News

1. Comment Period Extension for CAFO Proposed Rule

2. Nominate Your River To Be on Most Endangered Rivers List

Workshops/Conferences/Calendar Items

3. August DNR Board Meetings – Atlanta

4. ICL Leading From Within Workshop – Ohio

5. Nonprofit Board Seminars at UGA - Athens

6. Lower ACF Research Conference III - Albany

7. SE Watershed Forum Leadership Training – Callaway Gardens

8. American Rivers River Lobby Day – Washington, DC

9. Alliance for Justice Online Workshops

10. Introduction to Stream Restoration Using Natural Channel Design – Alabama

11. Green Infrastructure Workshop – Coastal Georgia Center – Brunswick

12. Mapping GA Communities – GIS Workshop – Atlanta

13. Watershed Institute - Ohio

Resources

14. Online Database of Stream Restoration – www.restoringrivers.org

15. Waterborne Disease Research Summaries Published

16. Water Efficiency Factoid

Fundraising Deadlines

17. Fundraising and Grants

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1. Comment Period Extension for CAFO Proposed Rule
EPA has extended the public comment period for the proposed Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations rule to August 29, 2006. The proposal would revise several aspects of EPA's current regulations governing discharges from CAFOs. Additional information about the proposed rule, and public meetings, including locations and logistics, may be found at http://www.epa.gov/npdes/afo/revisedrule.

2. Nominate Your River To Be on Most Endangered Rivers List
Does a river you love face an uncertain future? Will its fate be determined by action in the coming year? If your river is facing sprawl, pollution, mining, diversion or other imminent threat, consider nominating it for the 2007 America’s Most Endangered Rivers report. Each year, this much-anticipated report shines a national spotlight on rivers around the country that face uncertain futures. The deadline for nominations is October 1, 2006. For more information, contact outreach@AmericanRivers.org or call Rob Perks at 202-347-7550.

3. DNR Board Meetings - Atlanta
Committee meetings are scheduled for August 22 and the Board meeting for August 23 in the DNR Board Room in Atlanta. For details on DNR Board Meetings, visit http://www.gadnr.org/ (bottom left corner of home page). To view the schedule, visit http://gadnr.org/documents/sched-agenda.html. For an archive of the Georgia Environmental Council’s reports on board meetings, visit www.garivers.org and click on advocacy.

4. ICL Leading From Within Workshop - Ohio
The Institute for Conservation Leadership announces another edition of its Leading from Within program. This five-month professional development opportunity includes two 3-day workshops as well as coaching support. Leading from Within is for executive directors, board members, and lead staff of environmental and conservation organizations who are passionate about their work, energized by a creative peer learning environment, and are eager to further develop their leadership potential. Leading From Within includes a 360 degree leadership assessment tool, group experiential exercises, peer exchange, and learning activities that you will find both challenging and rejuvenating! Leading From Within will take place at the Maumee Bay Conference Center in Oregon, OH (near Detroit) on Oct. 19-22, 2006 and Feb. 21-24, 2007. The application deadline is Sept. 1, 2006. Please contact Peter Lane at 301-270-2900 ext. 5 or visit www.icl.org for more information.

5. Non-Profit Board Seminars at UGA – Athens
The Nonprofit Program of the Terry College of Business, University of Georgia, will conduct its fall seminars on the following Wednesdays: September 13, October 11, and November 15. Each seminar will cover the same material: Role of the Board, Strategic Planning, Working with Volunteers, and Fund Raising. Contact us at nonprofit@terry.uga.edu or 706.542.3750 to register or if you have any questions.

6. Lower ACF Research Conference III - Albany

Lower Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Research Conference III

Water Resources and Aquatic Habitat: Impacts and Issues
This meeting is to be held at The Parks at Chehaw, Albany, Georgia and is sponsored by the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center. The conference will focus on current water resource and aquatic habitat studies as well as emerging policy issues specific to the Lower ACF Basin of Georgia and Florida. Presentations will be organized into three sessions: Long Term Hydrologic Changes; Critical Habitat and Rare Species; and Emerging Policy Issues. Presentations are intended to reach natural resource managers, policy makers, or anyone interested in water resources in the Lower ACF Basin. The conference will convene with an icebreaker and tour of the Flint RiverQuarium on the evening of October 23. A guided canoe field trip down the lower Flint River below Lake Chehaw will take place the afternoon of October 25 (weather permitting). The field trip will introduce participants to the beauty of the limestone bluffs, springs, and wetlands that are part of this natural river system. Information about the Conference and instructions for submitting papers can be found at: http://www.jonesctr.org/education_and_outreach/water_resources/lower_acf_conf.html.

