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Image of the San Joaquin River by Edward Smith.
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Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District is opening grant program applications for community groups’ environmental projects.
Community groups have a chance to receive up to $4,000 per project, with a total of $25,000 allotted for distribution to eligible applicants. The Flood Control District was established in 1956 to manage flood control facilities and provide urban storm water drainage services. It is a local government agency that services a 399-square-mile watershed between the Kings and San Joaquin Rivers.
The grant program, which has been operating since 1997, is designed to promote Flood Control District partnerships with local community groups and schools by allocating funding toward projects that preserve, protect or educate about stormwater quality.
Past projects have included San Joaquin River cleanups via canoe, school educational murals, hydroponic demonstration units, university-level basin algae research and numerous rain gardens. Over the past ten years alone, on average per year, the grant program has sent more than 1,300 children on field trips to the San Joaquin River. Schools can take advantage of the grants to fund river field trips to the San Joaquin River through the Scout Island Outdoor Education Center.
In an attempt to expand the program, the 2021 grant year allotted $25,000 to the program – in past years it was $15,000. Even though this expanded funding came at the time of Covid-19, the Flood Control District was able to fund all applications and requests for funding, and distribute available funds.
Projects must take place in the Flood Control District’s service area – the Fresno and Clovis metropolitan areas. They must also focus on one of the following topics:
- Stormwater quality or hazardous waste information and education
- Environmental restoration or enhancement and preservation
- Urban trash reduction and elimination
- Integrated Pest Management
- Low Impact Development
- Stream/river cleanups or restoration
- Research related to stormwater pollutants
The district’s Clean Stormwater Grant Program has opened its application window, and will continue to accept applications until Nov. 12 at 5 p.m. Awards are anticipated to be announced in December.