What is "Fiscal Sponsorship"?
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As a public charity that is tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3), Southern Conservation Partners can legally and properly conduct a program of support to individuals and nonexempt organizations. SCP assists projects led by others that are deemed by SCP to be in accord with and supportive of its own mission to save, honor, and enhance the natural heritage of the southern United States. SCP can choose to support a project financially, in circumstances when project leaders need a 501(c)(3) public charity sponsor to receive funds and pass them on to the project. SCP must approve each project and will maintain complete discretion and control over funds donated or granted in support of the approved project.
As fiscal sponsor, SCP takes care of the fiduciary and administrative aspects of managing funds that have been contributed for a project so that its leaders can focus on project activities and strategies. Fiscal sponsorship of an approved project will most often be temporary, either for the limited term of the project, or until such time when the project organizers obtain their own tax-exempt corporate status. Occasionally SCP may consider managing the financial affairs of a smaller organization that has already established its own 501(c)(3) public charity corporate status. This sponsorship mechanism enables groups to undertake projects that match the mission of Southern Conservation Partners without having to incorporate. Fiscal sponsorship of endorsed projects is a central program element of Southern Conservation Partners. |
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Current Sponsored Projects
VentureLife Films: "The Great Forest" documentary film
In late 2020, Southern Conservation Partners entered a fiscal sponsorship agreement with Asheville-based VentureLife Films to help secure grants and contributions to produce a documentary film about the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests and to increase public engagement in the current forest management planning process. "Great Forest" is a feature documentary that follows conservationists throughout Southern Appalachia as they struggle to conserve two of the most biodiverse and visited national forests in the country. The film revolves around the Pisgah-Nantahala Forest Plan--a plan the US Forest Service has been working on that will dictate how the million-plus acres encompassing the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are managed for the next two decades. Working across organizational boundaries, these conservationists will discover if their life's work will save one of the most biodiverse and overlooked regions in the temperate world.
WATCH a preview of the film.
In late 2020, Southern Conservation Partners entered a fiscal sponsorship agreement with Asheville-based VentureLife Films to help secure grants and contributions to produce a documentary film about the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests and to increase public engagement in the current forest management planning process. "Great Forest" is a feature documentary that follows conservationists throughout Southern Appalachia as they struggle to conserve two of the most biodiverse and visited national forests in the country. The film revolves around the Pisgah-Nantahala Forest Plan--a plan the US Forest Service has been working on that will dictate how the million-plus acres encompassing the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are managed for the next two decades. Working across organizational boundaries, these conservationists will discover if their life's work will save one of the most biodiverse and overlooked regions in the temperate world.
WATCH a preview of the film.
Amphibian Foundation
In May 2020, Southern Conservation Parners became fiscal sponsor for the Atlanta-based Amphibian Foundation. According to the IUCN, 43% of the world's amphibians are in catastrophic decline or are already extinct. This percentage is higher than declining mammals and birds combined. Amphibians are disappearing from pristine environments as well as developed areas. Dedicated to connecting individuals, communities, and organizations to create and implement lasting solutions to the global amphibian extinction crisis, the Foundation offers unique educational opportunities (all ages) in which to learn about amphibians and inspire conservation. Southern Conservation Partners is providing fiscal sponsorship, with initial focus on an anticipated grant supporting the Foundation's new Bridge Program for Conservation Research, a unique opportunity for adults (18+) to conduct conservation and biological research in a collaborative and mentored scientific environment.
In May 2020, Southern Conservation Parners became fiscal sponsor for the Atlanta-based Amphibian Foundation. According to the IUCN, 43% of the world's amphibians are in catastrophic decline or are already extinct. This percentage is higher than declining mammals and birds combined. Amphibians are disappearing from pristine environments as well as developed areas. Dedicated to connecting individuals, communities, and organizations to create and implement lasting solutions to the global amphibian extinction crisis, the Foundation offers unique educational opportunities (all ages) in which to learn about amphibians and inspire conservation. Southern Conservation Partners is providing fiscal sponsorship, with initial focus on an anticipated grant supporting the Foundation's new Bridge Program for Conservation Research, a unique opportunity for adults (18+) to conduct conservation and biological research in a collaborative and mentored scientific environment.
