Fast Facts about our Updated Request for Proposals
Freshwater Future
Spring and Fall 2008 Funding Cycles
Purpose of the Grants Program: The goal of Freshwater Future grants program is to provide financial support to advocacy activities that strengthen the role of individuals and community groups working locally to protect and restore shorelines, inland lakes, rivers, wetlands, and other aquatic habitats in the Great Lakes Basin. Advocacy work, as defined here, involves local community members actively promoting aquatic habitat protection by influencing community and/or individual behavior or opinion, corporate conduct, and/or public policy.
Eligibility:
- Any grassroots initiative working to protect aquatic habitats in the Great Lakes Basin is eligible to apply for funding.
- United States applicants that do not have 501(c)(3) tax status or Ontario applicants that are not registered charities governed by the Income Tax Act must have a sponsoring 501(c)(3) organization or registered charity.
- New applicants and those that have not received funding in the past year will receive priority.
- Applicants must be a 2008 member of Freshwater Future (you may join at time of application). If the membership fee is a hardship for your organization, please contact Freshwater Future for assistance.
- If awarded a grant, a member of the organization will have the opportunity to have an experienced grassroots advocate as a mentor.
- If awarded a grant, this member is required to attend Freshwater Future's Annual Grassroots Symposium. Dates are as follows: Spring Grants - May 2, 2008 Fall Grants - TBA
- Funding assistance will be provided for this event. Although only this member is required, we encourage more members to attend our Annual Grassroots Symposium.
- For additional information about the new Advocate Mentor Program see www.freshwaterfuture.org or the enclosed information.
Priority Funding Areas: The following program areas direct Freshwater Future's grant making for the Spring and Fall 2008 funding cycles. Projects to protect aquatic habitats in the following strategic program areas will be considered:
- On-the-ground restoration activities that include an advocacy component (a limited amount of funding is available)
- Advocating for low-impact solutions to community stormwater issues;
- Land use planning and zoning;
- Watershed planning;
- Watch-dogging and participating in the development, implementation, and enforcement of local, state, provincial, and federal aquatic habitat protection regulations;
- Non-partisan voter education, voter registration, and candidate forums;
- Advocating for naturally functioning river and coastal ecosystems;
- Reducing polluted runoff;
- Launching special initiatives or creating unique opportunities to strengthen citizen involvement in aquatic habitat protection;
- Advocating for wetland protection and restoration;
- Communicating how local wetlands, lakes and rivers are interconnected in the Great Lakes Basin.
FUNDING PROGRAMS
There are three funding programs in the Freshwater Future Grant Program. The first two, Project Grants and Technical Grants provide grant awards ranging from $500 to $3,500 U.S. dollars (USD). The third, Special Opportunity Grants (Emergency Grants) are up to $500.
- Project Grants - awards can be used for specific project expenses such as mailings, printing, and meeting supplies for river, lake, and wetland protection
- Technical Grants - awards can be used to hire an outside qualified consultant to provide strategy assistance such as organizational development or campaign development.
- The Project Grants Program and the Technical Assistance Grants Program are joint programs under which funding can be requested in one application, seeking funding from both programs. The maximum total grant request is $5,500 USD, of which, no more than $3,500 USD can be requested for either the Project Grants Program or the Technical Assistance Grants Program.
- Special Opportunity Grants Program (Emergency Grants) - support urgent projects or those that present a special, time-limited opportunity.
- Although the eligibility, overarching goal, priority program areas, and evaluation criteria are the same as the regular grants programs, Special Opportunity Grant requests are processed differently to ensure quick turnaround.
For past funded projects visit www.freshwaterfuture.org.
Submitting Your Application: The application format for all three program areas are found on-line at www.freshwaterfuture.org.
Deadlines:
Spring 2008 Funding Cycle
March 28, 2008
Fall 2008 Funding Cycle
September 29, 2008
Applications must be received electronically by midnight.
Freshwater Future builds effective community-based citizen action to protect and restore the water quality of the Great Lakes basin. We work toward this goal by providing financial assistance, communications and networking assistance and technical assistance to citizens and grassroots watershed groups throughout the Great Lakes basin. Through these efforts we work with over 1,800 grassroots watershed groups and citizens to protect and restore the rivers, lakes and wetlands in their communities. Freshwater Future, Inc. is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
For more information, please contact:
info@freshwaterfuture.org
P.O. Box 2479, Petoskey, MI 49770
PH (231) 348-8200