The Toyota USA Foundation has announced a two-year, $4 million grant to the Nature Conservancy to expand its Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future (LEAF) program.

The grant will support the expansion of the environmental leadership program, which provides high school students with paid internships on nature preserves across the country and teachers with professional development opportunities, to eleven cities while providing job opportunities for urban youth in twenty-six states.

The program aims to engage urban youth in conservation activities that lead them to become stewards for the planet. A recent survey of program alumni found that 34 percent had gone on to major in the life sciences, 33 percent had embarked on careers in a related field, and more than half volunteered for an environmental cause or project in their communities.

"We are truly grateful for the Toyota USA Foundation's generosity in supporting LEAF, as its grant will play a huge role in the Nature Conservancy achieving the long-term goals of expanding the program to reach even more students and educators," said Nature Conservancy president and CEO Mark Tercek. "The future of our planet is in the hands of our young leaders, and we look forward to continuing our work with the Toyota USA Foundation in order to empower youth around the country and help nurture a passion for nature."