Photo by Alan Clark
Alarka Institute
Southern Conservation Partners in 2020 committed to fiscally sponsor the Alarka Institute in its process of organizing as a nonprofit program to advance greater public understanding and appreciation of the natural and cultural heritage of the Southern Appalachian Mountain region. The mission of Alarka Institute is to connect literary and fine arts with the natural environment, with an emphasis on environmental conservation, and to connect the public to the many cultural and natural history components of the mountains through educational programs. The mountain region is as rich in the arts as it is in biodiversity and cultural heritage. Alarka Institute is envisioned to be a public education center for arts and the environment in the Southern Appalachian mountains. Learn more at Alarka Expeditions, where Alarka Institute is being developed.
Southern Conservation Partners in 2020 committed to fiscally sponsor the Alarka Institute in its process of organizing as a nonprofit program to advance greater public understanding and appreciation of the natural and cultural heritage of the Southern Appalachian Mountain region. The mission of Alarka Institute is to connect literary and fine arts with the natural environment, with an emphasis on environmental conservation, and to connect the public to the many cultural and natural history components of the mountains through educational programs. The mountain region is as rich in the arts as it is in biodiversity and cultural heritage. Alarka Institute is envisioned to be a public education center for arts and the environment in the Southern Appalachian mountains. Learn more at Alarka Expeditions, where Alarka Institute is being developed.
Earthseed Land Collective
Southern Conservation Partners has become a fiscal sponsor for an exciting project in Durham, North Carolina, which advances the goals of "whole people and whole communities" and focuses on engaging and including People of Color in achieving food justice and food sovereignty. Earthseed is a center for community resilience and stewardship, and the Collective has dedicated its 48-acre property for purposes of collective subsistence farming, food justice, and land cooperation, healing, and liberation. About half of the property (largely the portion in forest cover) is protected by a permanent conservation easement held with the Triangle Land Conservancy, which serves to safeguard public water resources in the Falls Lake and upper Neuse River watershed. Southern Conservation Partners will be a conduit for receiving charitable grant funds supporting this meritorious demonstration project.
Southern Conservation Partners has become a fiscal sponsor for an exciting project in Durham, North Carolina, which advances the goals of "whole people and whole communities" and focuses on engaging and including People of Color in achieving food justice and food sovereignty. Earthseed is a center for community resilience and stewardship, and the Collective has dedicated its 48-acre property for purposes of collective subsistence farming, food justice, and land cooperation, healing, and liberation. About half of the property (largely the portion in forest cover) is protected by a permanent conservation easement held with the Triangle Land Conservancy, which serves to safeguard public water resources in the Falls Lake and upper Neuse River watershed. Southern Conservation Partners will be a conduit for receiving charitable grant funds supporting this meritorious demonstration project.
North Carolina Biodiversity Project
Southern Conservation Partners provides fiscal sponsorship for the North Carolina Biodiversity Project through a limited partnership arrangement. SCP helped secure funds in support of this project. The NCBP team is composed of volunteer conservation biologists, taxonomic experts, nature photographers, and amateur naturalists with decades of experience studying the state’s native fauna and flora. The NCBP is dedicated to increasing public awareness and appreciation for the state’s diversity of species and ecosystems, as well as their conservation needs. To promote these goals, the NCBP has created a series of publicly accessible websites (hosted by the State of North Carolina’s Division of Parks and Recreation) that provide checklists, photo images, life histories, and conservation information for the state’s wide range of species. Each taxonomic website is managed by a team of volunteers. This citizen-science project invites submission of new range information for the native species of North Carolina for vetting and inclusion on the websites.
