- Programs
Grants
The Clean Water Program’s Community Stewardship Grant Program provides funding for projects led by community-based groups that enhance and protect the health of local creeks, wetlands, lakes, beaches and other waterways in Alameda County.
Proposed projects must be aimed at reducing pollutants that enter the storm drain system and end up in waterways such as litter, garden chemicals, automotive products, etc. Projects must also contain a community or public outreach element. Grant amounts typically range from $500 to $5,000 per funded project.
View completed sample applications:
(Note: The Grants program is on hold for 2023. We hope to restart the program in 2024.)
Sample 1: Golden Gate Audubon (PDF)
Sample 2: St. Paul’s School (PDF)
Eligible projects include (but are not limited to):
- Litter reduction projects
- Outreach and education projects addressing litter reduction/prevention, household hazardous waste disposal, Integrated Pest Management, etc.
- Development and distribution of outreach materials, e.g. videos, newsletters, brochures, events, etc.
- Public art projects
- Creekside restoration/re-vegetation projects, creek cleanup and enhacement projects
- Stormwater detention projects such as rain gardens, cisterns and bioretention areas
- Coastal and/or creek cleanups and other creek enhancement projects
- Wildlife habitat enhancement projects
Who can apply?
- Teachers and Student Groups
- Youth Organizations
- Community Groups
- Homeowner associations
- Non-Profit Organizations
- Environmental Groups
Examples of projects funded in the past:
I Heart Oakland-Alameda Estuary is a group of watersports enthusiasts who have been using their skills and equipment to organize cleanups of the estuary’s beaches that are inaccessible on foot. More about this project.
Earth Team partnered with Friends of Sausal Creek to guide Skyline High School students in analyzing water samples and design an outreach campaign about the effects of pet waste on water quality. More about this project.
Albany Landfill Dog Owners Groups and Friends (ALDOG) organized 115 volunteers to remove 2,440 pounds of tiny plastic particles and other debris from Albany Beach during a one-day “Sift the Sand” event. More about this project.
Eden Area ROP partnered with Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center to clean up a heavily littered area and build custom waste and recycling receptacles to discourage future dumping. Learn more about this project.
Friends of Sausal Creek in Oakland helped volunteers at 15 creek and watershed sites organize workdays, student field trips, in-the-creek litter cleanups, and public trail stewardship events, drawing 1,283 participants. More about this project.
Golden Gate Audubon produced a 17-minute film with and for youth of diverse background, to inspire and motivate effective ecological stewardship of local wildlife. It was filmed at Martin Luther King, Jr. Shoreline in Oakland. More about this project.
Golden Gate Audubon engaged seven East Oakland elementary school classes in learning about watersheds, local wildlife and stewardship through classroom lessons and field trips. More about this project.