LSRPA Foundation Annual Report - 2024

While the LSRPA’s members help to correct the past by removing decades of environmental problems throughout New Jersey’s communities, the LSRPA Foundation is seeding investments in tomorrow.

Students and environmental projects remain the focus of the Foundation. In 2024, the LSRPA Foundation, a charitable corporation created by the LSRPA, expanded its efforts by offering new scholarships to community college students. This program complements the long-standing scholarship program for four-year college and graduate students. 2024 brought a significant increase in the amount awarded per student.  The Foundation’s grants to environmental and conservation organizations also expanded this year; these grants are used to return remediated areas as beautiful spaces for communities to enjoy.

“The Foundation allows us to make a difference in New Jersey,” said Rebecca Hollender, President of the Foundation for 2024. “The first scholarship awards for community college students increase our commitment to the diversification of the remediation professions.”

With the combination of grants and scholarships, the LSRPA Foundation has nearly quadrupled its investment in communities and education since it began its work.

"Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we expanded the number and the value of our grants and our student scholarships in 2024.” - Ben Alter, LSRPA Foundation Board Member

Scholarships

Since the LSPRA Foundation was formed in 2016, more than 60 scholarships have been awarded to students pursuing careers in environmental and scientific fields in the State of New Jersey.

Each year, the Foundation works closely with the Student Outreach Committee of the LSRPA to choose the scholarship recipients for undergraduates and graduate students. The Student Outreach Committee reviews the scholarship applications and provides a slate of scholarship recipients to the LSRPA Foundation Board of Trustees for approval.

For the first time in 2023/2024, the Foundation also worked closely with seven community colleges throughout New Jersey to award scholarships through those colleges’ Foundations.

“It was my great privilege to serve as the President of the Foundation over the last year.  I think the scholarships are one of the best things that the Association does, and I’m so happy to see our mission expand to include community colleges.” - Candace Baker, LSRPA President 2024-2025

The two opportunities for scholarships are:  

Elmeryl Davies Memorial Scholarship

Awarded to undergraduate juniors, seniors and graduate students in an accredited science or engineering program, the scholarship encourages students to pursue careers in the environmental and scientific fields and to provide students with opportunities to connect with LSRPA members to obtain internships and full-time jobs upon graduation.  

"The LSRPA's Elmeryl Davies Memorial Scholarship, with its $5,000 award, is more than just financial assistance, it's a catalyst for transformation. Recipients of this scholarship are not only relieved of the burden of educational expenses, but it also opens doors to opportunities that may otherwise have been out of reach, allowing them to pursue their career goals with renewed vigor and determination." - Kim Skibo, LSRPA College Outreach Committee Chair 

In 2024, seven students – five undergraduates and two doctoral candidates - were each awarded $5,000 if a full-time student or $3,000 if a part-time student.  This represents a significant increase in the per-person scholarship amount. The students attend five different schools:  Rutgers, NJIT, Drew, Ramapo, and Rider.

The scholarship is named for the late wife of Julian Davies, a long-time member of the LSRPA. Elmeryl Davies, born in Sierra Leone, studied in Scotland and received her master’s degree in chemistry before becoming a teacher.

Suzanne Macaoay Memorial Scholarship

In 2023/2024, the LSRPA Foundation launched its scholarships specifically for students at community colleges and other environmental-focused trade or technical programs in New Jersey.

The LSRPA Foundation worked with the Foundations of seven community colleges (Union, Passaic, Middlesex, Atlantic/Cape May, Raritan Valley, Morris, Gloucester/Salem d/b/a Rowan University of South Jersey) and a Mercer County direct applicant. The college foundations and the direct applicant each received $2000. It is up to the discretion of the college foundations to disperse the scholarships to one or more recipients per semester.

First-ever recipient of the Suzanne Macaoay Scholarship, Kerri Ann Burns, pursuing an associate degree in engineering at Atlantic Cape Community College.  Rodger Ferguson, former LSRPA President and husband of the late Ms. Macaoay, congratulates Ms. Burns.

The new scholarship is named for the late Suzanne “Suzy” Macaoay, an active LSRPA member and geologist who began her academic career at a New Jersey community college before attending Rutgers and Princeton.

