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Freshwater Future 2017 Grant Recipients

Spring Project Grants

Front 40

Amount: $3500

Project Title: Technical Review of Aquila Resources Wetlands Permit for Back Forty Project

Project Description: Front 40 will use funding to complete a technical review for Aquila Resources open pit mine wetlands permit. The assistance will help them understand and develop questions for the Department of Environmental Quality and Environmental Protection Agency during the permitting process.

 

Michigan United

Amount: $2510

Project Title: Sacrifice Zone: What?s in the Water we Drink?

Project Description: To address concerns of foul-smelling water and pipes that often break adjacent to an industrial facility, Michigan United will use funds to have water tested in homes and the Rouge River to learn if their water is in fact contaminated.

 

Native American Educational Technologies, Inc.

Amount: $3500

Project Title: Emergency Action: Save the Wisconsin Metallic Sulfide Mining Moratorium

Project Description: Wisconsin is on the verge of rolling back the Metallic Sulfide Mining Moratorium. Native American Educational Technologies will use funding to live-stream video broadcast all actions related to this effort, as well as produce information to the tribes and their neighbors to inform them and encourage them to participate.

 

People’s Water Board Coalition Detroit

Amount: $3000

Project Title: Travel and Hosting Support for International Social Movement Gathering on Water

Project Description: People?s Water Board of Detroit is co-sponsoring the 2nd International Gathering of Social Movements on Water. Funding will support this event, which brings together local, regional, national and international groups working on the human right to clean, accessible, affordable water and preservation of water sources. Through providing assistance to low income, resource-limited participants, this grant will help facilitate well rounded representation at the event.

 

Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network Inc

Amount: $2000

Project Title: Pike River Streambank Restoration at Petrifying Springs Park: Public Targeted Advocacy Tours

Project Description: To aid in the Kenosha County Parks Department?s large-scale streambank restoration project on the Pike River, Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network will use funds to lead tours of the sites, increasing citizen engagement and action on the restoration project, as well as future projects.

 

White Lake Environmental Network

Amount: $2000

Project Title: Creating an Interactive Decision-Making Tool for Citizen Advocacy on White Lake?s Contaminated Sites

Project Description: White Lake Environmental Council will use funds to work with a contractor to develop an online tool to house tracking information on property ownership, zone permits, alterations to remedial plans, and NPDES permits so that community input and decision makers have the same information.

 

Lake Erie Collaborative Grants

Alliance for the Great Lakes

Amount: $70000

Project Title: Lake Erie Collective

Project Description: Alliance for the Great Lakes will take part in the collaborative grant with Freshwater Future, Ohio Environmental Council, Canadian Freshwater Alliance, Environmental Defence, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, and National Wildlife Federation include strengthening regional communications on Lake Erie.

 

Environmental Defence Canada

Amount: $41400

Project Title: The Lake Erie Collective’s 2017 Campaign

Project Description: Environmental Defence’s part in the collaborative grant with Freshwater Future, Alliance for the Great Lakes, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Canadian Freshwater Alliance, Ohio Environmental Council, and National Wildlife Federation includes implementing a communications and engagement strategy to build public momentum for action on Lake Erie in Ontario.

 

Freshwater Future Canada

Amount: $10000

Project Title: The Lake Erie Collective’s 2017 Campaign

Project Description: Freshwater Future Canada’s part in the collaborative grant with Freshwater Future, Alliance for the Great Lakes, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Environmental Defence, Ohio Environmental Council, and National Wildlife Federation includes building its database of Lake Erie supporters.

 

Michigan League of Conservation  Voters

Amount: $67500

Project Title: Lake Erie Collective

Project Description: Michigan League of Conservation Voter’s part in the collaborative grant with Freshwater Future, Alliance for the Great Lakes, Canadian Freshwater Alliance, Environmental Defence, Michigan League of Conservation Voters and National Wildlife Federation includes determining a strategy for achieving policy goals in Michigan (as identified in the proposal) thought legislative and state executive action.

