Locating Government Funding Opportunities

To find out about government funding opportunities, you need to build relationships with key people in the various federal and state agencies in your region that deal with rivers and watersheds so that they keep you informed when such opportunities arise. You should also be sure that your name is on the appropriate mailing lists for any publications, announcements or request for proposals that these agencies issue. Finally, be sure to make full use of the Internet. Many agencies now have web pages where they post this kind of information. To compete with other nonprofits, you must be able to access this information in an efficient and timely fashion.

In addition, there are a number of research tools available to organizations seeking federal financial assistance for projects related to rivers and watersheds. Some of the best include:

A Guide to Funding Resources, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library, Rural Information Center Publication Series, September, 1997. This guide reviews governmental and private funding sources that are available to local government, small businesses, organizations, and individuals. It is available free from the Rural Information Center at (800) 633-7701.

Catalog of Federal Funding Sources for Watershed Protection, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, September, 1997 (document #841B99003). This useful directory lists 52 federal funding sources available to fund a variety of watershed protection projects. The document is available free of charge from the National Center for Environmental Publications and Information, (513) 489-8190, or (800) 490-9198.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, U.S. General Services Administration. This is a comprehensive catalog that lists all sources of federal assistance (financial and technical). The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is available in hardcopy for $87 from the Government Printing Office, (202) 708-5126. You can get it on floppy diskettes or CD-ROM (both easier to search than the hardcopy version) by calling (202) 708-5126. It is also available at depository libraries and via the Internet at www.cfda.gov.

Directory of Funding Sources for Grassroots River and Watershed Conservation Groups, River Network, 1999, 70 pp. This directory provides profiles of selected private, corporate, and federal funding sources for river and watershed groups. It is available for $35 (free to Partners) from River Network, P.O. Box 8787, Portland, OR 97207, or call (503) 241-3506 or visit River Network Publications.

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Five Fundralsing Strategies for New Watershed Groups

(Reprinted with permission from "EPA Watershed Events", Winter, 1997 issue. Article was written by Pat Munoz, Program Manager at River Network, a national nonprofit organization working to help grassroots watershed groups. You may contact Pat at (202) 364-2550 for information on these and other fundraising strategies.)

One of the biggest challenges a newly established watershed group faces is raising money to carry out its programs. Here are five things your new group can do to raise your first year's funding:

1) Find a Few Good Friends

To get started, most groups need to find a few generous supporters who will provide the seed capital to get a project rolling and underwrite major expenses, such as postage and printing. These friends may be individuals, businesses, local foundations, or government agencies. Take the time to do some research, talk to community leaders and friends who work at other non-profits and prepare a list of prospective supporters. Then prepare a simple case statement outlining the problem and what your organization plans to do about it. Armed with your list and your case statement, get on the phone and start talking. Set up visits with prospective supporters. Tell them about your work and how it will benefit the community and then ask them to help by contributing a specific amount.

2) Hold a Special Event

While events take time to plan, they are one of the best ways to put your organization front and center in the community. Events can raise money while informing the community about your organization, involving volunteers, recruiting new members, and attracting media coverage. Try to pick an event that you can repeat year after year to create a source of reliable income. Incorporate creative addons, such as sponsorship by local businesses.

3) Build a Membership

Building a base of committed members and volunteers is essential to the survival of any grassroots watershed organization. This won't happen overnight, but with care, your members will become a steady source of income. One successful strategy employed by some organizations has been to collect names and addresses of riverside landowners by reviewing land ownership and tax records. Armed with the list, you can rely on mailings or door-to-door visits to publicize your project and gain support. Another alternative is to host a project party in your home and invite potential members. Whatever strategy you use to build membership, you will need to devise a system for recording the names and addresses of your members so that they can be kept informed.

4) Hold a Public Meeting

Is your watershed in crisis? If you are working on a high visibility issue, a public meeting is a good strategy for mobilizing the volunteer and financial resources needed to get the project off the ground. Pick a date and time that will allow for the largest possible attendance and publicize the meeting thoroughly in the paper and by posting flyers. Limit the agenda to three topics: 1) the problem; 2) your strategy and examples of how similar strategies have succeeded elsewhere, and 3) your need for time and dollars. Then pass the hat. Often volunteers, in addition to funding, will come forward.

5) Look for In-Kind Donations

Often, what you need to accomplish your programs are services (writing, printing, planting, hauling) or goods (computers, furniture, lumber, trees). Try to get these items donated. In many cases, people who cannot contribute cash, will contribute goods, services, and even office space for a cause with which they can identify. Local businesses may be more eager to get involved if you can give them visibility in the community. By contrast, large companies usually react to their employees’ desires, so you should ally with an influential employee who can act as your spokesperson.

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