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Briefs: Rotary Club has $10,000 for suitable nonprofit

Know a local nonprofit organization that wants to raise public awareness about a compelling community need and has a proposal for a specific project to alleviate the problem?

The organization may be eligible for up to $10,000 in grant money from the Rotary Club of Menlo Park, according to club president Eric Hartwig.

Organizations serving Menlo Park, Atherton, Redwood City, Palo Alto and East Palo Alto are eligible for the grant. The deadline for submitting proposals is Sept. 30.

Go to menloparkrotary.org for details.

The Rotary Club of Menlo Park supports local projects focusing on young people, literacy, and rehabilitation for veterans. Last year the club awarded $114,000 in need-based scholarships to local high school students.

Each year, the club provides about $20,000 in grants to local nonprofit groups. It's also the lead club for a $300,000 Rotary International grant for work on clean water, clean air, literacy, micro-lending, and women's health in Guatemala.

Aug. 26: Non-native grasses fuel wildfires

Grass grows in the deserts of the American West, but increasingly these grasses are not native to the area. These invasive grasses are fueling wildfires in areas not previously prone to fire, according to desert ecologist and USGS senior scientist Julio Betancourt, who will give a talk at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, at USGS headquarters in Menlo Park.

The talk, titled "Invasives and Wildfires In The West," looks at the intersection of science, public policy and land management in addressing a problem that affects biodiversity, conservation, property, life as we know it, and local and regional economies, according to the USGS.

Mr. Betancourt's presentation will take place in Conference Room A in Building 3 at the USGS offices at 345 Middlefield Road in Menlo Park.

Go to online.wr.usgs.gov/calendar/ for more information.