 

National Wildlife Federation

Amount: $15000

Project Title: Lake Erie Collective

Project Description: National Wildlife Federation’s part in the collaborative grant with Freshwater Future, Ohio Environmental Council, Canadian Freshwater Alliance, Environmental Defence, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, and Alliance for the Great Lakes includes strengthening regional communications on Lake Erie

 

Ohio Environmental Council

Amount: $32500

Project Title: The Lake Erie Collective’s 2017 Campaign

Project Description: Ohio Environmental Council’s part in the collaborative grant with Freshwater Future, Alliance for the Great Lakes, Canadian Freshwater Alliance, Environmental Defence, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, and National Wildlife Federation includes determining a strategy for achieving policy goals in Ohio (as identified in the proposal) through legislative and state executive action.

 

Tides Canada Initiative Society

Amount: $30000

Project Title: The Lake Erie Collective’s 2017 Campaign

Project Description: Canadian Freshwater Alliance, a project of Tides Canada Initiatives Society’s part in the collaborative grant with Freshwater Future, Alliance for the Great Lakes, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Environmental Defence, Ohio Environmental Council, and National Wildlife Federation includes implementing an education and engagement strategy to build public momentum for action on Lake Erie in Ontario.

Fall Project Grants

Blacks in Green

Amount: $2000

Project Title: Community Benefits Agreement work for land and water accountability to Obama-Library neighbors

Project Description: Grant funds will assist Blacks In Green to work on the Obama Library South Side Community Benefits Agreement process to address impacts of constructing and operating the library – including shoreline modifications, chemical fertilizers, and water retention ponds.

 

Coalition to Save the Menominee River, Ltd

Amount: $1500

Project Title: Building Voices for the Protection of Aquatic Habitat on the Menominee River

Project Description: The Coalition to Save the Menominee River will use grants funds to help build their base of advocates who will participate and take action on issues protecting their water – the Menominee River.

 

Highway J Citizens Group

Amount: $2750

Project Title: Grassroots Initiative to Stop an Environmentally-Destructive Road Expansion Project in Wisconsin

Project Description: Highway J Citizens Group will use funds to continue their efforts to stop wetland destruction from the proposed Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Highway 164 four lane expansion in Washington and Waukesha Counties.

 

Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy

Amount: $2000

Project Title: The Lake Superior Shoreline Stewardship Project

Project Description: Through the “Shoreline Stewards” project, Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy will use funds to establish a network of volunteers who will act as experts in cottage lot use – from proper maintenance of septic systems to knowledge of native vegetation for shorelines and more.

 

WaterLegacy

Amount: $2750

Project Title: Oppose PolyMet Sulfide Mine State Permits

Project Description: WaterLegacy will use funding to protect Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters from mining impacts. They will engage citizens through tabling, media and contacts to participate in the permitting process.

Special Opportunity Grants

We The People of Detroit

Amount: $5000

Project Title: Creating Water Stations in Flint

Project Description: We the People of Detroit will set up a Water Rights Hotline, Water Stations and Emergency Water Drops for the elderly and disabled in Flint.

 

Community Based Organization Partners

Amount: $3000

Project Title: Building Relationships and Collaboration for Water Issue Advocacy

Project Description: Community based Organization Partners will work to build a relationship with invited participants – The City of Flint, Genesee County Health Departments, Sierra Club Michigan, University of Michigan Public Health, Water We Fighting For, We the People of Detroit and others – to create a collaboration for advocacy related to water issues.

 

EcoWorks

Amount: $2000

Project Title: Roadmap to Water Security Report

Project Description: With the help of the University of Michigan’s master’s students, EcoWorks will research and document the social costs of municipal water costs to advocate for water affordability.

 

EcoWorks

Amount: $1000

Project Title: Going Blue & Going Green

Project Description: Funding will assist the Youth Energy Squad to create posters highlighting information about green infrastructure, stormwater management, water quality, and the Great lakes to increase public awareness and build support.

 

Flint Development Center

Amount: $5000

Project Title: Connecting Flint Youth with Positive Water Interactions through Gardening

Project Description: The Flint Development Center will use funds to assist youth in planning, building, maintaining, and harvesting food gardens while incorporating an understanding of the water they’ll use and impact they have on the water system.

