Little Traverse Bay Protection & Restoration Fund

The Little Traverse Bay Protection & Restoration Fund was established in 2010, following a fundraising campaign led by CMS Land Company and the Community Foundation. The goal of this fund is to enhance, restore and protect the waters of Little Traverse Bay for current and future generations. Grants are awarded annually to organizations that address specific objectives in our region’s Little Traverse Bay Watershed Management Plan, which is updated and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency every ten years. Nearly $428,000 has been awarded to-date to organizations controlling and preventing invasive species, managing stormwater runoff, restoring shoreline, educating the public about Little Traverse Bay protection, and much more.

FUNDING GUIDELINES 

501(c)(3) nonprofits, government agencies and schools that serve the Little Traverse Bay watershed are eligible to apply for a grant. An applicant’s proposed work must address one or more objectives stated in the current Little Traverse Bay Watershed Management Plan. If you do not have a copy of the Plan for reference, contact the Community Foundation. Additionally, we do not reimburse activities that already occurred. Applications should feature work that will be done in the future. While most of our grantmaking focuses exclusively on Emmet County, we recognize the Little Traverse Bay watershed extends into Charlevoix County as well. Charlevoix County-based watershed projects are eligible for consideration. This year the Community Foundation has up to $60,000 to grant from this fund. There is no minimum or maximum grant size, though most prior grants from this fund have been in the $10,000-$30,000 range.  If awarded a grant, the recipient has up to 20 months to complete the proposed work, after which a final report is due to the Community Foundation.

HOW TO APPLY

Our 2023 grant cycle is now closed. Applications were due Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Before receiving an application, please call us beforehand to discuss your proposed work. An advisory committee will review all applications and invite applicants to participate in a brief interview in mid-February. Funding decisions are usually made and communicated to applicants by late February.

QUESTIONS?

Contact Sarah Ford at [email protected] or call our office, 231-348-5820.