This is an exciting opportunity to partner with Los Angeles County to advance the 14 goals of the Safe, Clean Water Program (SCWP)! The Safe, Clean Water Public Education and Community Engagement Grants Program will support education and community engagement efforts related to stormwater and urban runoff capture within the LA County Flood Control District. We encourage all interested parties to engage in the program design public input process and apply for funding, if eligible.
The Grants Program is in the early development stages and is expected to formally launch in September. The program development process will include opportunities for public feedback on the program design. Please scroll down and fill out the interest form if you’d like to receive updates on program development and rollout.
For general inquiries, please email scwquestions@waterfdn.org.
Public Input Meetings
Before the grants program formally launches in September, we want to involve you in the program design process. To gather your input, we will host virtual sessions on Zoom, where all interested parties can learn about the grants program and provide input on the program design for our consideration. Zoom meetings will be recorded and posted on the website. Live Spanish interpretation will be available.
Review the draft program materials below. All program materials are subject to change, pending the public input process.
- DRAFT Notice of Funding Opportunity – Safe Clean Water Grants Program
- DRAFT Evaluation Template – Safe Clean Water Grants Program
- CEQA Conformance Checklist
Public Input Session #1 (Thursday, 7/11 at 9am)
- Public Input Session #1 Meeting Summary
- Recording of Public Input Session #1: Stream | Download video (mp4)
Public Input Session #2 (Wednesday, 7/24 at 4:30pm)
- Public Input Session #2 Meeting Summary
- Recording of Public Input Session #: Stream | Download video (mp4)
FAQs
What is the purpose of the Public Education and Community Engagement Grants Program?
In November 2018, Los Angeles County voters approved the Measure W parcel tax to build and maintain multi-benefit stormwater infrastructure through the SCWP. This ordinance also requires that a portion of funds be set aside for Public Education and Community Engagement Programs, enabling residents to develop an increased awareness of the SCWP and participate in achieving its goals. To fulfill that directive, the County is partnering with the Water Foundation to develop and administer the Grants Program.
Who will be eligible to apply for a grant?
Applications may be led by a nonprofit (including a CBO), Tribe, municipal agency, or school district. All grantees or fiscal sponsors of grantees must be tax-exempt under the Internal Revenue Code, as described in sections 501(c)3, 4, 5, or 6 for charitable non-profit organizations; OR Section 7871 for federally recognized Tribes; OR or Section 170(c)1 for government agencies, including schools.
- A 501(c)(3) public charity may serve as a fiscal sponsor for another applicant to administer the grant and provide regular financial reporting to the Water Foundation.
- All grant-funded activities must serve populations within the Safe, Clean Water Program Watershed Areas of the LA County Flood Control District.
- No project that would fall under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) will be eligible for grant funding.
What kinds of activities will the grants program fund?
Eligible grant activities could include:
- Site visits and tours.
- Support for collaboratives, trainings, convenings, water academies, and water leadership training.
- Tribal engagement.
- Community-led project concept development.
- Community meetings.
- Project-specific community outreach.
- Community needs assessments.
- Community science initiatives.
- Development of curriculum and materials, videos, radios, social media posts, and podcasts.
- Other similar public education and community engagement activities that advance the goals of the SCWP.
When do you anticipate funding being available?
We anticipate that a call for proposals will go out to the public in September, following a public input process on the design of the program. Check back here soon for updates on when public input meetings will take place.
How much funding will be available?
We anticipate that $8.5M will be available over the course of a two-year period.
Can a group of qualified entities apply together for the same proposal?
Yes, we support coordination between entities who would like to apply together for the same proposal, either under one lead applicant or as separate applicants. More guidance will be provided to applicants on this front once the Grants Program launches.
Are non-federally recognized Tribes eligible to apply?
Any entity associated with a non-federally recognized Tribe is eligible and encouraged to apply, provided that they have 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) status, or have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor.
Is my proposal required to serve a Disadvantaged Community?
No, your proposal is not required to serve a Disadvantaged Community (DAC). However, proposals that do serve DACs will be weighted more favorably in the evaluation process.
Are organizations that have a Watershed Coordinator contract or representation on a SCWP Committee such as a WASC/ROC eligible to apply?
Yes, these organizations are eligible to apply, as long as they are able to meet the responsibilities of both obligations capacity-wise. When performing activities funded through the Grants Program, Watershed Coordinators and WASC members should not identify themselves as such, but rather identify themselves as a grantee and/or the entity applying for the grant. Additionally, Grants Program funds should not be used for any activity that falls under the budget and scope of the Watershed Coordinator contract.
Can an applicant based outside of LA County apply for funding?
Yes, an applicant based outside of LA County can apply for funding, provided that the scope of grant-funded activities takes place in and serves populations within the Safe Clean Water Program Watershed Areas of the LA County Flood Control District.