The
Sacramento County Stormwater Quality Program is accepting applications for the 2018-19 Watershed Stewardship and Education Grant. Each year, the Stormwater Quality Program offers schools, non-profit, and community organizations up to $2,500 for projects to help students understand the importance of keeping local creeks and rivers clean and healthy.
This is the 13th year the County is offering grants to help raise awareness about the need for protecting creeks and rivers. By collaborating with schools over the years, the County has seen positive results from students who participate in the program and show a better understanding of stormwater pollution. Expanding this program to non-profits and community groups offers another avenue to increase education.
Thirty-five schools have participated in the program. Will Rogers Middle School is one of the original participants and has taken part in the program every year since it launched in 2005.
Over the years, grant winners have completed 85 projects like creek clean ups; hands on education about Sacramento’s watershed, creeks, or rivers; eco-friendly gardens; water quality experiments to assess the health of a creek/river; and school-wide campaigns to increase awareness about stormwater pollution. Each year, grant winners submit a report to the County on their projects shows many of the students in the program gaining a better understanding of stormwater pollution and the environment.
Eligible projects must in some way protect or enhance local creeks, rivers, or watersheds. Projects will generally fall into one or more of the following categories:
- Educational Projects - Projects that inform or instruct about the aquatic ecosystem, watersheds, or stormwater pollution prevention
- School/Club Projects - Projects that can be organized by teachers, classrooms, or clubs
- Community Outreach Projects - Projects that involve and inspire the community
- Monitoring Project - Projects that measure water quality, species, or habitat
- Restoration Projects - Projects that restore or enhance riparian habitats, wetlands, creeks, or rivers
The application deadline is July 1, and the grants are awarded in August.
