An Enduring Gift for Conservation and Education

There are two main pillars in the philanthropy of Gary and Janis Grover: conserving land and educating the next generation. With the recent formation of the Grover Foundation, they are supporting these pillars through Ducks Unlimited. The Grovers have made a pledge to help fund the Ducks Unlimited Canada Endowed Chair in Wetland and Waterfowl Conservation at the University of Saskatchewan. The chair is currently held by Associate Professor Dr. Mitch Weegman. This transformative gift will play a significant role in molding wetland and waterfowl professionals of the future. The endowed chair is the first of its kind in Canada. Investments supporting this program will help provide generations of students at the University of Saskatchewan with opportunities to pursue their passion for conservation.

“The generosity of Gary and Janis will mean that generations of future conservation professionals will receive world-class training to tackle the planet’s most pressing environmental issues with novel thinking and state-of-the-art equipment,” Mitch said. “I deeply appreciate their support of our work. Their gift will have a lasting effect across the conservation community in North America and beyond.”

Since the Grovers first became involved, their plan has been to fund the purchase of conservation land in the Prairie Pothole Region. Healthy wetlands on the prairies are crucial for nesting ducks. Tragically, these vital wetlands continue to be lost or degraded. The Grovers have enjoyed many hunting trips to the prairies, and they want to do everything they can to ensure that the region’s wildlife habitats are protected. Their gift will help fund land acquisition, including conservation easements, in the United States and Canada.

The Grovers’ support for DU is extremely meaningful, because the advent of their foundation also coincides with a transformative gift for the Feather Society. They have bequeathed a substantial estate gift to DU to ensure that their conservation legacy lives on. The foundation will provide long-term and stable funding for DU’s conservation mission for generations to come.

“We love DU not only as partners in conserving wetlands, but as part of our family,” Gary said. “That is why we made a planned gift and a commitment to fund research. It’s not enough to conserve wetlands. We need to foster the training of wildlife biologists and graduate training at the University of Saskatchewan.”

Janis met Gary when they were both in college and Gary was living out of his car. Once they were married, Gary said he used to “cash my paycheck before the ink was dry” to put gas in their car for both of them to get to class. Now, thanks to their foresight, hard work, and planning, the Grovers will be funding scholarships for students who might be struggling to make ends meet. They have generously opted to give to a cause greater than themselves—one that will benefit people and wildlife. For that, DU is profoundly grateful.