History

The Springbrook Nature Center Foundation (SNCF) was founded in 1974 to help protect and improve the Springbrook Nature Center. Since founding the Board has met monthly with many citizens contributing as Board members. Perhaps the biggest accomplishment was spearheading a community wide effort to “save Springbrook” in 2003-2004. Fortunately, the Fridley citizens voted to save and modestly fund the Nature Center.

Since 1974, the SNCF has received many donations, gifts, memorials, and grants to help the Springbrook Nature Center grow and thrive. These contributions have funded many of the trails, signs, benches, equipment, programming as well as scholarships. To date (December 2017), the Foundation has participated in raising more than $5.7 million with many partners and individual donors to enable all aspects of Springbrook’s growth, operation, and management. In addition, through tireless work over many years by Board members, in 2014 the State of Minnesota awarded Springbrook a $5 million grant to design and construct all components of the SPRING Project (see grant leadership team in photo).

Over its history the SNCF Board has worked collaboratively with state legislators, City of Fridley staff, governmental agencies and the Nature Center Staff on many significant initiatives.  In addition, these same Board Members have actively volunteered and participated in many Nature Center events and programs offered each year.