Blog
Array

Funding Now Available for Northern Ohio Watershed Groups

August 3, 2020

Through a partnership between Western Reserve Land Conservancy and Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation.

Western Reserve Land Conservancy and Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation are partnering for the sixth consecutive year to offer grants up to $5,000 through the Dominion Energy Watershed Mini Grant program to groups working to protect water quality.

“We are extremely grateful and excited to once again partner with Dominion Energy to support the important and innovative work of watershed groups across the state,” said Rich Cochran, president and CEO of the Land Conservancy. “Ohio’s watershed groups are critical to protecting the health of Ohio’s freshwater resources. No matter where you live, you live in a watershed. Ensuring that water is clean and healthy is important for everyone.”

Funding will be made available to eligible watershed groups in the following categories:

  • Marketing, Promotions and Outreach Projects: Grants will be made for marketing and educational outreach projects (maximum request $1,500)
  • Healthy Watershed Projects: Grants will be made for restoration or water quality enhancement projects (maximum request $2,500)
  • Spotlight Project: A special grant award, up to $5,000, will be made in support of a larger water quality or restoration project. To be considered, projects must include at least 10 percent matching funds and be located in the overlapping service areas of Dominion Energy and the Land Conservancy. Counties eligible for the Spotlight Project include: Ashtabula, Carroll, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Jefferson, Lake, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull and Wayne

The program, funded by Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation and administered by the nonprofit Western Reserve Land Conservancy, was established in 2015. Since then, more than $175,000 has been awarded to 38 watershed groups across the state.

“Dominion Energy is proud to partner with Western Reserve Land Conservancy for our sixth 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.”

In order to be eligible for grant funding, an organization must be a watershed group based in one of the counties served by Western Reserve Land Conservancy or Dominion Energy. Counties eligible for the Marketing, Promotions and Outreach Projects, and Healthy Watershed Projects include: Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Auglaize, Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Guernsey, Hardin, Harrison, Holmes, Huron, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Mercer, Monroe, Muskingum, Noble, Ottawa, Paulding, Portage, Putnam, Sandusky, Shelby, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Van Wert, Washington, Wayne and Wood.

The applicant must also be a qualified nonprofit, tax-exempt organization with a Federal Tax ID Number or be working with a qualified fiscal sponsor – a nonprofit or a county soil and water conservation district. New applicants must contact Western Reserve Land Conservancy to discuss their project to ensure eligibility. Returning applicants and past grant recipients are free to submit applications providing all previous grant projects are in progress or reporting requirements fulfilled.

Last year’s award recipients include:

  • 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

Applications are available online here.

Applications sent to:

Email: kchittock@wrlandconservancy.org

U.S. Postal Service:
Dominion Energy Watershed Mini Grant Program
c/o Western Reserve Land Conservancy
3850 Chagrin River Road
Moreland Hills, OH 44022

Questions? Please contact Kendrick Chittock at 440-528-4150 or kchittock@wrlandconservancy.org

Top