The Volusia County Council recently approved a $325,000 ECHO grant to Stetson University for a new environmental learning center to be constructed on the campus adjacent to the museum. The Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Environmental Learning Center (RELC), a "green building" by design, will complement the earth and environmental science mission of the Gillespie by providing environmental programming to the public.
The ECHO Grant program provides grant funds to finance acquisition, restoration, construction or improvement of facilities to be used for environmental/ecological, cultural, historical/heritage or outdoor recreation purposes that are open for public use. In addition to the funding provided by the county, an additional $325,000 was provided by the Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Foundation, a Palm Beach-based philanthropic organization and Stetson trustee