Wings2Water Grant Awards – Types, Application Process, Eligibility, & More
Wings2Water is a nonprofit organization that seeks to reduce pollution runoff and flood impacts, restore water quality, and eliminate the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Our focus is the Mississippi watershed, a vast area which impacts nearly two-thirds of the United States. For this round of grant awards, we are seeking projects within the state of Iowa.
Wings2Water offers two types of grants that help fulfill the mission of our organization. One is for educational programs; the other is for projects which improve and/or restore water quality or help nutrient pollution runoff.
Educational grants: These grants are designed to support water quality or water restoration educational programs. Grants are awarded in the range of $100.00 to $500.00.
Project grants: Wings2Water’s funding may be used for a standalone project or as a part of a larger project where it leverages funding to secure other grants. Past applicants have had great success using our committed local funds to help them obtain other funding from state, national or other sources. These grants range from $1,000.00 to $15,000.00.
Process and timeline for applications: Grant applications open in the spring and applications are due by Friday, May 5, 2023.
A grant application committee reviews and scores the received applications using an established criteria. Proposals are scored on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the lowest and not recommended for funding and 5 being the highest. The number of grants and dollar amounts awarded are based upon available funds. Grant requests may be fully or partially funded.
Applicants are notified of the grant committee’s decisions by May 31, 2023 via email.
Funds will be dispersed based upon the project and project implementation dates.
A grants subcommittee reviews our grant application process every two years to ensure our process is fair and meeting the objectives of our organization.
Eligibility: Recipients of Wings2Water funding must show a commitment to restoring local water quality, reducing pollution runoff, or addressing flooding impacts. Eligible applicants may include: educational organizations or school groups, nonprofit organizations, farmers or individuals committed to practices that improve water quality, and government agencies dedicated to conservation and the environment.
Wings2Water does not cover personnel or other indirect costs.
Timeline and deadline for program or project: Wings2Water recognizes that some water-related and environmental projects can take a few years to fully come to fruition. We ask that all projects be complete within three years and if there is a delay, we simply ask for communication on the project and the reasons for the delay. We reserve the right to rescind the grant or request funds be returned if the project is delayed beyond a reasonable time period or if the project changes significantly.
Reporting: Depending upon the project, Wings2Water will request progress reports on either a 6-month or yearly basis. Successful applicants will identify measurable goals and report on progress of those goals. The Wings2Water Board may request an in-person meeting with the applicant to report on their project or a field trip to the location of the project to see its progress or completion.
Past projects: Examples of two recent past projects can be viewed on our website here.
Promotion and marketing: Wings2Water kindly requests that our organization be acknowledged in any promotional or marketing material for the completed project.
Questions: Please contact Julie Kraft, Wings2Water Director of Organizational Development, at grants@wings2water.org.
CLICK HERE to complete the application form.
