Grand Isle, VT – The Lake Champlain Basin Program is offering emergency funding to watershed organizations in the Lake Champlain Basin that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Grants of up to $5,000 will provide relief to groups that are struggling to maintain their daily operations during the pandemic.
The LCBP is working to make these one-time grants available quickly for immediate relief. The deadline for grant applications is April 24, 2020. Grants will be awarded by May 5. Projects must be initiated within one week of award notification and be completed within 90 days.
Organizations in New York, Vermont, and Quebec with nonprofit 501(c)(3) status and a mission statement focused on achieving water quality improvements in the Lake Champlain watershed are eligible. New York Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Vermont Natural Resource Conservation Districts are eligible.
These emergency Organizational Support grants are intended to support organizational capacity and long-term effectiveness of organizations working to implement elements of the Lake Champlain management plan Opportunities for Action during this crisis.
Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont said, “I thank Eric Howe, the Basin Program staff, the Steering Committee and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission for moving so quickly to redirect these federal investments to where they can do the most good immediately, in response to this COVID-19 emergency. These grants will help sustain local watershed organizations that might otherwise founder in these difficult times—groups that Vermont and New York need for working on our lakes and rivers for years to come.”
Julie Moore, Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, said, “Vermont appreciates the flexibility with which the Lake Champlain Basin Program is able to provide small grants to clean water organizations in a short period of time. These funds will provide crucial support to partners in the Lake Champlain basin during an extremely challenging time, making sure that the partnership between Vermont, LCBP, and clean water organizations will remain strong post-COVID-19.”
Dr. Eric Howe, LCBP Director, said, “Local organizations play a critical role in achieving water quality and habitat protection goals. It is important to the LCBP to support our communities and watershed partners, and ensure that the important work done by these groups continues during and beyond these unprecedented times.”
Susan Sullivan, Executive Director of NEIWPCC, said “NEIWPCC is once again excited to work as a program partner to LCBP in efficiently and expediently providing much-needed support to our watershed partners. We are pleased to work with the Lake Champlain Steering Committee, LCBP, and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission as we leverage our cumulative strengths to assist those who need it the most during this time.”
Since 1992, LCBP has awarded more than $10 million to more than 1,300 projects in New York and Vermont. As with all LCBP grants, applications will be evaluated by independent, volunteer reviewers.
To learn more about these grants, including examples of eligible expenses and selection criteria, please visit www.lcbp.org/grants. Electronic versions of proposals must be received by grants@lcbp.org no later than April 24, 2020.
These grants are supported by funds awarded by the Great Lakes Fishery Program to NEIWPCC on behalf of the Lake Champlain Basin Program.
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The Lake Champlain Basin Program coordinates and funds efforts that benefit the Lake Champlain Basin’s water quality, fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources. The program works in partnership with federal agencies, state and provincial agencies from New York, Vermont, and Québec, local communities, businesses, and citizen groups. NEIWPCC serves as the primary program administrator of LCBP at the request of the Lake Champlain Steering Committee, and administers the program’s personnel and finances. For further information, contact the Lake Champlain Basin Program, 54 West Shore Road, Grand Isle, VT at (802) 372-3213 / (800) 468-5227 or visit www.lcbp.org.