It was a beautiful day in Beaver Falls to gather for the Spring Confluence, and we owe a big thank you to Geneva College for hosting us. We are always grateful for the folks who make it out, even when we meet in the more remote corners of the region. That is exactly why we hold our Confluences where we do. We go to where our people are.
One question came up that is on a lot of minds right now: where do you find funding these days? The traditional sources are not as available as they used to be, and watershed groups across the basin are feeling it. The good news is that some of our partners are getting creative, and their wins are worth passing along.
Two Watershed Groups Getting Creative
Mountain Watershed Association kicked off the month with a Golf Scramble for the Indian Creek Valley Trail at Norvelt Golf Club. The event raised nearly $14,000 for trail projects, proof that a well-run community event can move real money toward on-the-ground work.
Save the Tygart Watershed Association took a different route, with a children’s book. Casey’s Winter Dream, by Kelly Smalley, follows a shy little caddisfly larva named Casey who dreams of a colorful house of her own, only to learn the hard way to be careful what you wish for. It is a charming introduction to the macroinvertebrates living in our freshwater streams, and proceeds support both Save the Tygart Watershed Association and the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area. A book that teaches kids about stream life and funds watershed work at the same time is a win all around.
A New Funding Resource at Your Fingertips
Here is one more solution worth checking out: our new H2O Resource Library is up and running. It gathers funding opportunities, technical assistance, and tools all in one place, including a dedicated Funding and Grants section with programs like the PENNVEST Advance Funding Program and USDA NRCS EQIP. If you are hunting for funding, it makes a great first stop.
Have an Idea? Let’s Share It.
Funding is a shared challenge, so let’s treat it like a shared project. Do you have a funding source that has worked for your group and could help others? Are you interested in connecting with other organizations to co-host an event? Let us know, and we will help spread the word across the network.
