Impact Grant Recipients

ocean research project [md]: 1 year, $100,000 (2023)

PILOT STUDY TO GRADE CHESAPEAKE BAY’S PLASTIC POLLUTION

Ocean Research Project’s study is the first to determine particle concentration of plastic pollution across the United States’ largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay. is working toward finding a path to assess Bay-wide plastic pollution and establish a pilot project exploring plastic particle count as a water quality indicator for monitoring future Bay health. The information from this pilot project will be used inform a dedicated multi-year sampling program by the Chesapeake Bay Program partners at the federal, state, and local levels. 

Ocean Research Project is working to change human behavior by providing information about the abundance of single-use plastics and their environmental effects. Read more…

drylands agroecology research [CO]: 1 year, $100,000 (2022)

SCALED AGROECOLOGY AT YELLOW BARN FARM – A MODEL FOR REHYDRATING THE ARID WEST

The Yellow Barn Farm project is an opportunity to develop a scaled, highly visible regenerative farming success already demonstrated by DAR. Windy and exposed and variously degraded, YBF mirrors the landscape challenges throughout much of the arid West.

The purpose of the project is to create abundant and diverse economic opportunities within the context of a working regenerative farm that is self-sustaining and can incubate future projects. Yellow Barn already supports 10 people engaged in farm-related businesses and engages 150 regular visitors and customers. Critically, Yellow Barn Farm has facilities and space to host hundreds of people for events, workshops, and trainings, an important component of DAR’s mission. Read more…

CENTER FOR WATERSHED RESEARCH + SERVICE @ ST. FRANCIS UNIVERSITY [PA]: 3 years, $100,000 (2021-2024)

ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY IN REMEDIATING LEGACY IMPACTS FROM MINING IN APPALACHIA

ridge to reefs: 3 years, $100,000 (2020-2023)

Reversing the Impact of Cesspools on Hawaiian Ecosystems

Headquartered just outside Baltimore, MD, Ridge to Reefs’ Hawai’i project will define a critical path for the affordable and sustainable transition of cesspools to proper treatment systems that effectively reduce contaminants and protect beaches and critical ecosystems in Hawai’i. The Impact Grant will enable RTR to design, test, and certify a green infrastructure wastewater treatment system that utilizes vetiver grass and biochar; pilot test and monitor several of these systems in various locations in Hawai’i; and collaborate with local entities to influence cesspool conversion policy in the state. Read more…

Friends of casco bay: 3 years, $100,000 (2019-2022)

Climate Change and Casco Bay: Technology, Monitoring, and Community Engagement

Based in South Portland, Maine, Friends of Casco Bay will use the $100,000 to: collect hourly data year-round throughout the bay by deploying three high-tech continuous monitoring stations in an estuarine, near-shore environment, communicate to the community about the changing conditions of the bay, and engage the community in their work to advance policy and behavioral changes to address the impacts of climate change. Read more…

change is simple: 3 years, $100,000 (2018-2021)

Mobile Sustainability & Climate Innovation Learning Lab, Massachusetts

CiS exciting project is to build a trailer that will visit schools in the Greater Boston area and educate children on environmental topics. CiS focuses on at-risk youth in communities that are particularly vulnerable to climate change, teaching kids to use real-world science tools and project-based learning to create real-world impacts and inspiring them to achieve academic success and become mindful participants in creating a more sustainable future. Read more…

Literacy for environmental justice

3 YEARs, $100,000 (2017-2020)

Water Harvesting For Climate-Smart Landscaping, San Francisco

Literacy for Environmental Justice completed a water-harvesting/storage/distribution system that includes a climate-smart native plant garden, interpretive signage, and educational programming at California's first urban state park (Candlestick Point Park) serving the adjacent low-income Bayview/Hunters Point community. 16,000 gallons of water/year is being harvested to grow native plants in an on-site nursery and supply water to a community garden. The project provides employment for low-income youth, who will work to produce and install habitat restoration and climate-smart landscaping. A half-acre of impermeable surfaces was removed, allowing for 124,000 gallons/year less water treatment and greater groundwater recharge. Read more...