Grants

The LSRPA Foundation grants support deserving environmental improvement programs.  Working in cooperation with ANJEC, the Conservation Foundation, and the Nature Conservancy,  the Foundation supports projects that take remediated properties and returns them to their communities for public use.

“Along with our very successful scholarship programs, we are awarding grants to local environmental commissions and other non-profits for community-based projects near formerly contaminated sites.” - Ken Goldstein, LSRPA Foundation Board Member

The Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC), which represents hundreds of environmental commissions throughout the State of New Jersey, joined with the LSRPA Foundation in 2024 to fund projects in Highland Park, Mahwah, Pitman, and Waldwick.  The Foundation continued to  fund additional  tree-planting projects in Trenton through the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, one of the largest land trusts in New Jersey. In 2024, the Foundation also awarded a grant to the Nature Conservancy for its Newark Tree Canopy Initiative. Over $4000 was issued in grants this year.

Jay Watson of the New Jersey Nature Conservancy and Ken Goldstein of the NJLSRPA Foundation will be united again later in 2024 to plant more trees in Trenton.

Ways to Give

You can support the Foundation’s mission by providing a one-time or monthly contribution. All contributions are tax-deductible.

The LSRPA Foundation also is supported through the fundraising events of the LSRPA.

Golf Outing

The 8th Annual Golf Networking and Fundraising event was held in October 2023, at the Mercer Oaks Golf Club in West Windsor, NJ. Since the first event, the golf outing has raised more than $250,000 to benefit the scholarship funds of the LSRPA Foundation and the Society of Women Environmental Professionals New Jersey Chapter. The 2023 event raised more than $47,000 thanks to our 228 guests and 49 sponsors. Slightly over $16,000 went directly to NJLSRPA Foundation Scholarships. Registration opens soon for our 9th annual event at Mercer Oaks on October 3, 2024.

“The eight annual golf outings have raised more than $250,000 to benefit the scholarship funds of the LSRPA Foundation and the Society of Women Environmental Professionals New Jersey Chapter. thanks to our generous guests and sponsors!“ - Bill Daddano, LSRPA Golf Committee Chair

Cornhole Tournament

The summer festivity known as the  Annual Battle at the Beach Cornhole Tournament was held on August 15, 2023 with 160  registered players and 25 sponsors. The event raised about  $14,000 for the LSRPA Foundation scholarships and grants. Registration is now open for the 4th Annual Battle at the Beach, which will be held again at Martell's Tiki Bar on August 6, 2024.

Battle of the Bands

In April 2023, the LSRPA, Brownfield Coalition of the Northeast, and the Society of Women Environmental Professionals New Jersey Chapter held the inaugural Battle of the Bands fundraiser. Nearly 300 registered guests roared their overwhelming support for eight outstanding bands - all featuring performers from New Jersey’s environmental industry. With thanks to our generous sponsors and guests, more than $21,000 was raised for the organizations' scholarship funds. The Second Battle of the Bands on May 9, 2024, raised more than $20,000, was attended by 255 people and supported by 25 sponsors.

Revenue

The Foundation is entirely supported by direct contributions and income from LSRPA fundraising events. These charts estimate the LSRPA Foundation’s 2024 projected income and anticipated contributions to others.

Where Funding Comes From...

Where it is Planned to Go

Who We Are

Founded in 2016, the Licensed Site Remediation Professionals Association Foundation, Inc., is a 501(c)3 charitable organization devoted to improving the environment and furthering the goals of the LSRP profession.

2024 LSRPA Foundation Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees of the Foundation are composed of a President, Secretary and Treasurer, along with at-large members of the Licensed Site Remediation Professionals Association (LSRPA). The President of the Board of Trustees is the Vice President for Internal Affairs of the LSRPA and the Treasurer is the same for the Foundation and the LSRPA. The Secretary of the Board of Trustees is the chair of the LSRPA College Outreach Committee, as appointed by the President of the LSRPA.

• Rebecc Hollender, President
• Michael Poland, Treasurer
• Craig McCarrick, Secretary
• Ben Alter, At-Large Trustee
• Ken Goldstein, At-Large Trustee
• Joe Postorino, At-Large Trustee
• Sue Boyle, At-Large Trustee