 

“All About Water” Participants

Amount: $1500

Project Title: Travel Scholarships for All About Water Participants

Project Description: Freshwater Future held a meeting February 1, 2017 for organizations and individuals in Flint and Detroit  who have a deep desire to improve the quality and accessibility of water in their communities. Travel scholarships were awarded in the amount of $300 to 5 people who requested assistance to be there.

 

Genesee County Hispanic/Latino Collaborative

Amount: $10000

Project Title: Water Shut-Off Prevention Program

Project Description: Genesee County Hispanic/Latino Collaborative will develop a program to help prevent water shut-offs before they occur. Additionally, they will assist local residents in developing plans for reconnecting if there has been a shut off.

 

Genesee County Hispanic/Latino Collaborative

Amount: $5000

Project Title: Genesee County Hispanic/Latino Collaborative Relocation Project

Project Description: Funds will assist the Genesse County Hispanic/Latino Collaborative with relocation expenses resulting from the sale of their current office space. Costs incurred could include rental space, moving costs, water hookup, etc. The relocation will be necessary so that they may continue to ensure resident on the east side of Flint will continue to have access to safe water, information about water safety and availability and assistance with heath care needs related to contaminated water.

 

Saugtuck Dunes Costal Alliance

Amount: $3500

Project Title: The Saugatuck Dunes: Building a Balanced Solution

Project Description: Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance will use grant funds for their project to create alternative designs that wouold minimize the environmental impacts of a proposed permit for excavation of a marina channel on the northshore of the mouth of the Kalamzoo River.

 

We The People of Detroit

Amount: $3500

Project Title: Inaugural Women?s Convention ? Water Issues in Flint and Detroit

Project Description: Will the People of Detroit will assist 12 women in attending the Inaugural Women?s Convention in Detroit, where they will have an opportunity to raise the profile and knowledge of water issues among women actively working for change in Detroit, Flint, and across the country.

Insight Grants

All Hands on Deck

Amount: $3000

Project Title: All Hands on Deck Developing Communications

Project Description: Freshwater Future will provide assistance developing a campaign plan as part of the All Hands on Deck event. In addition, Freshwater Future will provide organizational development for the new organization.

 

Blacks in Green

Amount: $4000

Project Title: Coaching and Consulting – Capacity assistance for technology, bookkeeping and fundraising

Project Description: Freshwater Future will work with Blacks in Green as they work to secure funding, transition to a new email server, and update their bookkeeping system.

 

Chandler Park Conservancy

Amount: $2250

Project Title: Stormwater Curriculum and Fundraising Strategy

Project Description: Freshwater Future and Chandler Park Conservancy will work together to research curricula to engage residents in stormwater education that will increase behaviors and actions that reduce runoff and benefit residents. Additionally, we will create a fundraising strategy for Chandler Park Conservancy.

 

Friends of Conservation

Amount: $2025

Project Title: Friends of Conservation Review of Organizational Operations

Project Description: Friends of Conservation will review key organizational plans, policies and procedures with Freshwater Future Staff. Additionally, Freshwater Future will provide assistance with organizational messaging once the operations are clarified.

 

Genesee County Hispanic/Latino Collaborative

Amount: $4000

Project Title: Genesee County Hispanic/Latino Collaborative Fundraising Planning and Assistance

Project Description: Freshwater Future will work with the Genesee County Hispanic/Latino Collaborative to develop sources of income and a fundraising strategy.

 

Huronia Land Conservancy

Amount: $3000

Project Title: Huronia Land Conservancy Strategic Planning

Project Description: Huronia Land Conservancy and Freshwater Future will work to create a strategic plan for the organization. Through reviewing existing documents and conducting surveys and other work, Huronia Land Conservancy will have a new strategic plan.

 

Huronia Land Conservancy

Amount: $1500

Project Title: Huronia Land Conservancy Fundraising Plan

Project Description: Freshwater Future and Huronia Land Conservancy will create a fundraising plan based on the outcomes of their strategic plan.

 

Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy

Amount: $2250

Project Title: Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy Fundraising Plan

Project Description: Freshwater Future and Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy will work together to create and business and fundraising plan for Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy

 

Mid Michigan Land Conservancy

Amount: $3000

Project Title: Mid-Michigan Land Conservancy Fundraising and Staff Plan

Project Description: Freshwater Future will assist Mid-Michigan Land Conservancy to develop both a fundraising and staffing plan for the organization.