Southern Conservation Partners provides fiscal sponsorship for the North Carolina Biodiversity Project through a limited partnership arrangement. SCP helped secure funds in support of this project. The NCBP team is composed of volunteer conservation biologists, taxonomic experts, nature photographers, and amateur naturalists with decades of experience studying the state’s native fauna and flora. The NCBP is dedicated to increasing public awareness and appreciation for the state’s diversity of species and ecosystems, as well as their conservation needs. To promote these goals, the NCBP has created a series of publicly accessible websites (hosted by the State of North Carolina’s Division of Parks and Recreation) that provide checklists, photo images, life histories, and conservation information for the state’s wide range of species. Each taxonomic website is managed by a team of volunteers. This citizen-science project invites submission of new range information for the native species of North Carolina for vetting and inclusion on the websites.
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Southern Conservation Partners depends on volunteers and donations to finance our sponsored projects. Consider becoming a partner and offering financial support to a project. You can send a check or donate through our secure online giving page offered through PayPal. And THANK YOU!
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North Carolina Natural Heritage Program assistance
Southern Conservation Partners beginning in 2018 initiated an agreement to assist North Carolina's state Natural Heritage Program. Initially SCP provided financial assistance to aid the NC NHP in the process of formally recording notice of articles of dedication for more than 190 State-owned nature preserves with Counties' Registers of Deeds in 77 (of the 100). In the current phase of our assistance to the NC Natural Heritage Program, SCP is financially subsidizing costs incurred by volunteers in monitoring of some of the more than 530 dedicated nature preserves and registered natural areas across North Carolina.
Southern Conservation Partners beginning in 2018 initiated an agreement to assist North Carolina's state Natural Heritage Program. Initially SCP provided financial assistance to aid the NC NHP in the process of formally recording notice of articles of dedication for more than 190 State-owned nature preserves with Counties' Registers of Deeds in 77 (of the 100). In the current phase of our assistance to the NC Natural Heritage Program, SCP is financially subsidizing costs incurred by volunteers in monitoring of some of the more than 530 dedicated nature preserves and registered natural areas across North Carolina.
Longleaf Pine Forest Preservation Project
Southern Conservation Partners is part of a coalition of efforts to save and restore natural longleaf pine forests across that tree’s original six-state range in the southern U.S. Longleaf pine once dominated forest cover--93 million acres in the southern Atlantic and Gulf Coastal regions. But surviving tracts of longleaf pine forest have been reduced to less than 3 percent of that original extent. Many of the native plant and animal species endemic to longleaf pine-dominated ecosystems are in danger of extinction. SCP in 2016-2017 was fiscal sponsor for an inventory of surviving tracts of privately owned longleaf pine-dominated forests in the NC Sandhills region, and provides ongoing advice on management and conservation of longleaf pine forest tracts. In 2020, SCP conducted a survey of private land conservancies and trusts across the region to learn about their experiences with protecting, restoring, and managing longleaf pine forest habitat. Private land trusts collectively have conserved over a quarter million acres of longleaf pine forest habitats. We produced an online conference workshop and a report on our survey findings for the Longleaf Alliance. In 2021 we partnered again with the Longleaf Alliance to produce another webinar and journal article about land trusts involvement in longleaf forest protection and restoration.
Southern Conservation Partners is part of a coalition of efforts to save and restore natural longleaf pine forests across that tree’s original six-state range in the southern U.S. Longleaf pine once dominated forest cover--93 million acres in the southern Atlantic and Gulf Coastal regions. But surviving tracts of longleaf pine forest have been reduced to less than 3 percent of that original extent. Many of the native plant and animal species endemic to longleaf pine-dominated ecosystems are in danger of extinction. SCP in 2016-2017 was fiscal sponsor for an inventory of surviving tracts of privately owned longleaf pine-dominated forests in the NC Sandhills region, and provides ongoing advice on management and conservation of longleaf pine forest tracts. In 2020, SCP conducted a survey of private land conservancies and trusts across the region to learn about their experiences with protecting, restoring, and managing longleaf pine forest habitat. Private land trusts collectively have conserved over a quarter million acres of longleaf pine forest habitats. We produced an online conference workshop and a report on our survey findings for the Longleaf Alliance. In 2021 we partnered again with the Longleaf Alliance to produce another webinar and journal article about land trusts involvement in longleaf forest protection and restoration.
