Final PWI grants will provide big impact in 2022
Map of the Puyallup Watershed
Tacoma Tree Foundation is getting a boost in the new year thanks to the Puyallup Watershed Initiative (PWI). The Russell Family Foundation-funded program, which played a significant role in the formation and early development of TTF, closed at the end of 2021. That created a final set of opportunities for Tacoma Tree Foundation to receive new funding for ongoing programs and lay the groundwork for future projects.
Over the past nine years, the PWI provided opportunities for many different individuals and organizations to gather, strategize, and fund projects related to several "communities of interest" (COI's) including Forests, Environmental Education, Active Transportation, and other aspects of sustainability across the Puyallup Watershed, which stretches from Mt. Tahoma to the Salish Sea. The Forests COI was particularly instrumental in supporting the idea of a tree nonprofit in Tacoma and funding early TTF projects.
As part of the closeout process in December 2021, PWI granted the following to Tacoma Tree Foundation:
TTF headquarters at Union Club, with new monitor and printer
$28,000 from the Forests COI to continue convening forest stakeholders across the region.
$10,000 from the Environmental Education COI to digitize and distribute our Nature Explorers zines to children in Tacoma and Pierce County.
Various office supplies, from computers and other technology to staples like folders and tape (and staples!).
This final round of grants shows the trust that TTF has earned in its first three years of existence. The COI's are made up of many individuals—some representing local governments and nonprofit organizations—who care deeply about the urban forest and want TTF to succeed over the long term. It's not a stretch to say that we wouldn't exist without the support of all these partners and the forum that the PWI provided to bring us together around shared goals.
We are so grateful for these grants and the work they will allow us to do. The funding will enable us to continue connecting people with trees and spreading the word about the importance of trees across Tacoma and the region. And the supplies will help set us up for long-term success. All in all, it's a great start to the new year!