7. SE Watershed Forum Leadership Training – Callaway Gardens
This training takes place Sept 19-21. The Watershed Leadership Training Academy provides attendees with proven tools and techniques to change land use practices in their community and to work with local city-county officials to design watershed-friendly land use and development practices that will protect open space and water quality. Additional skills and techniques in public meeting facilitation and consensus building are included to help attendees address local resistance to land use change. Attendees then agree to work towards changing land use practices in their communities over the next year and commit to providing quality growth information and techniques to local leaders. Through lectures, small work-group sessions, and a field trip, attendees gain valuable resources and tools on land use and water quality protection strategies. Each attendee receives an extensive notebook, a facilitator's manual and CDs as well as additional reference materials on best practices. Certificates are offered documenting 20 hours of study. For additional information about the Southeast Watershed Leadership Training Academy, call 615-627-1310 or email kd@southeastwaterforum.org.

8. American Rivers River Lobby Day – Washington, DC
Come to D.C. and be part of American Rivers’ 3rd annual River Lobby Day to join river lovers from across the country in urging their elected officials to take action that will ensure healthy rivers for all communities. This is an important opportunity to talk with your legislators who make key decisions about your hometown river and remind them that you hold them accountable for protecting river health in your community. There is no charge to participate. Never lobbied before? Not a problem. They provide all the necessary training and materials on Monday, September 11, the day before your meetings. What’s legal? Individuals and tax-exempt organizations can engage in limited lobbying, including educating your elected officials about river issues in your community. To find out what political activities your organization can or cannot legally participate in, visit the Alliance for Justice’s website at: http://www.allianceforjustice.org/. For more information contact Jamie Mierau at jmierau@americanrivers.org.

9. Alliance for Justice Online Workshops
Alliance for Justice presents an online workshop series on the legal rules for foundation support of advocacy.

Tuesday, August 29 - Election Rules for Non-Profits – Online Workshop
Tuesday, September 19 - Advocacy Capacity Assessment and Evaluation

Thursday, November 16 - A Funder's Guide to Supporting Advocacy

This workshop is on the legal rules for foundation support for advocacy and how foundations can evaluate advocacy grants and help build their grantees' advocacy capacity.

2-3pm. Cost:$30 Register online or call the Alliance for Justice at 202-822-6070. Questions: Call or email Abby Levine at 202-822-6070 or Abby.Levine@afj.org. For a description of the workshops, visit http://www.afj.org.

10. Introduction to Stream Restoration Using Natural Channel Design – Alabama
Primary Instructor: Dr. Greg Jennings, North Carolina State University

Join this workshop on stream restoration using the natural channel design approach on August 21 - 22 in Gadsden, Alabama. This two day workshop will introduce Rosgen classification, natural channel design principles, and present case studies from the southeast. Two completed stream restoration projects in Gadsden will be used for field tours and discussion. Space is limited to 30 participants. More information is available at http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/streams/gadsden.htm or you may contact Eve Brantley - brantef@auburn.edu.

11. Green Infrastructure Workshop – Coastal Georgia Center – Savannah / Brunswick
Dr. Mark Benedict, co-author of the new book, Green Infrastructure, will speak to Georgians in association with the Coastal Green Subdivision workshops. The first workshop will be offered in Savannah on Wed, Sept 13 at the Coastal Georgia Center and they will repeat the workshop on the 14th in Brunswick at the Community College. Background information can be found at www.greeninfrastructure.net. For more information on the workshops, contact Jeannie Butler at (912) 554-3494 or Jeannie_Butler@dnr.state.ga.us.