Southern Conservation Partners Adopts Venus Flytrap Protection Project
Southern Conservation Partners has joined a coalition of public and private efforts to protect the iconic Venus Flytrap, a carnivorous plant species, and restore more habitat for its survival. Natural populations of the rare and imperiled Venus Flytrap exist only in a few surviving wet pine savanna habitats in the coastal region of North and South Carolina (within a 100-mile ellipse around Wilmington, NC). The Venus Flytrap has long been recognized as a threatened species in the two states and is being reviewed for federal listing under the Endangered Species Act. In addition to illicit exploitation of remnant populations for the rare plant trade, the savanna habitats suitable for Venus Flytraps continue to be destroyed as development pressures accelerate in the Carolina coastal lowlands. While most of the plant’s remaining habitats survive on publicly-owned lands, a few populations remain on privately owned properties. The coalition of conservation organizations--Venus Flytrap Champions--is working to implement a protection strategy to recognize private landowners and promote habitat management practices that sustain populations of this unique and endangered plant species.
Southern Conservation Partners has joined a coalition of public and private efforts to protect the iconic Venus Flytrap, a carnivorous plant species, and restore more habitat for its survival. Natural populations of the rare and imperiled Venus Flytrap exist only in a few surviving wet pine savanna habitats in the coastal region of North and South Carolina (within a 100-mile ellipse around Wilmington, NC). The Venus Flytrap has long been recognized as a threatened species in the two states and is being reviewed for federal listing under the Endangered Species Act. In addition to illicit exploitation of remnant populations for the rare plant trade, the savanna habitats suitable for Venus Flytraps continue to be destroyed as development pressures accelerate in the Carolina coastal lowlands. While most of the plant’s remaining habitats survive on publicly-owned lands, a few populations remain on privately owned properties. The coalition of conservation organizations--Venus Flytrap Champions--is working to implement a protection strategy to recognize private landowners and promote habitat management practices that sustain populations of this unique and endangered plant species.
Past Sponsored Projects include
French Broad River Watershed Protection Partnership: a demonstration project
Southern Conservation Partners initiated a process of dialogue among private conservation and environmental protection organizations and federal-state-and local public agencies to form a coalition concerned for protection and restoration of water quality, water resources, and the water-dependent biota and environmental assets of the French Broad River and all its tributary streams in western North Carolina. Diminished water quality in the river and its tributary steams is threatening the basis of that region's economy: its natural capital.
In January 2017, Southern Conservation Partners, in partnership with the Southeastern Partnership for Forests and Water, convened 45 people representing 28 public and private organizations for initial discussion about the benefits of forming a coalition for the purpose of protecting and restoring the water resources and conserving lands critical to water quality in the upper French Broad River Basin. After reaching general consensus in that forum, an initial steering committee/task force was formed to take action steps toward forming a partnership for watershed protection. The French Broad River Partnership formally organized in 2018 as a coalition of dozens of public agencies and private organizations working together in collaboration to maintain and improve stream health and water quality within the entire French Broad River Watershed. The partnership recognizes that the river watershed is the essential source of public drinking water and recreation while supporting biodiversity, agriculture, forestry, and economic growth.
Southeast Biodiversity Conservation Forum, a great success
Southern Conservation Partners played an instrumental role in conceiving of and providing "seed funding" for a regional conference at the North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill for three days, March 6-8, 2018, which assembled 200 representatives of the regional network of 13 southern states' natural heritage, nature preserves, and endangered and at-risk species programs (from Maryland to Texas, Florida to Kentucky), along with other allied federal and state agencies, land conservation organizations, affiliated conservation biologists and researchers. Principal conference co-sponsors, along with Southern Conservation Partners, were NatureServe, the network of southern states' natural heritage programs, and the NC Botanical Garden. The conference provided an opportunity for dialogue, interchange, and invigoration for "Biodiversity Conservation Explorers and Warriors," with dozens of presentations and concurrent workshops. Southern Conservation Partners is grateful for the generous financial support received from the Felburn Foundation, Blumenthal Foundation, Merck Family Fund, and NC Association for Environmental Professionals, which substantially covered costs of the Forum.
