Centennial Conservancy Accepting Grant Applications

Centennial Park Conservancy, a nonprofit organization committed to sustaining Centennial Park’s vibrancy, announced today that applications are open for Nashville Earth Day grants to support local environmental initiatives.

Centennial Park Conservancy will donate $60,000, the proceeds from this year’s Nashville Earth Day festival, to underwrite environmental projects in public spaces across Nashville. Project areas primarily focus on bees, trees, water, pollinator gardens, sustainability, and education. Applications must be received by August 12, 2024, and can be submitted at www.nashvilleearthday.org/environmental-projects.

Since 2020, proceeds from Nashville Earth Day, the city’s official annual event to celebrate Earth Day, have been used to underwrite local environmental projects via a grant program. The program, which Centennial Park Conservancy manages, has created positive environmental change across the city by funding the planting of 240 trees, caring for 160,000 bees, planting or improving 11 community gardens and pollinator habitats, cleaning up 15 waterways, donating 2,300 trees, removing invasive plants, and providing education to thousands of adults and children in parks and classrooms. Since Centennial Park Conservancy began managing Nashville Earth Day in 2020, the organization will have donated $160,000 to support environmental initiatives through 2024.

“The Nashville community showed up in record numbers to celebrate Earth Day at Centennial Park this year,” said Centennial Park Conservancy’s Vice President of Programming Justin Branam. “More than 12,000 guests joined us for the event to show their commitment to environmental stewardship and education. We’re grateful for the strong support from the community and our sponsors, and we’re excited to be able to invest $60,000 back into environmental projects across the city.”

“Nashville Earth Day is one of the most exciting and rewarding days of the year at Centennial Park,” said Centennial Park Conservancy’s President John Tumminello. “As an organization, we deeply value conservation and recreation, and it is a joy to see so many Nashvillians come together to educate themselves on how to be more environmentally responsible. We’re thankful to everyone who participated in the 2024 Nashville Earth Day. It’s because of their support that we’re able to give back to individuals and organizations who are working to make Nashville a more eco-friendly city.”

Nashville Earth Day was held on Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Centennial Park. Nashville Earth Day is organized by Centennial Park Conservancy, with support from Metro Parks.