Kiptopeke State Park receives $1,000 Litter Prevention Green Grant from Keep Virginia Beautiful

Kiptopeke State Park has been awarded a $1,000 Green Grant in the Litter Prevention category as part of Keep Virginia Beautiful’s 13th Annual Green Grants Program.

Every year, government, non-profit, civic, and service organizations in Virginia are invited to apply for grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 that will help address an environmental concern in their community. Grants must focus on one of the following priorities: Litter Prevention, Recycling, Cigarette Litter Prevention, or Community Beautification.

“Keep Virginia Beautiful believes that local organizations are best equipped to address and prevent litter, advance recycling, and promote community beautification in their communities. Green Grants give people the ability to implement environmental projects that result in positive change and community pride,” says Cristi Lawton, Keep Virginia Beautiful’s Executive Director.

Kiptopeke State Park, on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, offers recreational access to Chesapeake Bay. The park includes accessible trails, beach wheelchairs, free educational programs, and the opportunity to explore unique migratory bird habitats along the Atlantic flyway.

Funds provided by the Green Grant award will be used to purchase cleanup equipment and supplies to combat marine debris along the 5.1 miles of beach coastline at the park, as well as add new signage about litter and marine debris in the Chesapeake Bay. They will be developing an interactive educational display located at the South Beach entrance to demonstrate how long certain litter will last on land and in the bay.

The mission at Keep Virginia Beautiful is to engage and unite Virginians to improve the natural and scenic environment. Since 2011, the Green Grants Program has provided $282,000 for 385 programs and projects throughout the state. Funding is made possible through generous support from Altria, as well as additional sponsorships from WestRock and Village Bank.