Donations and bequests provide opportunities for the TFN to undertake special projects, and to support projects and programs that are consistent with our goals.

We give much thought to how we can best use the funds so generously entrusted to us. The following are the most significant of such initiatives.

We are accepting requests for funding. To apply for a grant, please fill out Section A of the Funding Request form and return it to the TFN before April 12, 2012.

High Park Nature Centre: The HPNC is dedicated to promoting respect, appreciation and stewardship in Toronto's natural jewel, High Park. This year's TFN grant of $20,000 helped sponsor Family Nature Walks, School Programs, and fall naturalist clubs for kids, including Knee-High Naturalists, Saturday Morning Club, Rambler's Hiking Club and After-School Club.

Ontario Nature Youth Summit on Biodiversity: The goal of the 2011 Youth Summit was to develop an understanding of provincial biodiversity and sustainability issues among youth. The TFN's donation of $10,000 helped sponsor the keynote speaker, Lisa Glithero, and staffing costs, as well as helping ten young people from the Toronto area attend the Summit.

Royal Ontario Museum - Trees for Toronto Web Resources: The goal of this project has been to develop scientifically accurate web pages for 75-100 tree species growing in the Toronto area. Using the TFN donation of $9,000, the pages will be designed to complement current tree identification projects in Queen's Park, Toronto Islands and elsewhere.

Toronto Botanical Garden Living Winter Program: The TFN donation of $12,500 helped provide staffing, transportation, supplies, warm clothes and healthy snacks for over 1000 students attending this highly-rated, curriculum-based program for Grade 4 students from high-needs schools.

Toronto Region Conservation Authority - Kortright School Field Trip Bus Program: The TFN donation of $12,500 provides transportation for 50 schools to attend outdoor education programs at the Kortright Centre for Conservation.

Toronto Wildlife Centre - Urban Wildlife Education: The TWC is a registered charity that provides wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and education. Every year thousands of people call the TWC's Wildlife Hotline and hundreds of injured animals are brought into their facility in Downsview. The TFN's donation of $10,000 provided extra staffing during the busy summer months, expanding the TWC's capacity to educate the public about wild animals in the Toronto area.

Ontario Nature Youth Summit on Biodiversity: We sponsored five students so they could attend.

High Park Nature Centre: This centre offers year-round outdoor experience-based environmental education programs to park visitors of all ages. TFN's donation of $25,000 was used to develop and deliver three programs:

• Wild in the City Awareness, a new evening lecture series focused on increasing awareness of current environmental issues affecting High Park.
• Youth Naturalist Mentorship, a program which targets at-risk, low income and newcomer youth, focusing on gaining naturalist skills, participating in the stewardship of local natural areas, and leadership training.
• After School Naturalist Club for 8-12 year olds.

We also funded 5 October walks, focused on the wonderous natural environment of High Park.

Rouge Valley Conservation Centre: Transformation of Pearse House into an ecological interactive learning space, including development of a video series of animal life in the park, pictures/displays of animal and plant life in the park and details on the park's cultural heritage. TFN's donation of $10,000 helped pay for display cases, interpretive signs, digital screens, seating, etc.

Toronto Botanical Garden's Living Winter Program: This outdoor education program for grade 4 students from high needs schools in Toronto provides a curriculum-connected learning opportunity that introduces students to the natural habitats of Edwards Gardens and Wilket Creek in winter. TFN's donation of $10,000 provides partial support for staffing, supplies, transportation and administration.

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority: Since 1954, the TRCA has been delivering innovative learning programs in their unique facilities located in and around the GTA. TFN's donation of $25,000 subsidized bus transportation for 100 classes of Toronto school-children who would otherwise be unable to participate in these programs.