Press Release
Shell Marine Habitat Program Grants $1.2 Million for Gulf of Mexico Conservation Projects
By Push Services, [email protected]
HOUSTON, Jan. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The Shell Oil Company Foundation (SOCF) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced today that more than $1.2 million in matching grants has been awarded to six Gulf Coast marine and wildlife conservation and research programs as part of the Shell Marine Habitat Program. Since the program's inception in 1998, a grand total of $13 million in matching grants has been generated, which has helped fund a total of 78 conservation projects.
"We are beginning to see tangible results from the Shell Marine Habitat Program. The grant numbers are impressive and, more importantly, the projects are beginning to show results that can be far-reaching. It is our hope that all of these conservation projects -- from Texas to Florida and even the Midwest will help sustain and protect the ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico for years to come," said Albert Myres, vice president, SOCF.
The NFWF Board of Directors approved matching grants for a total of six projects. These matching grants were issued as part of the program's second round of grants for 2001 (see Attachment for grant descriptions).
The Shell Marine Habitat Program is a partnership between the SOCF and the NFWF aimed at conserving and enhancing the ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico.
In April 1998, the SOCF made an unprecedented $5 million corporate gift over five years to the NFWF to create the Shell Marine Habitat Program. The NFWF awards the grants biannually through a competitive, peer-reviewed, matching fund program. By requiring that Shell Marine Habitat Program funds be matched on at least a one-to-one basis, the SOCF and the NFWF are increasing and multiplying the SOCF's initial $5 million contribution.
"The Shell Marine Habitat Program is a catalyst for conservation in the
Gulf," said John Berry, executive director, National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation. "The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grows the funds from the Shell Oil Company Foundation by developing partnerships benefiting Gulf of Mexico's fish and wildlife. The Shell Oil Company Foundation funds matched with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's conservation expertise and sensitivity to local and private landowner concerns delivers maximum benefits for the Gulf of Mexico region."
The SOCF is one of the nation's largest company-sponsored foundations. Created in 1953, its mission is to foster the well-being of communities where Shell does business.
The NFWF is a nonprofit organization that addresses the root causes of environmental problems by awarding challenge grants to on-the-ground fish, wildlife and habitat conservation projects. Funds awarded throughout the foundation are required to be matched with additional funding, multiplying the investment in conservation and enabling grantees to use the funds to involve others in the partnership. The NFWF builds public-private partnerships that facilitate the necessary cooperation and buy-in from diverse stakeholders.
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