Generous Conservation Trust Fund Donation and Matching Program Opportunity

City of Fernandina Beach
Planning and Conservation Department
MEDIA RELEASE
February 19, 2020

The City’s Conservation Land Trust recently received a generous anonymous donation in an amount of $100,000. Additionally, the donors wish to provide the City with an additional $100,000 though a matching donation program.  The parameters established by the donors for matching collected donations are as follows:

1. Individual donations will be matched up to a maximum of $1,000 per donor
2. Organization donations will be matched up to a maximum of $5000 per donor
3. The matching will apply only for donations received by the Land Conservation Trust Fund during the period ending August 15, 2020.”

Individuals and organizations wishing to donate may direct funds to the “City of Fernandina Beach.” In the reference memo please include “Land Conservation Trust Fund Account# 135-36601 – matching donation.” Checks can be mailed to the Planning & Conservation Department, 204 Ash Street, Fernandina Beach, FL, 32034. The City will maintain a log of donations received and provide an update to the Commission at future meetings. The City is not a Charitable Organization and donations are not a charitable contribution for tax purposes.

Although the donors wish to remain anonymous, they have issued the following statement:

“With our gift and matching opportunity, we are hoping to jump-start a better conservation effort among the general population of Fernandina Beach, more awareness, more participation. We are willing to spend some of our children’s inheritance so as to make for a better community for them and future generations. Our matching opportunity is meant to encourage broad community participation…We hope this match campaign will align nicely with the proposed ballot initiative in the fall to make the conservation tax permanent. Let our current gift and our matching gift be part of the positive momentum needed to pass this permanent tax. We are hoping that we owe you another $100,000.00 and hope that the concerned citizens of Fernandina Beach take advantage of this opportunity to make a difference using their collective checkbooks.”

The City continues to work the North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) as part of its conservation land acquisition efforts. Within the past year, the City has successfully acquired almost 9.0 acres of land to be set aside for conservation. Thank you to all who have assisted the City with this effort.