The Rockfall Foundation has been a quiet force for conservation projects in the Lower Connecticut River Valley for 45 years, supporting education programs and environmental grants. To mark the anniversary, the foundation is launching a campaign for a new grant program: the Fostering Future Stewards campaign, which will fund K-8 environmental education programs.

What distinguishes this program from the current annual grant program is that these will be multi-year grants that can be applied during the school year, for afterschool programs, or summer programs.

The Rockfall Foundation itself was founded in 1935 by Clarence Wadsworth, who was known for his commitment to protecting open spaces and providing spaces where people could enjoy and appreciate the natural environment. He dedicated a lot of work to preserving and protecting open spaces—work that, according to Executive Director Robin Andreoli, the Rockfall Foundation endeavors to continue.

“We’ve been here for a long time, and no one knows what we do,” said Andreoli, laughing. “We provide space at low rent to environmental groups in our building, the deKoven House, in Middletown, and have two meeting rooms for nonprofits as well. We provide grants for different groups who are engaged in conservation and environmental education work. Among other things we’ve funded pollinator gardens and money for educational nonprofits to offer programs in schools.”

The organization has also funded curriculum enhancements in schools, such as facilitating programs for outdoor classrooms and incorporating environmental education best practices into science curricula.

“There’s certainly evidence about the benefits of children spending time outside, and being comfortable outdoors is a big part of that. Part of what we do is about developing a comfort level with nature, and have that grow from a local awareness to a regional and global one,” said Andreoli. “We help them appreciate clean air and water, and understand that these things can change for the worse, understand human impact. It’s about fostering the next generation to protect natural resources.

“The new grant is in its very first phase. We’ve had 45 years of providing modest grants and we wanted to commemorate this anniversary and strengthen our partnerships by fundraising to create this grant, which will be specific to schools,” Andreoli continued. “We hope to fund 10 schools with program support for two to three year-long programs.”

This would be separate from Rockfall’s annual grant program, which will continue to be run alongside the multi-year grant program.

“We have an understanding of the pressure teachers are under, and it is teachers who tend to write the grant proposal. Hopefully having programs that run multiple years can alleviate some of the burden,” said Andreoli.

The Rockfall Foundation services Middlesex County, Lyme, and Old Lyme. Past grant recipients in the area have included the Essex Park & Recreation Department and the Essex Land Trust. The Rockfall Foundation also helped to sponsor the invasive species exhibit at the Connecticut River Museum. Andreoli hopes that they can build more partnerships in the Valley area, and across the lower part of the county. The foundation’s first grants in 1979 actually went to organizations in Essex, Chester, and Old Saybrook.

“You don’t have to be an environmental group, just working on an environmental project, or education or conservation work,” said Andreoli of who can apply for the annual grants.

Fundraising for the Fostering Future Stewards grant began in March 2017, with a $5,000 donation from Peter and Elsie Patton. The Rockfall Foundation has currently met 25 percent of its $45,000 fundraising goal.

“I taught environmental science at Wesleyan, my wife is a scientist, we understand the importance of getting young people engaged in science—the earlier the better,” said Peter Patton, who is also a member of the board at Rockfall. “One way to do that is to get them outside, to observe things, make measurements, understand what scientists do: study things.

“They see that science is fun, and that many scientist do it because it is fun,” Patton continued. “We hope this can develop some sustained programs in schools. Everyone in Connecticut is searching for those education dollars, and the out-of-classroom experience is the first thing to go. Teachers can use the money for curriculum development—it’s a seed grant program in a way, too.”

Patton also noted Rockfall’s somewhat stealthy profile, locally.

“We’re a hidden treasure in Middlesex County, and one of our focuses is in education. The goal now is to do more, because there is a lot of need,” he said.

For more information on the Rockfall Foundation’s work, community initiatives, or to apply for or contribute to the grant fund, visit www.rockfallfoundation.org, email randreoli@rockfallfoundation.org, or call 860-347-0340.