Shine Foundation Grant Helps INPS Conserve Rare Native Plants

We are excited to announce we have completed our matching obligation to secure a three-year grant from the Sam Shine Foundation enabling the Indiana Native Plant Society to hire a contract position to support a variety of INPS programs.

A substantial part of the contract calls for the development of a community science rare plant monitoring program for Indiana in partnership with the Indiana Plant Conservation Alliance (INPCA) and the Indiana Natural Heritage Data Center (INHDC) at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources – Division of Nature Preserves (DNP). This grant provides volunteers an opportunity to observe select rare plants in Indiana, and makes it possible for them to provide valuable information on the status of rare plant populations. This will ultimately lead to better management of rare plant sites as needed.

The grant funds also provide operational support for crucial INPS programs. INPS membership has grown to more than 1000 families and organizations across the state. We depend on these member volunteers to promote the appreciation, preservation, scientific study, and use of plants native to Indiana, and to teach people about their beauty, diversity, and importance to our environment. This is our mission, and it has energized many of our members to step up and lend a hand. As we look to the future, we are investing in an organizational structure to support our growing aspirations.

Our full-time paid Program Facilitator coordinates the community science rare plant monitoring program while also:

  • Maximizing the engagement of INPS members in mission-supporting activities by recruiting and coordinating volunteers.
  • Continuing the expansion and fine-tuning of our Indiana Native Plant Finder.
  • Raising awareness among our members and the public of our many resources and activities, with a view to recruiting new members and encouraging the public to make use of INPS offerings.
  • Providing operational support for INPS programs and regional chapters.

Now that the Shine Foundation Grant has been secured, we are pursuing further funding to continue the work of our Program Facilitator. We invite you to donate generously to guarantee continuation of the Program Facilitator position as a support structure to help us thrive as we greet the future.

Donate to Program Facilitator/Plant Conservation Fund