Grant reviewing is interesting!

Well, I spent all day Wednesday reading a total of 22 grant applications submitted by artists and groups and educators. The grant program is through the Iowa Arts Council (http://www.iowaartscouncil.org/). It was quite illuminating! There's a lot more going on out there than I thought. I only recognized one or two names involved with any of those projects. And, I got a really good idea about how to do/write grant applications -- it could come in handy sometime. After a panel of 3 of us all reviewed the applications (which they do about once a month), we have another half day of discussion and the grants are rated numerically based on the numbers we assign them and then averaged. The council then goes back and does a bit more statistical analysis, drafts up some encouraging and also helpful notes to the grant author and those at the top of the list will get the funds requested until the money runs out.

Then, today I received an email from a group I belong to - Iowa Outdoors Unlimited (http://www.iowaoutdoors.org/) and there was a notice seeking volunteer land stewards for the Whiterock Conservancy (http://www.whiterockconservancy.org/). I know this area because my mom has told me about it and it is nearby (Coon Rapids) but I have yet to get there. Essentially, a volunteer land steward commits to visiting a specified area of the 4300 acre land trust at least four times a year hiking around and gathering "indispensable information relating to the protection and health of the land." And get this...I can take Koda (my dog) with me! AND I also get a free education in conservation and habitat restoration. How cool is that! I'll have to take photos. Orientation takes place June 13 so it should be really interesting to get pictures of all the different seasons. (OOOO I think I know what I'll use for a holiday card in 2010.)

A little more on the Whiterock Conservancy...it was previously known as the Garst Farm Resort. The Garsts still maintain the land but have turned the area into a nonprofit land trust dedicated to "conserving and protecting Iowa’s natural resources, demonstrating sustainable rural land management, and engaging the public with the environment through outdoor recreation and education."

I also thankfully remembered to send in a check for the Global Gala for the Refugee Cooperative Services fundraiser on March 27.

Oh, and I want to add...I'm also using some of my marketing/graphic design skills to help out another good friend with her position in a chapter very well-known national organization, but that one will remain a bit of a secret for now.

That's all for now. I'll check in next week with news on "Transplanting the Tropics" or in other words, prepping flowers for Des Moines Parks & Rec community beautification.