Microsoft grant aids land conservation

The Trust for Public Land is actively involved in a multi-million-dollar effort to save Tomales Bay in Marin County, Calif.

July 27, 1999
Web posted at: 3:39 p.m. EDT (1939 GMT)

A technology grant from software giant Microsoft will aid a conservation organization's efforts to secure property for the benefit of the people, said San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown Monday.

The $500,000 National Technology Leadership Grant will provide San Francisco-based Trust for Public Land with software critical for the management of its financial resources.

"This grant will save TPL hundreds of thousands of dollars right off the bat in software we no longer have to purchase," said Reed Holderman, vice president and western regional director for the trust.

"But the impact of the grant only starts there - the cost savings that we will be able to achieve through organizational efficiencies really makes the grant a gift that will continue to grow in terms of its actual value."

The Trust for Public Land conserves land for the people by securing property on a temporary basis and holding it until community leaders and public agencies can organize the means to repurchase these land for conservation uses.

"I have been a long-time supporter of the trust's mission to address the need for more parks and recreational open space in lower income and under-served communities," said Brown. "Microsoft's willingness to step in and provide nonprofits with state-of-the-art tools that will allow them to maximize their critical financial resources is what corporate stewardship is all about."

Awarded annually, National Technology Leadership Grants provide large-scale contributions of software to organizations that have offices in at least three states. Microsoft hopes these grants enable non-profit organizations to achieve increased operational efficiency.

Brown presented the grant at the opening of the Microsoft Global Summit Monday night.

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