Grants for County governments - Natural Resources

This program provides financial assistance to local governments and agencies for cleaning up illegal waste sites along public roads and ditches.

This program provides funding to landowners and organizations in California to protect and conserve rangeland, grazing land, and grassland through conservation easements, promoting sustainable land use practices.

The City of Chico Arts Grant Program aims to support local arts organizations and artists, enabling them to offer high-quality arts and cultural work, performances, and exhibitions to the Chico community. This program aligns with a mission to enhance community engagement in the arts and ensure accessibility for all residents. The grants are intended to act as "seed" monies, fostering new projects and initiatives rather than providing ongoing operational support, thereby encouraging artistic innovation and community enrichment. The target beneficiaries include nonprofit arts and cultural organizations operating within the city of Chico with a two-year history of producing or presenting, as well as individual artists applying under the sponsorship of an eligible 501(c)3 nonprofit. The program specifically emphasizes inclusive service to broad, diverse, and underserved populations, including those lacking access due to geographic, economic, cultural, social, or physical reasons. The impact goals center on increasing community access to and engagement in arts and cultural experiences, fostering artistic rigor, and demonstrating strong community support for the arts. The program prioritizes projects that deliver or support opportunities for community engagement, demonstrate artistic rigor and thoughtful planning, show strong community support, and provide inclusive service to diverse and underserved populations. "Diversity" is defined broadly to include differences in ability, age, belief, culture, ethnicity, gender, language, race, and sexual orientation. Funds can be used for various purposes, including projects, events, exhibitions, performances, or capital improvement and equipment projects that enhance an organization's capacity to deliver arts and cultural services. Expected outcomes include a more vibrant and accessible arts scene within Chico, with a greater number of community members participating in and benefiting from arts and cultural activities. Measurable results could involve tracking the number of projects supported, the diversity of audiences reached, and the demonstrated community engagement and support for funded initiatives. While not explicitly stated as a "theory of change," the program's strategy implicitly posits that by providing targeted funding to local arts entities, it can cultivate a richer cultural environment, foster community cohesion, and ensure equitable access to artistic expression, thereby enhancing the overall quality of life in Chico. The grant's duration of one year and the requirement for matching funds underscore a strategic approach to maximize impact and encourage local investment in the arts.

The LA2050 Grants Challenge, an initiative by the Goldhirsh Foundation, is an open call for innovative ideas to enhance Los Angeles as a place to learn, create, play, connect, and live. This program directly aligns with the foundation's mission to drive progress and change the future course of the region by addressing issues Angelenos care most about. Through this challenge, LA2050 seeks to foster a vibrant and equitable Los Angeles by empowering organizations that are committed to making a tangible difference in the community. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are the residents of Los Angeles County, with a particular focus on addressing challenges faced by various vulnerable populations. The impact goals are broad and aim to create measurable improvements across several critical issue areas. These include increasing access to creative industry employment, addressing affordable housing and homelessness, improving community safety, expanding green spaces and park access, enhancing healthcare access, supporting immigrants and refugees, reducing income inequality, advancing K-12 STEAM education, creating opportunities for previously incarcerated individuals, promoting play equity for mental health, improving public transit, and supporting foster and systems-impacted youth, and youth economic advancement. LA2050 prioritizes and focuses on bold ideas that will yield measurable wins for the LA region, emphasizing a spirit of collaboration and a desire to unify and amplify collective efforts. A clear focus on inclusion, diversity of voices, and equity is paramount. The program also seeks to support efforts that not only produce positive results but are also dedicated to increasing local engagement and civic participation, as well as those willing to test new strategies. This approach reflects the foundation's strategic priority to invest in innovative solutions that have the potential for widespread and lasting positive change. Expected outcomes and measurable results include a total of $1 million being awarded to 15 organizations, with grant amounts ranging from $50,000 to $75,000, over a one-year period. Beyond direct funding, LA2050 commits to a one-year partnership with winning organizations, leveraging its resources, assets, and networks to help projects succeed. This includes increased awareness and exposure for projects, deeper understanding of LA’s social impact landscape, opportunities to cultivate new relationships, and visibility in front of other foundations, with past challenges resulting in over $6.5 million in additional grants. The theory of change is that by strategically investing in and partnering with these organizations, LA2050 and the Goldhirsh Foundation can collectively drive significant progress for the region, fostering a more connected, equitable, and thriving Los Angeles for all its residents.