Southern Conservation Partners initiated a process of dialogue among private conservation and environmental protection organizations and federal-state-and local public agencies to form a coalition concerned for protection and restoration of water quality, water resources, and the water-dependent biota and environmental assets of the French Broad River and all its tributary streams in western North Carolina. Diminished water quality in the river and its tributary steams is threatening the basis of that region's economy: its natural capital.
In January 2017, Southern Conservation Partners, in partnership with the Southeastern Partnership for Forests and Water, convened 45 people representing 28 public and private organizations for initial discussion about the benefits of forming a coalition for the purpose of protecting and restoring the water resources and conserving lands critical to water quality in the upper French Broad River Basin. After reaching general consensus in that forum, an initial steering committee/task force was formed to take action steps toward forming a partnership for watershed protection. The French Broad River Partnership formally organized in 2018 as a coalition of dozens of public agencies and private organizations working together in collaboration to maintain and improve stream health and water quality within the entire French Broad River Watershed. The partnership recognizes that the river watershed is the essential source of public drinking water and recreation while supporting biodiversity, agriculture, forestry, and economic growth.
Southeast Biodiversity Conservation Forum, a great success
Southern Conservation Partners played an instrumental role in conceiving of and providing "seed funding" for a regional conference at the North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill for three days, March 6-8, 2018, which assembled 200 representatives of the regional network of 13 southern states' natural heritage, nature preserves, and endangered and at-risk species programs (from Maryland to Texas, Florida to Kentucky), along with other allied federal and state agencies, land conservation organizations, affiliated conservation biologists and researchers. Principal conference co-sponsors, along with Southern Conservation Partners, were NatureServe, the network of southern states' natural heritage programs, and the NC Botanical Garden. The conference provided an opportunity for dialogue, interchange, and invigoration for "Biodiversity Conservation Explorers and Warriors," with dozens of presentations and concurrent workshops. Southern Conservation Partners is grateful for the generous financial support received from the Felburn Foundation, Blumenthal Foundation, Merck Family Fund, and NC Association for Environmental Professionals, which substantially covered costs of the Forum.
"Saving Place, Saving Grace" Documentary Film Project
Southern Conservation Partners in 2016 partnered with Picture Farmer Films, LLC, to serve as fiscal agent for production of the film, "Saving Place, Saving Grace." The documentary film, narrated by Martha Teichner of CBS Sunday Morning, portrays land conservation and ecological restoration and stewardship at the Holy Cross Abbey, a Trappist monastery in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. As an expression of responsible stewardship, and in honor of the intersection of ecology and theology, the Abbey has placed a permanent conservation easement over much of the monastery land, along with other notable initiatives in sustainability.
"Saving Place, Saving Grace" debuted on Virginia Public Television on January 12, 2017. VIEW this excellent documentary and its moving message (also on Virginia Public Television and YouTube). Learn more about the film and watch a trailer.
Southern Conservation Partners in 2016 partnered with Picture Farmer Films, LLC, to serve as fiscal agent for production of the film, "Saving Place, Saving Grace." The documentary film, narrated by Martha Teichner of CBS Sunday Morning, portrays land conservation and ecological restoration and stewardship at the Holy Cross Abbey, a Trappist monastery in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. As an expression of responsible stewardship, and in honor of the intersection of ecology and theology, the Abbey has placed a permanent conservation easement over much of the monastery land, along with other notable initiatives in sustainability.
"Saving Place, Saving Grace" debuted on Virginia Public Television on January 12, 2017. VIEW this excellent documentary and its moving message (also on Virginia Public Television and YouTube). Learn more about the film and watch a trailer.