards environmental funding grants
Lee County’s electric services provider is continuing to help sustain local non-profits via its bi-yearly Environmental Funding Awards.
Eight Southwest Florida non-profits received monetary assistance from Lee County Electric Cooperative, a program that has provided aid since 2013.
“This program was developed as a means to provide funding to local organizations in need of funds to bring their environmental missions and visions to life,” said LCEC spokesperson Laura Puerto. “So many organizations are in need of support and LCEC feels extremely honored to help them in their endeavors to help protect and preserve our precious environment.”
Local non-profits can apply for funding that LCEC distributes in March and September each year after vetting various organizations.
In 2021, LCEC awarded 12 organizations with funding totaling more than $37,000 and, since 2013, LCEC has awarded nearly $187,000 to environmental endeavors.
The awards named Sept. 1 are to ArtFest Fort Myers, Cape Coral Wildlife Trust, Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife, Monofilament Busters, Cypress Cove Landkeepers, Audubon of Southwest Florida, Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and Future Forestry.
Puerto said the program is coordinated by LCEC’s Public Relations department, which budgets each year based on several factors, including the amount given the year prior. She added that there is no set amount given to each non-profit.
“We base our decisions on the individual needs of the organizations that apply for our award,” Puerto said. “While our funds our limited, we do our best to give the most that we can to those who present the greatest need. Since we get so many applications, we do our best spread those funds as fairly and generously as possible, which can be tough with the caliber of incredible applications that we get.
“From sea turtle protection to monofilament education to the planting of trees by students, we have been able to help so many exciting projects come to fruition.”
Criteria LCEC looks for in applicants include: must be a not-for-profit or serve under the umbrella of an agency with 501(c)(3) status; funding should be used predominantly within the LCEC service area or for the benefit of LCEC customers; agency’s purpose/mission should be consistent with LCEC’s focus on the environment.
Additional details and application can be found at lcec.net under the community and education tab and selecting environment.
Questions related to the LCEC Environmental Funding Award program can be sent to pr@lcec.net.
“We are extremely proud to partner with and support the many organizations that have received an LCEC Environmental Funding Award,” Puerto said. “We feel honored to help others positively impact and protect wildlife and the environment. Through partnerships like the ones that transpire through our Environmental Funding Program, LCEC is able to balance the need for electricity with the needs of our environment.”
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