2025 Environmental Project Grant Recipients Announced
Centennial Park Conservancy underscores its commitment to local environmental programs, awarding $48,000 in event proceeds to fund 17 initiatives across the city
Centennial Park Conservancy, the nonprofit organization committed to preserving and enhancing Centennial Park and the Parthenon and providing accessible cultural, environmental and educational programming for the community, announced today the organizations and projects that will receive Nashville Earth Day’s 2025 environmental project grants.
Centennial Park Conservancy’s financial commitment to environmental conservation has expanded significantly in recent years, providing critical support to grassroots groups and programs. To date since 2020, when the Conservancy began managing the Nashville Earth Day festival, the organization has donated a total of $208,000 to underwrite environmental initiatives across the city. This year, $48,000 in event proceeds is being awarded across 17 projects throughout the community.
"The generous and consistent support from the Centennial Park Conservancy enables these important projects to move forward,” said Metro Parks Director Monique Horton Odom. “We deeply appreciate both the Conservancy and Nashville Earth Day for their commitment to fostering and inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards."
“We’re proud to partner with an incredible group of local organizations to carry out the mission and message of Earth Day all year round,” said Centennial Park Conservancy’s Vice President of Programming Justin Branam. “With the help of our Nashville Earth Day sponsors, vendors, and attendees, we are able to continue supporting vital conservation programs that benefit all of Middle Tennessee.”
The projects receiving funding from Nashville Earth Day 2025 are:
Providing annual care for 300,000 bees that reside in hives located in Centennial Park, in partnership with Nashville Area Beekeepers Association
Expanding the Cumberland River Compact’s Depave program, which transforms over-paved, underutilized spaces, primarily in North Nashville, into vibrant, ecologically functional, native habitat landscapes
Building a pollinator garden and instituting a composting program at John Overton High School
Removing 12 hazardous dead trees on the campus of Meharry Medical College and replanting with at least twice as many healthy trees, including replacing a beloved dogwood at the entrance of the historic hospital building, in partnership with Nashville Tree Conservation Corps
Expanding the apiary and adding educational materials to the beekeeping programs at Stratford STEM Magnet High School
Training for 100 new Sustainable Classroom educators through Urban Green Lab, allowing them to reach more than 10,000 public and private school students across the region
Supporting The Nashville Food Project’s Community Orchards program, directly covering the cost of fruit and nut trees, compost, mulch, and planting supplies, and sponsoring a community planting day
Expanding reach and adding community education during Nashville Tree Foundation’s Fall Tree Spree, distributing 300 trees to community members in areas that rank high in need according to the Climate Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST)
Enhancing ecological biodiversity and expanding educational opportunities through dedicated pollinator habitats, and constructing four additional street-facing garden beds specifically designed for pollinator-friendly perennials, in partnership with Buchanan Arts
Distributing 1,100 “keystone” native plants for free to private homes and public greenspaces and organizations throughout the city, in partnership with Neighbors for Native Plants
Enhancing and adding to the community garden at Edmondson Public Library, adding benches, planters, bird baths, a sustainable irrigation system, new educational signage and more
Expanding Friends of Warner Parks’ Living Classroom program by building new pollinator gardens at three additional Metro Parks community centers beyond the current Looby, Hartman, and Antioch locations
Enhancements and improvements to Harpeth Conservancy’s Citizen Science Water Quality Monitoring (WQM) and Restoration programs
Supporting the Restore the Forest project to restore a healthy forest ecosystem on Beech Grove Hill in Shelby Park and Bottoms, which is currently overgrown with invasive plants, in partnership with Friends of Shelby Park
The Habitat Connection, in partnership with Cosecha Community Development, will create a pollinator garden at Whitsitt Elementary School
Instituting an intergenerational gardening program in Edgehill, via Organized Neighbors of Edgehill Inc.
Implementing a recycling program at Aventura Community School, providing bins, education and signage
Since 2020, proceeds from Nashville Earth Day have funded the planting of more than 380 trees; cared for more than 1.8 million bees; planted or improved 32 community and pollinator gardens; cleaned up 16 waterways; donated 2,600 trees; removed invasive plants; and provided education to thousands of adults and children in parks and classrooms across our community. In total, more than $208,000 has been given back to the community by Centennial Park Conservancy through Nashville Earth Day’s environmental project program.
Nashville Earth Day appreciates the generosity of its corporate and foundation partners who make the annual event and environmental projects possible, as well as the individuals at organizations such as Cumberland River Compact, Nashville Area Beekeepers Association, Tennessee Environmental Council, Nashville Tree Foundation, and Urban Green Lab who work tirelessly throughout the year to educate, inspire, and improve and preserve our environment.
Learn more at nashvilleearthday.org/environmental-projects.
NASHVILLE EARTH DAY 2025 PARTNERS AND SPONSORS
Nashville Earth Day is organized by Centennial Park Conservancy, with support from Metro Parks. The program is made possible with support from the following socially responsible organizations who share our mutual respect and concern for the environment and desire to inspire positive environmental change in our city.
Presenting Partners:
Amazon • Nissan • HCA Healthcare Foundation
Sustaining Sponsors:
LP Foundation • WM • Nashville Electric Service
Supporting Sponsors:
Republic Services • Nashville Parks Foundation • Hereford Dooley Architects • Primrose School of Nashville Midtown • Polestar • Tennessee Valley Authority •
Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee • Rocky McElhaney Law Firm •The Village Fund
Event Management Partners:
Centennial Park Conservancy • Metro Parks • Urban Green Lab
In-Kind Sponsors:
Bearded Iris • 6th Man Movers