Recent Recipients
Following is a selection of recent Switzer Leadership Program Grants. These grants are awarded to organizations working with a Switzer Fellow on critical environmental issues, providing ample leadership development opportunities for the Switzer Fellow, and building the organization’s capacity on the issue. Leadership Grants have supported fellows in national organizations such as Wildlife Conservation Society and Clean Air Task Force, as well more local grassroots programs such as Sierra Watch and California Institute for Rural Studies. In all cases, projects aim to use a Switzer Fellow's science, policy, or technical expertise to achieve positive and equitable environmental outcomes.
$40,000 awarded to St. Croix Environmental Association in 2023
This project aims to reestablish the St. Croix Environmental Association (SEA) as a reliable source for engaging, culturally relevant, and equitable environmental education through a sustainable system of activities, while elevating the organization’s capacity to acquire future funding. Led by...Read more >
$40,000 awarded to St. Croix Environmental Association in 2022
Through the foundation of a strong and equitable environmental education program, St. Croix Environmental Association (SEA) will connect and build programs with local schools in a meaningful and sustainable way. Utilizing Switzer Fellow Olivia Walton's experience in designing and implementing...Read more >
$25,000 awarded to https://www.californiaurbanstreamspartnership.com/ in 2021
As climate change exacerbates the urban heat island and disrupts watershed functions, geomorphically functioning urban streams and green spaces will become increasingly important features of livable cities. Many parts of California have already lost an estimated 90% of historical stream and wetland...Read more >
$40,000 awarded to https://www.esipfed.org/ in 2021
Climate-smart agriculture is an important approach to reorient agricultural systems to become resilient to climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon. Data is vital infrastructure to support these practices and other nature-based solutions for climate change. However,...Read more >
$20,000 awarded to http://www.cnps.org in 2019
California Native Plant Society (CNPS) hired Nick Jensen as its first Southern California Conservation Analyst in 2017, with support from a Switzer Leadership Grant. This second year of funding will provide continued support as CNPS integrates Nick’s position into the long-term plans for the...Read more >
$22,000 awarded to https://silentspring.org/ in 2018
Lauren Richter was hired as Research Scientist with Silent Spring Institute to lead a community-based participatory research project on highly fluorinated chemical contamination of drinking water in New England. Per- and polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS) are a pressing public health and...Read more >
$25,000 awarded to https://www.nhsea.org/ in 2017
New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Association (NHSEA) hired Henry Herndon as its first Director of Local Energy Solutions with support from the Switzer Foundation. NHSEA, based in Concord, New Hampshire, is a statewide non-profit dedicated to the advancement of clean energy throughout the state...Read more >
$25,000 awarded to California Native Plant Society in 2017
California Native Plant Society created a new position of Southern California Conservation Analyst for Nick Jensen, after his graduation with his PhD in Botany from Claremont Graduate University in 2018. Nick leads this statewide organization’s conservation and advocacy efforts throughout southern...Read more >
$25,000 awarded to Environmental Health Coalition in 2017
Environmental Health Coalition has hired Carolina Prado as Senior Research Scientist, leading two new initiatives for the organization. Carolina will plan and implement a project that is a natural extension of her PhD dissertation research, mapping environmental health indicators in eastern Tijuana...Read more >
$25,000 awarded to Manomet in 2017
With Switzer Leadership Grant support, Manomet hired Marissa McMahan in a new staff position of Senior Scientist, based in its Brunswick, Maine, office. Marissa took the lead on developing a viable, long-term applied science program helping Maine's fishing communities with climate adaptation...Read more >
Spotlight on Leadership
Last July, 1988 Fellow Alicia Daniel became Burlington’s first-ever field naturalist — a position that may be unique in the nation. By Daniel’s definition, a field naturalist is “someone who is in love with the study of the natural world.” This much is evident to anyone who has ever accompanied her on a field walk.Read more >
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