12. Mapping GA Communities: GIS Workshop - Atlanta

This streamlined, hands-on workshop teaches the fundamentals of how to use a Geographic Information System (GIS) in a way that is particularly relevant to social service providers, planners and researchers. Participants learn to make thematic maps of their community, geocode addresses and perform spatial queries and analysis. Participants also learn to extract and map Census variables such as race, poverty, language, education, health and many other demographic variables. Exercises are designed for beginners. Intermediate Excel skills required. Each student is assigned a computer on which to work for the day.
When: September 18th or 19th, 2006 - 8:30 am - 4:30 pm (Please note: This is a one day workshop. Participants choose which one day to attend.)
Where: Classroom Resource Group Computer Learning Center - 50 Glenlake Parkway, Suite 130 Atlanta, GA 30328
Fee: $399 Checks, Credit Cards and Purchase Orders Accepted
To register online or for more info visit http://www.newurbanresearch.org or telephone 877-241-6576.

13. Online Restoration Database – www.restoringrivers.org
This database contains over 37,000 stream restoration projects throughout the United States, with concentrations in 7 regions of the country—California, Central US, Chesapeake Bay, Pacific Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, and Upper Midwest. Information on these projects was collected from 2002 to 2004 by a group of stream scientists. These data were used for a study to understand the current state of stream restoration in the United States. These results are now available to the general public for use in learning more about stream restoration.

14. Waterborne Disease Research Summaries Published

The Office of Research and Development (ORD) and the Office of Water have published a series of papers summarizing the research conducted on waterborne disease in the last 10 years. The work includes research supported by EPA and others and is limited to gastrointestinal illness as the health effect of concern. The papers have been published in the July/August 2006 supplement of Journal of Water and Health. The publications and more information can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/nheerl/articles/2006/waterborne_disease.html.

15. Water Efficiency Factoid from EPA
Did you know that wide-spread adoption of weather-based irrigation controllers could improve the health of our nation’s lawns and potentially save more than 11 billion gallons of water each year? This savings is equivalent to the amount of water from more than 3,200
garden hoses flowing continuously for one year! Water-efficient technologies, such as smart irrigation controllers or soil moisture sensors only water your plants when they need it, saving even more of this precious resource. EPA’s new WaterSense Program (http://www.epa.gov/watersense/) will also help save both water and money, while enhancing the appearance of your landscapes. This new voluntary partnership program helps identify water-efficient landscape irrigation technologies and irrigation professionals with demonstrated water efficiency knowledge.

16. Watershed Institute – Ohio
October 23-26 at the Deer Creek Resort in Columbus, Ohio
For more information, contact Rebecca Winer-Skonovd, Center for Watershed Protection, at 410-461-8323 or rrw@cwp.org. You can also visit http://www.cwp.org/WI06/program.pdf.

17. Fundraising Deadlines
The following foundations are either new to our list of grants or have upcoming deadlines to submit proposals. To view grant makers that give throughout the year, visit our website at www.garivers.org and click on “Grants”.

Beldon Fund funds projects that emphasize "Human Health and the Environment". The Beldon Fund seeks to build a national consensus to achieve and sustain a healthy planet by supporting nonprofit advocacy organizations. The Fund's Human Health and the Environment program supports projects throughout the United States that engage new constituencies in exposing the connection between toxic chemicals and human health and in promoting public policies that prevent or eliminate environmental risks to people's health. Letters of inquiry will be accepted between September 27 and November 1, 2006. Click www.beldon.org for more information.

Charles Stewart Mott Foundation The mission of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation is to support efforts that promote a just, equitable, and sustainable society. The Foundation's grant programs focus on the following areas: poverty, civil society, the environment, and Flint, MI. Organizations seeking grants should begin the application process at least four months before the start of the proposed grant period. Foundation staff must finalize grant recommendations for any given calendar year by August 31 of that year. Proposals received between September 1 and December 31 will be considered in the following calendar year. Visit http://www.mott.org for more information.

ConAgra Foods Foundation works to improve the quality of life in communities where ConAgra employees work and live. The Foundation focuses its resources in the areas of arts and culture; civic and community betterment; education; health and human services; and hunger, nutrition and food safety. Nonprofit organizations in communities with company facilities throughout the United States are eligible to apply. Consult your local phone directory or contact your Chamber of Commerce to find out if ConAgra Foods operates in your community. Applications are due the last working day of January, April, July, October. Visit http://www.conagrafoods.com/company/corporate_responsibility/foundation/index.jsp.

