Conservation Florida Receives Grant from AKR Foundation Fund at Central Florida Foundation

Photo by Mark Rizzo.

Foundation’s grant will help fund efforts to save water, wildlife, and wild places

Orlando, Fla, (April 25, 2023) — Conservation Florida, a dynamic driver of statewide land conservation, recently received a grant of $50,000 from the AKR Foundation Fund at Central Florida Foundation (CFF). The grant will help further our mission of saving Florida’s native plants and wildlife, fresh water, wildlife corridors, family farms and ranches, and nature-based recreation.

"Thanks to funding from Central Florida Foundation, Conservation Florida can expand and multiply its efforts to protect what is precious within our state," said Traci Deen, President and CEO of Conservation Florida. “We are grateful for the Foundation’s generous support and will apply it to our conservation work to protect water, wildlife, and wild places.”

The AKR Foundation Fund at CFF was established in 2021 by Austin Russell, Founder and CEO of Luminar, which focuses on laser technology and software for safer transportation and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida. The Central Florida Foundation identifies organizations and initiatives that are truly transforming our community. This funding empowers them to launch new programs, build on the success of current efforts, and expand innovative solutions to create an even greater impact.

Florida is one of the fastest growing states in the United States, with an estimated 1,000 newcomers arriving every single day, just as we lose 100,000 acres of natural and rural land to development each year. As such, there’s also a greater demand for water and the development of rural and natural lands for urban use. How we manage our natural resources over the next 10 to 20 years – what we save and what we pave – will unquestionably dictate the future of conservation in the state, and the future of Florida as a whole. 

Conservation Florida is on the front lines to save our lands from development, and Central Florida Foundation’s support allows us to stay there and continue to fight for Florida’s wild lands. These critical funds fuel our mission to conserve the unique character of Florida’s precious landscapes.

About Conservation Florida

Conservation Florida is a statewide accredited land conservancy working to conserve Florida’s water, wildlife, wild places, and protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The organization’s conservation projects support Florida’s native plants and wildlife, fresh water, wildlife corridors, family farms and ranches, the economy, and nature-based recreation. Since its founding in 1999, Conservation Florida has prioritized strategic and evidence-based land protection and has saved over 30,000 acres of critical habitat.

About Central Florida Foundation 

Central Florida Foundation is the place for people who want to invest in their community. The Foundation serves as the region’s community foundation and is home to more than 400 charitable funds. The Foundation manages and invests funds, offers personalized service and expert giving advice, connects caring people, businesses, governments and organizations to local initiatives that build and inspire community, and empowers them to make informed decisions that make a difference now and in the future. Central Florida Foundation works with individuals, families, businesses, professional advisors and nonprofits. For more information on the Foundation, please visit www.cffound.org.