If you have volunteers out in the streams, then you have until April 15 to apply for a whopping big grant to strengthen your organization and its outreach efforts. YSI Corporation, which manufactures scientific instruments used in our work, has a philanthropic arm that will award a “Minding the Planet” grant of $60,000 to an organization that demonstrates a need for capacity building in a volunteer monitoring organization, whose work focuses on activities throughout an entire watershed.

The YSI Foundation defines capacity building as any of the following:
1. Assistance with staffing, or
2. The development or enhancement of outreach and training programs, or
3. Infrastructure development.

I’m not sure how YSI defines “outreach” but I’m sure you’ll come up with some good uses. To learn more, click here.

Hat tip to L.G. for spotting the opportunity.

Heads up to readers in the Pacific Northwest — the Bullitt Foundation is calling for grant applications for programs to “to inform, organize, and engage diverse groups of people to protect the environment.” The next deadline for a letter of inquiry is March 15.

The Foundation is explicit about its willingness to fund lots of efforts that other foundations shy away from:

• Polls
• Media Training
• Fundraising
• Voter education campaigns
• Electronic communications
• And more

Click here for more information.

And as long as we’re on the subject of money… there’s only 5 days left to make a donation to the “Conservation Communicator Convalescence Fund” (You knew I’d come with up with an alliteration sooner or later, I just can’t help myself). As you know, one of my regular readers is quite ill and could really use your moral and financial support to get through this difficult time. A number of you have already pitched in, and I’m super grateful! Even the smallest contribution will warm her heart, and mine. Please give today!

Heads up Arizona readers: The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is accepting applications for grants for “education projects that ultimately reduce nonpoint source pollution in Arizona.”

 Would they accept social marketing ”education?” I don’t know. Interested in running a campaign, but don’t know where to start? Drop me a line or give me a call. 

Deadline for pre-proposals is 2/28. Click here for the full scoop.

I’m back at my computer after spending a week in the Caribbean goofing off, and I’m going through the thousand + email messages that stacked up in my absence.

Here are a few tidbits worth relaying:

National Forest Foundation “Collaboration Support Program” Grant Oppotunity
The National Forest Foundation, in partership with the Surdna Foundation, is distributing grants of up to $5,000 to nonprofit organizations under the auspices of its “Collaboration Support Program.” The notice specifically references both watershed management and community outreach and communications, so this has potential for you.

Grants are available only to formally established nonprofit organizations that can demonstrate their involvement in some kind of collaborative community project related to a national forest or grassland and the waters found there. The good news is that if you meet those very specific criteria, the program is otherwise very flexible — no matching funds are required and the grantee can use the funds for both projects and planning, and to hire consultants.

Applications are due 10/26. Click here to learn more about the Collaboration Support Program.

NOAA’s Chesapeake B-WET Grant Program
Better act fast if you want in on this action, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is soliciting proposals for environmental education projects in the Chesapeake Bay region. Applications are due on October 19 and can be for as much as $75,000, it seems. Click here to learn more.

Environmental Communication for Behavior Change.
Duke University’s Environmental Leadership Program will be running an online course on environmental “social marketing” from 1/15 to 2/24 — persuading everyday citizens to change their polluting and wasteful ways using commercial marketing techniques. The course will be lead by Brian Day, executive director of the North American Association for Environmental Education. I spoke on a panel once with him and he’s very good. I might sign up for this one myself.

Click here to learn more, or write del@nicholas.duke.edu

Clean Water for the Future-Will Georgia’s New Water Plan Provide Enough Clean Water for the Future?
That’s the title of a symposium that some Georgia conservation groups held last week to focus attention on the state’s forthcoming water plan. It’s chock full of water words that work! Good job, guys! This is a powerful way to set up the discussion.

Click here to see the agenda.