EPA Targeted Watershed Grants

Applicants Sought for $19 million in Watershed Grants - EPA plans to award up to $19 million in grants to help clean up and restore the nation's waterways. Proposals must reach EPA by Nov. 15, 2006, for project-implementation grants. State governors and tribal leaders nominate potential recipients for implementation grants. EPA will evaluate and rank submissions based on criteria outlined in each notice. Watershed organizations receive the awards based on how likely they are to achieve environmental results in a relatively short time. Selection of the grantees will be announced in the fall. Under the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program, EPA has awarded nearly $40 million to 46 watershed organizations since 2003. In excess of $2 million has gone to five watershed capacity-building organizations to further the activities of more than 3,000 local watershed groups. For this grant cycle, the focus will be on supporting community-based approaches and strengthening local capacity to protect and clean up water resources. Watersheds currently in the program cover more than 142,000 square miles of the nation’s landscape draining into lakes, rivers, and streams. For more information on Targeted Watershed Grants, visit http://www.epa.gov/twg.

Foster's Community Grants, a program of the Foster's Group, a global company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, provides support to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and Australia for community-building projects. Grants are provided in the following focus areas: wellness, including both physical and mental health; culture, including artistic, sporting, and educational activities; and the environment, including all aspects of the natural environment. For the second funding cycle in 2006, applications will be accepted from August 1 to September 29. Visit http://www.fosters.com.au/about/fosterscommunitygrants.htm.

Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation funds grant requests to support fair and balanced environmental education in Georgia. It is anticipated that the average grant awarded will be $2,000. Apply by August 15, 2006. Visit http://www.kgbf.org/.

The Laura Jane Musser Fund supports nonprofit organizations nationally in the areas of solving environmental problems/encouraging environmental stewardship and promoting intercultural harmony. Support in all three categories is generally provided for projects that are new or within the first three years of operation. Grants typically range from $1,000 to $35,000. The application deadline for the environment category is September 9, 2006. Visit the Fund's website for detailed information on each funding category at http://www.musserfund.org/environmental.htm.

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation General Matching Grants Program
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization established by Congress to foster cooperative partnerships to conserve fish, wildlife, plants, and the habitats on which they depend. The Foundation operates a conservation grants program that awards matching grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible grant recipients throughout the U.S., including federal, tribal, state, and local governments; educational institutions; and nonprofit conservation organizations. Matching grants ranging from $25,000 - $250,000 are awarded to projects that address the Foundation’s priorities and work proactively to involve other conservation and community interests. The next deadline for pre-proposals is September 1, 2006. Invited proposals will be due November 1, 2006. Visit http://www.nfwf.org/guidelines.cfm.

National Sea Grant College Program Aquatic Invasive Species Research and Outreach This program seeks to fund research and outreach projects addressing the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species in the coast. Visit http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=9953.

The National Wildlife Refuge Friends Group Grant Program, administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, is requesting proposals for projects that assist nonprofit organizations to be effective co-stewards of the important natural resources within the National Wildlife Refuge System. This program provides seed grants to innovative proposals that seek to increase the number and effectiveness of organizations interested in assisting the Refuge System nationwide. This year's grant program will prioritize proposals that facilitate wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities on refuges and reach new audiences to increase their support for the Refuge System’s mission. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations, including Refuge Friends organizations, Cooperative and Interpretive Associations, Audubon Chapters, and other citizen support organizations interested in assisting a National Wildlife Refuge or the Refuge System as a whole. The next application deadline for the program is September 1, 2006. Visit http://www.nfwf.org/programs/nwrgp.cfm.

The Norfolk Southern Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that focus on educational, cultural, environmental, and economic development opportunities within the region served by Norfolk Southern in the Eastern U.S. (A system map of Norfolk Southern communities is available on the company’s website.) The Foundation offers grants in three principal areas: educational programs, primarily at the post-secondary level; community enrichment focusing on cultural and artistic organizations; and environmental programs. Applications are accepted between July 15 and September 30, annually. Visit http://www.nscorp.com/nscorp/application?pageid=About%20NS&category=About%20NS&contentId=english/nscorp/about_ns/ns_foundation.html.

