“Opportunities for funding watershed enhancement initiatives”

Pierce County Announces Small Grants Program to Improve Habitat and Water Quality

Pierce County has joined forces with watershed councils, regional nonprofits, local governments, and other organizations to launch a small grants program aimed at supporting community projects that enhance habitat and water quality throughout the county.

In the 2024 cycle, over ,000 will be awarded to projects in four watersheds: Key Peninsula-Gig Harbor-Islands, Chambers-Clover Creek, Puyallup-White River, and Nisqually. Individual grants of up to ,500 are available, and applications are open to nonprofit organizations, schools, teachers, tribes, local governments, and individuals.

Interested parties must submit their grant applications by April 30, 2024. The applications can be completed online, and the boundaries of the watersheds can be viewed on the Pierce County website.

The grants available include the Puyallup River Watershed Small Grants, which focus on improving water quality and habitat in the Puyallup-White River Watershed. Additionally, the Chambers-Clover Creek Watershed Environmental Grants aim to collaborate on projects related to drainage, water quality, and habitat within the watershed. The Lu Winsor Memorial Environmental Grants support environmental education and watershed protection projects in the Key Peninsula-Gig Harbor-Islands Watershed, while the Nisqually Watershed Small Grants focus on enhancing water quality and habitats in the Nisqually River Watershed.

Previous projects funded by these grants have included a training program engaging the public in collecting scientific data, an outdoor lab facility for students to learn about habitat stewardship, and a community cleanup initiative to promote stewardship in the Puyallup-White River Watershed.

Overall, this grants program aims to foster a sense of environmental stewardship and to improve the quality of habitats and water sources in Pierce County.