University of Rhode island Foundation

3-YEARs, $100,000 (2016-2019)

University of Rhode Island Foundation
on behalf of the
URI Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

This project will bridge the gap between macro-scale climate change science and drinking water system development for communities worldwide by developing an innovative Community Climate Change Strategy (CCCS) to design sustainable water systems for climate change adaptation and mitigation. This project will improve the effectiveness of the CCCS by implementing a climate-ready drinking water system for a newly constructed school in Cumayasa, Dominican Republic. Read more...

archive: 1-year PROJECT GRANT recipients

2017

Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator, Los Angeles, CA
Cleantech and Water Innovation Youth Program - $5,000
The goal of this project is to empower students with practical solutions for leading a water-efficient lifestyle, creating leadership to educate their community and an understanding of the on-going water issues in Southern California. LACI (www.laincubator.org) will host three student group visits (120 students from underrepresented communities) to the La Kretz Innovation Campus and a two-part water conservation workshop. Part one of the workshop will include presentations by the Los Angeles Department of Water (LADWP) and an in-house water entrepreneur. Part two will be a competition, where student groups propose a business plan to educate their community about ways to conserve water. Read more...

Change is Simple, Beverly, MA
Science of Sustainability (SoS) Water Challenge - $5,000
CiS (www.changeissimple.org) will “supercharge” 5th grade classrooms (450 students, 40 teachers) in Woburn, MA, with a hands-on education program that inspires students to become advocates for water conservation. The program educates students about the source, importance, and scarcity of water; design and build filtration systems; use green chemistry to create natural cleaners; start a community water conservation challenge; and create a plan to save 5 gallons per day for every person in their home. Read more...

2016

University of Florida Foundation, FL - $5,384
Residential Irrigation Audit Manuals for Water Conservation Educators
Support for the development of home irrigation system audit manuals, which will be used to provide expert-level training to University of Florida Extension agents. Trained agents will offer customized conservation-based irrigation education to thousands of homeowners state-wide every year, saving the state millions of gallons of water.

The Ocean Foundation/Ocean Connectors, National City, CA - $5,000
Ocean Connectors Habitat Restoration Program at Otay River
Integrated STEAM approach that engages 6th grade students through interactive classroom presentations, environmental research, habitat restoration field trips, collaborative problem solving, and student-led design sessions with the goal of raising community awareness of water use, reliability, and scarcity.

Jamestown Education Foundation, Jamestown, RI - $6,116
Think-Shape-Grow Water Solutions
Support for 3rd grade students to study a community where all fresh water comes from precipitation. Students will plan, investigate (sampling, interviews, GIS mapping), compare local data to communities, and propose solutions. The culmination of the project will be a digital and paperback curriculum ("TSG: Water Scarcity Educational Resource Book") published and available on Amazon.com and offered free as a downloadable PDF from the TSG Twitter site and Woodard & Curran Foundation's website.

2015

$15,000 grant to the Mount Washington Observatory, North Conway, NH - to upgrade and expand the Mesonet Weather Station network of remote stations in and around the White Mountains that continuously collect weather data.

$9,500 grant to Conscience Point Shellfish Hatchery, Southampton, NY in support of sustainable aquaculture.

$9,200 grant to Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, Maryland Heights, MO to add 350, 6- to 8-ft. tall trees to their nursery where each year, thousands of trees are given away to groups for public and nonprofit planting.

$6,300 grant to the Illinois Section of the American Water Works Association, St. Charles, IL to expand classroom outreach supporting its Water Saver in a Box Classroom Toolbox. 

2014

$10,000 grant to Emory University's Urban Health Initiative, Atlanta, GA, for expansion of its education outreach program at its Super Giant Community Garden promoting sustainable practices.

$5,000 grant to Pittsburgh Green Innovators, Pittsburgh, PA, for a new rain garden in an urban neighborhood educating the community and students about healthy watersheds and water quality.

$2,500 grant to the New York School for the Deaf, Westchester, NY, for a greenhouse to provide a year-round living classroom and expand the growing season in support of the Westchester Food Bank.

$2,500 grant to Recycle-A-Bike, Providence, RI, for scholarships to Build-A-Bike classes, where attendees divert non-working bikes from the waste stream by recycling parts and building one bike for themselves and a second for donation.

2013

$2500 grant to Bangor Land Trust, Bangor, ME, for trail improvements, informational kiosks, and improved trail signage.

$3100 grant to the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Student Chapter of Engineers Without Borders for its rainwater-harvesting project in Guatemala.

$4400 grant to New Hampshire Audubon, Concord, NH, to establish an Environmental Education Outreach Program in Manchester, NH elementary schools.

2012

$2500 grant to Mill City Grows of Lowell, MA, supporting its work to create opportunities for low-income residents to grow fresh fruits and vegetables at urban neighborhood gardens.

$5000 grant to Agua Clara Cornell, Ithaca, NY, in support of students and faculty work to research, invent, and design electricity-free, municipal-scale water treatment plants.

2011

$5000 grant to the University of Maine Student Chapter of Engineers Without Borders for its project to improve sewage treatment and disposal in Dulce Vivir, Honduras.