Haiti Solar Oven Partners has received exciting news. In addition to a $10,000 Cora Foundation grant to fund its survey team project this summer, HSOP has received a $5,000 Trull Foundation grant to be used to help fund solar oven components and/or training.

Photo:  Muffin pans --The SDSU survey teams help assess acceptance of and demand for solar ovens among the Haitian population. Data gathered demonstrates sustainability and provides accountability for grant writing and fund-raising. Participants receive the popular muffin baking pans an incentive to participate in the followup on oven use.

The $10,000 Cora Foundation grant will cover the majority of the costs associated with the HSOP Survey Team trip scheduled July 21-28. For the third year, the survey team will be compiling data from Haitians solar oven users to evaluate how the oven is used and how often it is used. In order to be statistically accurate, the project's goal is to reach and maintain a survey of approximately 10% of oven recipients.

"Effectively surveying our user base validates acceptance of and demand for solar ovens among the Haitian population, plus it demonstrates sustainability and provides accountability for program execution," explains Rick. "Maturing toward such goals in a developing country is no small thing!"

Rick and the Haitian staff will assist the four-member team, comprised of South Dakota State University students and current and former faculty. In the past, the team members funded their own travel and expenses. This year's survey, as important as it is, would not have been financially possible without the Cora Foundation grant, says Rick.

The Cora Foundation is a private family foundation with ties to the Williston, ND area. Its mission is to support Christian-based ministries that serve the spiritual, educational, and physical needs of people helping them come to know the love of Christ and live a dedicated Christian life. "I believe the grant award builds a relationship that clearly affirms that the Cora Foundation and HSOP can do ministry together that we could not do separately," says Rick.

The Trull Foundation, based in Texas, focuses on striving to help children primarily by awarding grants to programs within its own state, but also internationally. "At HSOP, we are ever-grateful for the affirmation given by our generous donors and grantors like the Cora and Trull foundations. It indicates in a loud voice that they believe what HSOP is doing is making a very positive difference for families in Haiti."