 

Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust

Amount: $3750

Project Title: Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust Strategic Planning

Project Description: Develop a Strategic Planning Process that will guide and focus the work of the organization through clear benchmarks and timelines. The process will also be designed to bring the board and staff members to a clear understanding and agreement of the vision and mission of the organization.

Raven Hill Discovery Center

Amount: $3000

Project Title: Raven Hill Business Plan and Fundraising Plan

Project Description: Freshwater Future and Raven Hill Discovery center will work together to develop a business plan that will aid Raven Hill in ensuring stability for their organization, as well as fundraising planning to assist.

 

Rogue River Watershed Partners

Amount: $2250

Project Title: Rogue River Watershed Partners Fundraising Plan

Project Description: Rogue River Watershed Partners and Freshwater Future will work together to develop a fundraising plan for Rogue River Watershed Partners.

 

St. Louis River Alliance

Amount: $1500

Project Title: St Louis River Alliance Planning and Management Structure

Project Description: Freshwater Future will help St Louis River Alliance plan and develop a management plan for the St Louis River Estuary Water Trail.

Healing Our Waters Grants

Conservation Resource Alliance

Amount: $7500

Project Title: Restoring Connectivity in the North Platte River

Project Description: Conservation Resource Alliance will use funds to support restoring connectivity to the North Branch Platte River. Funding will support project management and monitoring costs so that they can have engineered designs and approved permits to prepare proposals to GLRI funders.

 

Conservation Resource Alliance

Amount: $5000

Project Title: Benzie River Care — Building Resilient Coldwater Streams

Project Description: Grant Funds will be used to assist with preliminary design, cost estimate, and permitting work to prepare for GLRI proposals that will complete on-the-ground restoration work in the next phase of the Benzie River Care Initiative.

 

Conservation Resource Alliance

Amount: $5000

Project Title: Boardman River ReBorn Part 2

Project Description: An additional $5000 to our current HOW capacity funding will allow CRA, to continue coordination services to convene the Project Implementation Team (IT), and work groups under our current scope of work, outreach and communication to the local community and support additional GLRI funding applications as needed to complete the dam removal project.

 

Ducks Unlimited, Inc.

Amount: $12895

Project Title: Wetland Habitat Restoration in the Lake Michigan Watershed

Project Description: Ducks Unlimited will use funds to secure work with partners needed to finalize and submit phase two of the proposal for Green Bay to Marquette, a North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant.

 

Grand Rapids Whitewater

Amount: $15000

Project Title: Grand River Revitalization and Rapids Restoration Project

Project Description: Grant funds will allow Grand Rapids Whitewater to address the Environmental Protection Agency?s feedback from previous applications to improve and create a competitive grant application for their adjustable hydraulic structure to control lamprey, allowing their larger rapids restoration project to move forward.

 

Milwaukee Riverkeeper

Amount: $9237.5

Project Title: Underwood Creek Downtown Daylighting Project

Project Description: Grant funds support the writing and project design components of a funding proposal with the Sustain Our Great Lakes initiative. The project creates 1,600 linear feet of bio-engineered channel, relocating Underwood Creek from an enclosed culvert and restoring natural hydraulic function, improving habitat for fish and waterfowl species.

 

Muskegon County Environmental Coordinating Council

Amount: $9237.5

Project Title: Little Flower Creek Aquatic Habitat Improvement Project

Project Description: Muskegon County Environmental Coordinating Council will use grant funds for scientific monitoring of the aquatic habitat in Little Flower Creek, a designated coldwater stream. This data will help them prepare a grant application for a GLRI Habitat and Species focused grant.

 

Muskegon Sportfishing Association

Amount: $6250

Project Title: ShoreLive Fish Habitat

Project Description: Muskegon Sportfishing Association will use funds to engage planners, engineers and grant writers to produce grant applications for federal funding to establish new fish habitat and facilities in Muskegon Lake.

