Creating a Sustainable Future for the Willamette Allison Hensey Director, Willamette River Initiative 2017 ACWA Annual Conference July 27, 2017
Meyer Memorial Trust Legacy of Fred G. Meyer Private, Oregon-focused foundation. Began in 1982 as a general purpose, responsive grantmaker. Over 8,400 grants since inception totaling close to $720 million $36 million paid out in last fiscal year Corpus is approx. $750 million as of May, 2017
An Evolving Approach to Grantmaking Mid- to late-2000s. Three strategic initiatives designed to make a measurable impact in critical issue areas: K-12 Education (Chalkboard Project) Affordable Housing The Willamette River (2008) 2015 Strategic Redesign. Shift from general purpose to four focused portfolios with explicit focus on advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.
Why the Willamette River?
Why the Willamette River?
Why the Willamette River?
Why the Willamette River?
The Willamette River Initiative Ten years to meaningful, measurable improvement in Willamette River health
Alignment and Collective Impact
Willamette River Initiative Goals Meaningful, measurable improvements in the health of the Willamette River system by 2019 Better alignment of agencies, NGOs, funders and other key Willamette River stakeholders Build a strong foundation for long-term efforts to protect and restore the Willamette River Become a national model of how a regional foundation can support watershed restoration in a major river system Advance diversity, equity and inclusion within the collective Willamette River restoration effort
Where We Fund Anchor Habitats on the Mainstem Willamette River Sub-basins in Seven Major Tributaries - Luckiamute - Marys - Long Tom - Middle Fork - Calapooia - South Santiam - North Santiam
Who We Fund Over 40 grantees since 2008 Watershed Councils Land Trusts Soil and Water Conservation Districts Nonprofit Conservation Groups Universities Scientists Cities Natural Resource Agencies
WRI Strategies Provide long-term, flexible capacity and restoration funding Fund critical conservation support services that promote more effective, efficient restoration; track and share progress Support science and data collection to improve our understanding of river conditions and processes Foster collaboration towards a common vision and shared conservation goals
WRI Strategies: Funding Approx. $2M/year in grants over 10 years - $16M invested so far. Mainstem Tributaries Basin-wide Impact Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Alignment of funding streams and priorities: Three-funder partnership on the mainstem.
WRI Strategies: Support Services Provide shared learning opportunities Technical assistance Contract Grow - supporting economies of scale Confluence database to track and share progress
WRI Strategies: Science and Data Support science to increase understanding of the river Support alignment of priorities and foster new collaborations Develop shared metrics for measuring progress
WRI Strategies: Science and Data Willamette River Basin Planning Atlas: Conservation 2050 goals for floodplain forest, side channels, floodplain connectivity Ongoing monitoring and metrics tracked through SLICES framework Goals used as criteria by funders and practitioners SLICES website: http://ise.uoregon.edu/slices/main.html
WRI Strategies: Science and Data Willamette SLICES Framework
WRI Strategies: Support Collaboration Willamette Mainstem Cooperative Working with over 30 landowners to steward the land along the Corvallis-Albany reach of the mainstem Willamette River. Willamette Aquatic Invasives Network (WAIN) A basin-wide network of practitioners working to combat Ludwigia and other Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) aquatic weeds
WRI Strategies: Support Collaboration Willamette Anchor Habitat Working Group Shared priorities send a powerful message to funders 16 partners with formal commitments 25 projects identified Total funding need = $23.6 million $7.16 million secured via OWEB Focused Investment Partnership (FIP)
These strategies are increasing the pace, scale and effectiveness of on-the-ground restoration in the Willamette.
Growing More, Better Restoration actions are now far more successful with 80-85% planting survival. Costs per acre have decreased from $15,000/acre to $5,000-$10,000/acre. This initiative has reduced restoration costs by at least $5.5 million for the projects it supports through efficiencies of scale and more effective restoration strategies.
Building a Sustainable Future for the Willamette
Core Strategies and Services: Continuing and Building Momentum in the Willamette Core Strategies: Shared vision and goals Shared metrics and measurement of progress Critical support services Communications/coordinated voice for the river Public engagement Build relationships Convene partners and other stakeholders Advance diversity, equity and inclusion Secure and align resources and funding Support policies beneficial to river health Examples of Critical Support Services: Restoration and conservation support services (Contract Grow, data management, monitoring) Organizational capacity building Shared learning (peer-to-peer exchanges, Within Our Reach) Supporting science (data collection and analysis, mapping)
Willamette River Network Planning Timeline
A Challenge to Invite New Funders and Leaders Meyer Trustees committed: $1 million challenge to invite and inspire other funders to be part of the creation of a Willamette River Network: $250,000/year in Willamette River Network operations and other core support services for four years post-wri Additional $1 million to continue three-funder partnership in the Willamette mainstem through its conclusion in 2021 (additional 3 years) Total Funding Commitment post-wri: $2 million
Allison Hensey, Director Willamette River Initiative allison@mmt.org