The Anderson County Watershed Protection Council is offering grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 for projects that protect or restore water quality in the Savannah River watershed, increase citizen awareness, and empower communities to collect and share water quality data, with priority given to proposals closest to the spill site.

This funding opportunity supports Minnesota livestock and specialty crop producers in improving their resilience to extreme weather through the purchase of equipment and supplies.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR) is offering its Community Forestry Grant Program, a state-funded initiative designed to support community-based tree planting for derecho recovery. This program is rooted in the Iowa Legislature's appropriation of state infrastructure funds, specifically earmarked for urban and community forestry services. The core mission of this grant program aligns with enhancing Iowa's natural environment and aiding in the recovery of communities affected by derecho events through strategic tree planting on public lands. The primary beneficiaries of this grant are state and local government entities, schools, volunteer organizations, and service organizations actively involved with local urban and community forest services. The overarching impact goal is to facilitate the purchase and planting of trees on publicly owned lands across Iowa, contributing to environmental restoration and community resilience following natural disasters. Eligible planting areas include, but are not limited to, street right-of-ways, parks, school grounds, courthouse lawns, public buildings, fairgrounds, cemeteries, libraries, and trails, ensuring broad community access to the benefits of reforestation. Grant priorities emphasize several key areas to maximize impact and ensure effective resource allocation. Priority will be given to projects demonstrating clear need stemming from derecho impact, cost-effectiveness through a $1 for $1 cash match, robust community involvement, alignment with Tree City/Campus/Line USA designation, and a focus on species/genera diversity and environmental impact. These priorities reflect a strategic approach to fostering sustainable urban and community forests, promoting ecological health, and encouraging local engagement in environmental stewardship. The expected outcomes of the Community Forestry Grant Program include the successful planting of a diverse range of suitable trees across publicly owned lands in Iowa. Measurable results will be tied to the number of trees planted, the extent of community involvement, and the degree to which projects address the specified priorities, particularly in derecho-affected and EAB Reforestation eligible counties. The program's strategic priorities are centered on recovery, environmental enhancement, and community engagement, working towards a theory of change where targeted tree planting leads to stronger, more resilient communities and improved ecological well-being throughout the state. The grants, ranging from $500 to $10,000, are specifically for the purchase and planting of trees, with special requests for other landscape plantings requiring detailed justification.

The Climate Smart Communities (CSC) grant program, administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), offers funding to municipalities to tackle greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and climate change adaptation at a local level. The program is designed to align with broader environmental conservation goals by fostering resilience and reducing environmental impact within New York State communities. It supports projects that either reduce GHG emissions or adapt to the changing climate, directly contributing to a more sustainable future for the state's residents and natural resources. The primary beneficiaries of this program are municipalities across New York State, including counties, cities, towns, villages, and boroughs. The grant aims to reduce risks from climate hazards and decrease GHG emissions, ultimately improving the quality of life and environmental safety for residents. The impact goals are centered on building local capacity to respond to climate change, whether through direct implementation projects or through certification activities that enhance planning and assessment capabilities. The program prioritizes projects that fall into two main categories: Implementation and Certification. Implementation projects are further divided into GHG Mitigation (e.g., reduction of vehicle miles traveled, organic waste, refrigerant management, renewable energy in low-income housing) and Climate Adaptation (reducing risks to residents, infrastructure, and/or natural resources from changing climate hazards). Certification projects focus on assessments, inventories, and planning activities that help municipalities achieve or work towards certified Climate Smart Community status. Projects must demonstrate an ability to identify, mitigate, and/or adapt to climate change vulnerability and risk or demonstrate potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Expected outcomes include a measurable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through various mitigation strategies and a meaningful decrease in climate-related risks for residents, infrastructure, and natural resources. For certification projects, the expected outcome is an increased local capacity to respond to climate change, leading to more informed planning and future grant applications. The grant explicitly states that implementation projects must have a minimum useful life of 10 years, ensuring long-term impact. The strategic priority is to empower local governments to take concrete actions against climate change, with a clear theory of change that by funding targeted projects and capacity-building efforts, the state can achieve significant environmental improvements and enhance community resilience.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to state and tribal governments in New Mexico for projects focused on ecosystem restoration, wildfire management, and improving water resources on public lands.

This grant provides funding to various organizations in New Jersey to promote sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship through community gardens and conservation education in urban and underserved areas.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is offering Regular Urban Forestry Grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 to cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits in Wisconsin for projects that enhance community tree management, maintenance, or education, including tree inventory, urban forestry plans, pest response, public outreach, and tree planting.