 

Trout Unlimited

Amount: $19880

Project Title: Continue Restoration and Reconnection of Northwest Michigan Rivers

Project Description: Grant funds will allow Trout Unlimited to collect data and information on priority road/stream crossings to help develop restoration plans and culvert replacement designs to support larger federal project proposals to restore priority coldwater stream habitat in the Lake Michigan basin.

Great Lakes Network Grants

Clean Wisconsin

Amount: $10000

Project Title: Coalition to Protect Waters and Residents from Toxic PAHs

Project Description: This subnetwork is focusing on PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), which are used in pavement sealant products and are shown to be toxic in the environment. The subnetwork will work together at the urban municipal government level to educate municipal leaders on the dangers of PAHs, urge proactive policy to limit their use; and build support for state legislation to prohibit its use.

 

Community Based Organization Partners

Amount: $10000

Project Title: Flint-Detroit Healthy, Affordable Water Regional Coalition

Project Description: This subnetwork will focus on creating community members and leaders who are able to identify policy windows, work with decision-makers, and take advantage of these opportunities as they arise in relation to water issues in Detroit and Flint.

 

Freshwater Future Canada

Amount: $3574

Project Title: Monitoring Fracking in the Great Lakes

Project Description: Ontario recently amended a law that opens up the possibility of allowing fracking.  In addition, the bottom lands under the Canadian portion of Lake Erie have been leased by private companies.  Across the border in the US, fracking has been going on for nearly a decade in several Great Lakes states and there is variability in the strength and enforcement of state regulations.  Fracking has caused contamination of surface and drinking water in Pennsylvania, and earthquakes from injecting fracking wastewater in Ohio.   The first permit application for fracking in Illinois was recently submitted. The only state in the region that has banned fracking is New York.  The current US federal administration has stated intentions to weaken existing federal regulations on oil and gas development, putting our air and water at risk.

 

Kalamazoo Nature Center

Amount: $10000

Project Title: Community Climate Change Solutions

Project Description: Local groups will work together on climate change adaptation solutions and advocating for local policies that will promote improved adaptation to the effects of climate change. The groups will use the subnetwork to share information, ideas and lessons on adaptation. This will help build towards creating relationships and collaborations on more specific areas of focus such as on green credits or green infrastructure.

 

Lake Ontario Waterkeeper

Amount: $10000

Project Title: Public Reporting, Improved Data-sharing, and Elimination of Great Lakes Sewage Spills

Project Description: This subnetwork is working to build a strong policy foundation for securing basin-wide tracking and near real-time reporting of combined sewage spills for Ontario. They will work together to write a model policy which will be compared and contrasted to US experience and knowledge.

 

Minnesota Environmental Partnership

Amount: $10000

Project Title: Great Lakes Mining Watch

Project Description: There are a number of new sulfide and other metallic mining proposals throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. This subnetwork will work together to increase the connectivity of organizations working on this issue, improve information sharing, map and track progress of these mining activities and work and develop a better grasp of connections between state mining policies.

 

National Wildlife Federation

Amount: $10000

Project Title: Great Lakes Aquaculture

Project Description: This subnetwork will focus on avoiding new potential legislation and policies that would streamline the permitting of commercial net pen aquaculture directly in our Great Lakes. NWF will lead the coordinating of a coalition to develop a campaign strategy, secure sponsors to introduce legislation to prohibit aquaculture, and defend against any streamlining efforts.

 

Resource Library for the Environment and the Law

Amount: $10000

Project Title: Toxic-free Great Lakes

Project Description: This subnetwork is working to prevent harmful chemicals entering the Great Lakes, particularly radionuclides and sulfates. They will do this by ensuring management strategies developed under Annex 3 of the GLWQA adequately support the prevention and virtual elimination of chemicals of mutual concern. In the longer term, the vision is to continue collaborating on other chemicals under review including PCBs and HBCDs.

 

We The People of Detroit

Amount: $10000

Project Title: Michigan Healthy, Affordable Water and Water Infrastructure Solutions Network

Project Description: This subnetwork will focus on bringing scholars, activists and health professionals together from the Detroit and Flint region to help facilitate Michigan Healthy, Affordable Water and Water Infrastructure Solutions.