Turner Foundation awards $50K grant to Austin Peay State University's Southeastern Grasslands Institute

By: Emily Evans May 27, 2026

A native Georgia grassland orchid, Calopogon tuberosus. | Photo by Theo Witsell

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — The Turner Foundation, Inc. has awarded a $50,000 grant to the Austin Peay State University Foundation to benefit the Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI). The one-year grant will support SGI's mission to lead grassland research, conservation, education, and restoration across the southeastern U.S.

SGI, a branch of APSU's College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, addresses one of the most critical conservation challenges facing eastern North American biodiversity: the near-extinction of the region's native grasslands. With fewer than 10% of original southeastern grasslands remaining, SGI works to document, preserve, and restore these "forgotten grasslands" through innovative conservation strategies.

“We’re grateful to the Turner Foundation for this vital support,” said Dr. Dwayne Estes, SGI’s cofounder and executive director. “Their $50,000 grant allows us to expand our grassland restoration efforts in northwest Georgia and across the southern tip of the Appalachians.”

SGI's work includes surveying and mapping grassland biodiversity, developing regionally adapted native seed hubs, and managing a Conservation Seed Bank that has collected 69 rare grassland species from five states since 2020. The institute also purchases fragile prairie remnants, trains conservation professionals, and builds a "grassroots grassland conservation army" of volunteers engaged in seed collection, restoration, and biodiversity documentation.

"The partnership between the Turner Foundation and the Southeastern Grasslands Institute exemplifies the power of strategic philanthropy to create meaningful environmental impact," said Kris Phillips, APSU's vice president for Alumni, Engagement and Philanthropy. "This grant supports groundbreaking conservation work that extends far beyond our campus. SGI's innovative approach to grassland restoration demonstrates Austin Peay's commitment to being a leader in addressing critical environmental challenges."

The Turner Foundation grant comes as SGI expands its regional impact. The institute recently secured a record $10 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's America's Ecosystem Restoration Initiative to restore approximately 2,500 acres in central Tennessee over four years.

To support APSU fundraising initiatives or learn more about the Southeastern Grasslands Institute, contact the Office of Alumni, Engagement and Philanthropy at 931-221-7127 or give@apsu.edu. You can donate directly to support the work of the Southeastern Grasslands Institute by visiting https://tinyurl.com/sgi-initiatives-fund.