Grants for Watersheds, Fisheries, Rivers, and Oceans

Water is a critical resource, worldwide. The Clean Water Act, modified in 1977, has led the way for everything from river cleanups to source water protection and watershed restoration. Groundwater is also important since many rural homes are served by wells, and urban areas served by municipal wells. Urban runoff is a critical issue to water quality as is agricultural runoff.

The whole water loop has been endangered. Acid rain is now common. Chemicals that are used in all sorts of industries have found their way into our drinking water through polluted streams pouring into rivers. Coastlines have to deal with sewage issues and damaged beaches.

Water quality in addition to availability, is crucial to our food supply. Cows drinking well water with perchlorate residue from fuel production have produced milk with perchlorate in it. Many households use bottled water or have filters on their drinking water.

When was the last time you felt you could safely drink from a mountain stream? Upstream disturbances impact runoff, and activities in a watershed, both positive and negative, impact the downstream water flows.

Putting together any project involving cleanup of a watershed, stream or river is an exercise in creating alliances. You'll need partnership skills to create successful projects. You'll need lots of cooperation from landowners and agencies. But if you don't do it, who will?

TIP: Create a time line for writing the proposal. Story boards can help. Break the tasks down into easy sections and spread the work.

Sampling of Funding Sources:

National Fish & Wildlife Foundation

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation provides funding on a competitive basis to projects that sustain, restore and enhance the Nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats through our Keystone Initiative Grants and other Special Grant Programs.
 

River Network

River network has a Partnership Program. Membership ($100 per year) includes access to their annual annual compilation of foundations and agencies known to fund river conservation work and a host of other useful tools. When funding is available, Partners who meet the established criteria can apply for River Network Partner grants of up to $3,000.
 

AmericanRivers.Org

Type in grants and you'll get all sorts of useful information, including the downloadable matrix of grants.
 

FishAmerica Foundation

The FishAmerica Foundation unites the sport fishing industry with conservation groups, government natural resource agencies, corporations, and charitable foundations to invest in fish and habitat conservation and research across the country.
 

NANFA Conservation Research Grant

North American Native Fishes Association awards up to $1000 for research to aid the conservation of North America's native fishes, particularly those that are threatened or endangered.
 

Trout Unlimited

Embrace-A-Stream (EAS) is the flagship grant program for funding Trout Unlimited's grassroots conservation efforts. Since the web site can be complicated, use the site map and locate the Embrace-A-Stream section.
 

Kenny Foundation

Funds programs which seek to protect significant wild rivers and river ecosystems in the West. Successful grantees receive a three-year general support grant ranging from $15,000 to $75,000 annually, though these may require an internal nomination. Their discretionary funding program is relatively small, but you can apply by email in a very simply process.
 

Stormwater Center

The Stormwater Manager's Resource Center is designed specifically for stormwater practitioners, local government officials and others that need technical assistance on stormwater management issues. Created and maintained by the Center for Watershed Protection, the SMRC has everything you need to know about stormwater in a single site. While funding information is not among the choices, the library of articles specific to stormwater issues will be valuable to proposal preparation.
 

Center for Watershed Protection

The Center acts as a technical resource for local and state governments around the country. Lots of watershed information and a potential project partner for watershed work.
 

Know Your Watershed

Detailed information on building local partnerships so necessary to successful grant proposals. Tons of useful watershed information, too.
 

Federal Funding Resources for Watershed Protection

"Catalog of Federal Funding Sources for Watershed Protection", Latest edition is online. This is a very helpful publication.
 

Watershed Funding

Committed watershed organizations and state and local governments need adequate resources to achieve the goals of the Clean Water Act and improve our nation's water quality. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides tools, databases, and information about sources of funding for watershed projects.
 

EPA Financial Assistance & Guides

Catalogs of Financial Assistance and Guides for watershed, streams, ocean projects.
 

NPO Funding Opportunities

Nonpoint source pollution funding opportunities, mini grants, storm runoff and an abundance of useful proposal tools.
 

Ground water

Sources of Technical and Financial Assistance for Small Drinking Water Systems, source water protection, and more.
 

Water Resources Discussion Lists

Find the information and maybe the alliances you need in the various news groups and forums.
 

Funding Sources for Water Quality

Collection of funding sources at the The Water Quality Information Center from the National Agricultural Library.
 

Center for Coastal Ocean Research

This web site contains the necessary instructions and forms for preparation of an application package for a CSCOR/Coastal Ocean Program (COP) proposal submission. Funding announcements are posted.
 

NOAA Restoration Center

The NOAA Restoration Center is the focal point for marine and estuarine habitat restoration within NOAA. Funding announcements are posted.
 

Sea Grant National

Currently open Request for Proposals.
 

California Watershed Portal

Lists some of the major planning documents dealing with watersheds in California. It's a good place to start before launching into project planning.
 

California Watershed Funding Database

Re-titled, re-named and moved, the database seems to finally have a new home. Check for current listing of open funding opportunities.
 

California Urban Streams Programs

Department of Water Resources has a list of funding opportunities.
 

ABOUT CYBER-SIERRA

Cyber-Sierra is a one-woman business. I build natural resource webs and conduct information searches. I specialize in developing content for conservation web sites which can be maintained by volunteer staff. Visit Cyber-Sierra.Com for details.

Looking for work? Cyber-Sierra's Natural Resources Job Search gets thousands of visitors each week looking for jobs in natural resource and environmental occupations. Established in 1997, the site has always been free for job seekers. Employers may advertise for modest fees. Stop by for a visit and you may find your dream job in an conservation occupation!

  A thought for every day:
"Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." (Philippians 4:8)

WELCOME |  SITE MAP |  GRANT WRITING