This funding opportunity provides $750,000 to Minnesota communities for projects that enhance resilience against climate impacts on stormwater, wastewater, and public health services.

The Healthy Environment, Healthy Communities Grant Program is a funding initiative by the Chesapeake Bay Trust that supports projects by various organizations to address environmental and public health issues through education, small-scale greening, and large-scale restoration in specific areas affected by wastewater treatment plants and energy companies.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to various organizations for projects that promote the use of wood products and energy, enhance forest health, and stimulate economic growth in forested communities across the U.S.

The Michigan Office of the Environmental Justice Public Advocate in the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) offers the Environmental Justice (EJ) Impact Grant program. This program is designed to reduce environmental health burdens and impacts within Michigan’s Environmental Justice communities. The core mission of this grant aligns with the broader goal of promoting environmental equity and public health, particularly in areas disproportionately affected by environmental issues. The primary target beneficiaries of this program are residents within Michigan’s Environmental Justice communities. The overarching impact goal is to positively affect these residents by funding place-based and equity-focused projects. This direct focus on communities facing environmental injustice ensures that the grant addresses critical needs where they are most prevalent, aiming for tangible improvements in their living environments and health outcomes. The program prioritizes several key areas for funding. These include community improvement projects aimed at enhancing public health, initiating or expanding monitoring of background pollution levels in air, water, or soil (with air monitoring equipment classified as air quality sensors and not for regulatory use), new or improved equipment or management techniques to improve indoor air quality in schools, and the remediation/redevelopment of contaminated or blighted sites. These priorities reflect a comprehensive approach to environmental justice, addressing both pollution and its direct impacts on community well-being. Expected outcomes include measurable improvements in public health through community projects, enhanced understanding of pollution levels via monitoring, better indoor air quality in schools, and the revitalization of environmentally degraded areas. The program has a total of $20,000,000 available, with a maximum of $500,000 per applicant. This substantial funding allows for significant, impactful projects. Eligible applicants include federally recognized Tribes, community-based non-profit organizations (including grassroots and frontline organizations), schools, institutions of higher education, and local governments, reflecting a strategic approach to engage diverse stakeholders in achieving environmental justice.

This program provides financial assistance to local public agencies and water suppliers in California for projects that develop new potable water supplies through desalination of brackish water and seawater.

The Anderson Water Council is currently accepting applications for grants focused on the protection and remediation of water resources within Anderson County, specifically within Georgia and South Carolina. This grant program is designed to align with the Anderson Water Council's mission to assist Savannah Riverkeeper and Upstate Forever in identifying, prioritizing, and funding projects that empower citizens to address existing and emerging threats to water resources. The core objective is to restore water quality in the impacted areas of the Savannah River watershed. The target beneficiaries for this grant funding include not-for-profit charitable corporations or trusts authorized to operate in South Carolina or Georgia with a mission aligned with the Water Council's goals. Additionally, the Georgia and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Forestry Commissions, and Departments of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism are eligible. Educators, municipalities, school systems, and any agency, commission, or instrumentality of such a municipality in the impacted areas are also encouraged to apply. The impact goals are centered on empowering local communities to take action and collect and publicly share water quality data, ultimately leading to improved water quality. The program prioritizes projects that empower local communities to actively participate in water resource management, particularly those focused on data collection and public sharing of water quality information. Funding is also available for water restoration projects. The Water Council is particularly interested in initiatives that foster citizen engagement and education around water resource issues. The expected outcomes include a more engaged citizenry, increased awareness of water quality threats, and the implementation of effective water restoration efforts. Measurable results for citizen empowerment and education projects typically see average individual grant awards ranging from $10,000 to $50,000, while water restoration projects can receive up to $100,000. Grants may also include multi-year awards, not exceeding three years. The Anderson Water Council's strategic priority is to support initiatives that contribute directly to the restoration and protection of the Savannah River watershed, with a strong emphasis on community-led solutions and data-driven approaches. Their theory of change suggests that by empowering local communities with funding and support for data collection and restoration, significant improvements in water quality and resource protection can be achieved.

This funding opportunity supports projects that improve public health and the environment in communities disproportionately affected by pollution and environmental issues across Colorado.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations and government entities in Philadelphia to plant and care for at least 35,000 trees by 2035, focusing on community engagement and environmental equity.

This grant provides financial support to state, local, and tribal governments, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations for projects that promote healthy aquatic habitats and water resources on public lands.