Patagonia funds projects that are action oriented, build public support and involvement, are strategic and accomplish specific goals and objectives. Patagonia supports small, grassroots activist organizations with provocative direct-action agendas. They look for innovative groups that produce measurable results, and like to support efforts to force the government to abide by its own - our own - laws. Patagonia helps local groups working to protect local habitat. Most grants are in the range of $3,000 to $8,000. Proposals must be postmarked no later than April 30 and August 31 each year. For more information, visit http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/patagonia.go?assetid=2927. (The grant deadline for grants from the Atlanta store was July 31.)

Project AWARE Foundation is committed to the conservation and preservation of the aquatic environment and its resources throughout the world. The Foundation will consider funding projects that focus on its priorities: coral reef conservation, shark protection, aquatic ecotourism, aquatic education (particularly for youth), and direct conservation activities in both marine and freshwater for up to $10,000. Projects which incorporate public education, grassroots involvement, and research that leads to conservation are examples of the types of projects the Foundation supports. The application deadlines are March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15, annually. Visit http://www.projectaware.org/.

Sapelo Foundation's Environmental Protection Program addresses such issues as water and air quality, sprawl and sustainable development, corporate effects on rural communities, and the protection and management of natural resources. Currently, the primary focus is a strategic campaign addressing water resource management and policy in Georgia. The Trustees meet to consider grants twice each year. Deadlines for submission of proposals are September 1 and March 1. Grants range from $1,000 to $75,000. The average award is between $10,000 and $25,000. Visit http://www.sapelofoundation.org for more details.

The Starbucks Foundation funds local programs that serve low-income, at- risk youth (ages 6-18) through its Youth Leadership Grant Program. Grants range from $5,000-$20,000 and are given in two areas: Power of Literacy - programs that stimulate personal development and a commitment to social equity, justice, and environmental awareness through writing, literacy and expression in public forums; and, Leaders in Diversity - programs that teach the value of societal diversity and develop youth leadership skills to foster understanding between individuals, groups and communities. Grant applications are reviewed twice yearly, April 1st and October 1st. Visit http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/grantinfo.asp.

The Stonyfield Farm's Profits for the Planet Program donates 10% of the company's profits annually to nonprofit organizations in order to enhance efforts that help protect or restore the environment. Projects that generate measurable results, for example, natural resources saved, people educated, etc., are given priority. Applications for support are accepted from organizations throughout the U.S., with some emphasis on organizations located in the Northeast with projects often reflecting Stonyfield's support of organic farming methods and efforts to combat global warming. Requests for funding may be submitted at any time. Visit http://www.stonyfield.com/AboutUs/ProfitsForThePlanetProgram.cfm.

Temper of the Times Foundation provides funds to underwrite advertising designed to promote the conservation and restoration of native wildlife, plants, and ecosystems in the United States. The application deadline is October 15, 2006. For more information, visit http://www.temperfund.org.

The Timberland Company offers grants to encourage volunteerism, protect the environment and promote diversity. Groups must have 501(c)3 status to apply. Deadlines: April 1, June 5, August 30, 2006. Visit www.garivers.org and click on grants for more information.

Town Creek Foundation supports programs that engage citizens in challenging the unsustainable use of natural resources and in protecting biological diversity. Strategies supported are grassroots activism, monitoring the enforcement of environmental laws, public policy advocacy, collaborative opportunities, media outreach, and model or demonstration projects fostering sustainable policies and practices. Deadlines are January 15, May 15, and September 15. Visit www.towncreekfdn.org.

Woodruff Foundation is an independent private foundation with a broad charter to support charitable, scientific and educational activities. Principal giving interests include conservation of natural resources and environmental education among other categories. Organizations which seek Foundation support are invited to make an informal inquiry before submitting a proposal. Grant proposals may be submitted at any time during the year. Proposals received by February 1 are considered at an April meeting of the Board of Trustees. Proposals received by September 1 are considered at the November meeting. Visit www.woodruff.org for details.

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