Upstate Forever, a Greenville-based nonprofit conservation organization, has been awarded a $75,000 grant from Hollingsworth Funds. The grant will be used to support the nonprofit’s education and advocacy efforts.
“Too often, local planning and policymaking occurs without effective community engagement, and comprehensive plans sit on a shelf rather than being enacted with changes to local land development regulations and zoning,” said Upstate Forever land policy director Lisa Hallo. “With support from partners like Hollingsworth Funds, we are able to organize stakeholders and community members around efforts to advance more progressive land use policies. We are also able to provide technical assistance to decision-makers, host thought-provoking community speakers and provide education opportunities for residents such as our Citizens Planning Academies.”
The organization is currently working with Greenville County and local municipal government leaders and staff, as well as stakeholders and residents, to reverse land-use policies, which the group says promote sprawl and residential segregation and limit housing diversity.
