Great Lakes Protection Fund

Last updated
Great Lakes Protection Fund
AbbreviationGLPF
Key Positions:
  • Board Chair: Demetria Smith
  • Executive Director: David Rankin
  • Vice President of Programs: Steve Cole
  • Governor Chair: Gov. Tony Evers
Website www.glpf.org

The Great Lakes Protection Fund is a publicly capitalized, private corporation created in 1989 by the governors of the states surrounding the Great Lakes. The Fund invests a one-time contribution of public funds and uses the investment income for two purposes: first, to test new regional actions that improve the health of the Great Lakes; and second, to provide resources for states to support their individual Great Lakes priorities. [1]

Contents

History

The governors of seven Great Lakes states signed an official agreement on February 26, 1989, to create the Great Lakes Protection Fund. [2] This followed recommendations made in the 1986 Toxic Substances Control Agreement, signed by the Great Lakes governors. [3] Seven Great Lakes states contributed $81,000,000 to capitalize the Fund. Each state contributed to the Fund based on its usage of Great Lakes water. [4] The Great Lakes Research Consortium hailed the Fund as a "unique and precedent-setting conclusion to the search for a stable, long-term funding mechanism for Great Lakes research." [5] The Great Lakes Protection Fund held its first meeting on July 12, 1989, in Chicago. [6]

The earnings from the endowment, now worth over $100 million, have supported 308 regional projects, committing $96 million to regional project teams. [7] The Fund has also provided $55 million of additional support directly to its member states for their discretionary uses. [8]

The Fund is prohibited from expending the publicly funded endowment, and does not undertake the work of government nor the compliance activities required of private parties. [9] During the Fund's formation, the International Association for Great Lakes Research and Great Lakes United cautioned that the Fund should not be considered a replacement for state and federal investments in environmental protection. Rather, the Fund is meant to "enhance state and federal projects while preserving water quality more effectively." [10]

Organization and governance

The Fund is a membership corporation. The governors of those states that have paid their share of the initial capital are members ex officio. Currently, the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, New York, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are members in good standing. [11] Member Governors each elect two directors who act as fiduciaries for the corporation. The governors are required to select individuals with regional perspective and seek a board of directors that is fully reflective of "the diverse community of State and regional interests (such as academics, environmentalists, business, labor, local communities and others) that use and benefit from the Great Lakes." Under the stewardship of member governors—who set the broad parameters of the Fund's multi-year goals—directors set priorities, hire staff, invest the endowment, and make project finance decisions. [12]

Governor ChairGov. Tom Wolf
Chair of BoardTimothy Bruno
Executive DirectorJ. David Rankin
Vice President of ProgramsSteve Cole
Vice President of OperationsDrew Pfeifer
Incorporated1989
Member State Contributions Completed1998
Rate of Return (Since Inception)7.3
Total Grants & Program-related Investments308

[13] [14]

Funding and Impact

By June 2022, the Fund has supported 308 regional projects, investing $96 million in grants and loans. [15] Fund-supported project teams have:

These efforts were supported in response to proposals generated in response to the Fund's guidelines, [19] periodic supplemental requests for proposals, or assembled collaboratively with Fund staff. That work involved over 1000 collaborating institutions and thousands of team members. [20] The Fund welcomes preproposals—short descriptions of potential new projects—at any time. [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. Mehan, G. Tracy III. "An Excerpt from the Final Report on An Enquiry for the Great Lakes Protection Fund." March 29, 2010. The Cadmus Group, Inc. 57 Water Street, Watertown, MA 02472. (http://glpf.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Enquiry-Rpt-Summary-for-web.pdf Archived 2015-10-18 at the Wayback Machine ).
  2. Council of Great Lakes Governors. "Governors Sign Agreement; Protection Fund is Official." Council Commentary: A Newsletter of the Council of Great Lakes Governors. Volume 2, Number 1. Spring 1989.
  3. Council of Great Lakes Governors. "Great Lakes Governors Announce Permanent Commitment to Water Quality." Press release. February 1988.
  4. Council of Great Lakes Governors. "Great Lakes Governors Announce Permanent Commitment to Water Quality." Press release. February 1988.
  5. Council of Great Lakes Governors. "Protection Fund Moves Ahead." Council Commentary: A Newsletter of the Council of Great Lakes Governors. Volume 1, Number 3. Fall 1988.
  6. Council of Great Lakes Governors. "Governors Appoint GLPF Board; Members Hold Planning Session."
  7. "Funded Projects." (http://glpf.org/funded-projects/).
  8. "State Share Programs." (http://glpf.org/about-us/state-shares-program/).
  9. Mehan, G. Tracy III. "An Excerpt from the Final Report on An Enquiry for the Great Lakes Protection Fund." March 29, 2010. The Cadmus Group, Inc. 57 Water Street, Watertown, MA 02472. (http://glpf.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Enquiry-Rpt-Summary-for-web.pdf Archived 2015-10-18 at the Wayback Machine ).
  10. Council of Great Lakes Governors. "Protection Fund Moves Ahead." Council Commentary: A Newsletter of the Council of Great Lakes Governors. Volume 1, Number 3. Fall 1988.
  11. "History and Endowment." (http://glpf.org/about-us/history-endowment/ Archived 2015-03-30 at the Wayback Machine ).
  12. Great Lakes Protection Fund. Board of Directors Reference Manual. Updated January 2015.
  13. "Fund Leadership." (http://glpf.org/about-us/leadership/).
  14. Great Lakes Protection Fund. 1998 Annual Report. Argus Press, Inc. 1998.
  15. "About the Fund." (http://glpf.org/funded-projects/).
  16. Mehan, G. Tracy III. "An Excerpt from the Final Report on An Enquiry for the Great Lakes Protection Fund." March 29, 2010. The Cadmus Group, Inc. 57 Water Street, Watertown, MA 02472. (http://glpf.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Enquiry-Rpt-Summary-for-web.pdf Archived 2015-10-18 at the Wayback Machine ).
  17. Council of Great Lakes Governors. "External Projects: Great Printers Project." (http://www.cglg.org/projects/printers/index.asp).
  18. Mehan, G. Tracy III. "An Excerpt from the Final Report on An Enquiry for the Great Lakes Protection Fund." March 29, 2010. The Cadmus Group, Inc. 57 Water Street, Watertown, MA 02472. (http://glpf.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Enquiry-Rpt-Summary-for-web.pdf Archived 2015-10-18 at the Wayback Machine ).
  19. "Funding Guidelines." (http://glpf.org/get-funding/guidelines/).
  20. Great Lakes Protection Fund "25th Anniversary Flagship Brochure." April, 2014. (http://glpf.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/GLPF_Gov-Flagship-Brochure.pdf Archived 2015-10-18 at the Wayback Machine ).
  21. "Get Funding." (http://glpf.org/get-funding/ Archived 2015-03-27 at the Wayback Machine ).