2019 Ohio Watershed Mini Grant Awards Announced

Western Reserve Land Conservancy and Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation have announced more than $35,000 in grant funding to watershed partners across Ohio through the Dominion Energy Watershed Mini Grant Program. Thirteen grant recipients across eight counties will use the funding for water quality enhancement and restoration projects, as well as water education and outreach.

“Water quality impacts all of us— and providing resources for our watershed groups is critical to protecting the health of Ohio’s freshwater resources, said Rich Cochran, president and CEO of the Land Conservancy. “This program supports a ripple effect on the great work of these partners, and a primary community resource. We are excited to partner with Dominion Energy again to support the important and innovative work of local Ohio watershed groups.”

“Dominion Energy is proud to partner with Western Reserve Land Conservancy for our fifth annual Watershed Mini Grants Program,” said Jim Eck, vice president and general manager of Ohio and West Virginia Distribution for Dominion Energy. “It’s a privilege to support these amazing environmental initiatives that are happening throughout the state of Ohio.”

Award Recipients:

• Bay Village Green Team (Cleveland): $2,500 to secure reliable stream monitoring through the Cahoon Creek – Frontal Lake Erie Water Quality Monitoring Project
• Captina Conservancy (Barnesville): $1,500 for the design and printing of commemorative educational signage and frames to Celebrate 10 Years of Wildflower Walks and Growth
• Chagrin River Watershed Partners (Willoughby): $5,500 to the Master Rain Gardener Program that promotes rain gardens and environmentally friendly private property management
• Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District (Cleveland): $3,000 for materials to promote native plantings on private lawns through the Shrink Your Lawn With Native Plants program
• Doan Brook Watershed Partnership (Cleveland): $5,500 to purchase and plant native shrubs and plantings as a part of the Friends of Lower Lake Habitat Project
• Friends of Euclid Creek (Cleveland): $3,000 to purchase native plants, live stakes and seed mixes to promote the Dusty Goldenrod Preserve Streambank Stabilization and Wetland Enhancement project
• Medina County Soil & Water Conservation District (Medina): $3,000 to purchase native prairie seed mixes to improve Medina County Prairie Pollinator Habitat
• Northeast Ohio Public Involvement Public Education (Ravenna): $1,500 to promote education and outreach for the Taking Root For Clean Water! project
• Rocky River Watershed Council (Cleveland): $3,000 to purchase and plant live stakes as an example of Beyond Demonstration: Implementing Vegetative Streambank Stabilization
• Sandusky River Watershed Coalition (Tiffin): $1,500 to promote awareness of the Lake Erie Starts Here project by painting storm drains and printing brochures
• Save the Lake Coalition (Chippewa Lake): $1,500 to discuss harmful algal blooms and fertilizer use through event Outreach – Farmer Day, Home Owner Rain Gardens, & Home Septic Users
• Tinker’s Creek Watershed Partners (Twinsburg): $2,000 to purchase an educational, custom 3D watershed model, Tinker’s Creek EnviroScape
• LoCo Yaks (Lorain): $1,500 to promote kayak safety and awareness through Share the River signage on the Black River

Dominion Energy and Western Reserve Land Conservancy launched the Watershed Mini Grant Program in 2015 to serve organizations working to protect and improve land around rivers, lakes and streams throughout Ohio. The program, funded by the Dominion Charitable Foundation and administered by the Land Conservancy, is now in its fifth year. Since the program’s inception in 2015, more than $142,000 has been awarded to 37 different watershed groups across the state.