Indiana American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, announced Friday that it is accepting applications for its 2018 Environmental Grant Program.
Established in 2005, the company’s Environmental Grant Program offers funds for innovative, community-based environmental projects that improve, restore or protect the watersheds, surface water and/or groundwater supplies through partnerships.
Several grants for a combined total of approximately $10,000 will be awarded in 2018.
The program is designed to support diverse types of activities, such as watershed cleanups, reforestation efforts, biodiversity projects, streamside buffer restoration projects, wellhead protection initiatives, hazardous waste collection efforts and surface or groundwater protection education.
“Ensuring we have clean water now and in the future is an important issue we can all do something about,” said Indiana American Water President Deborah Dewey. “This program encourages municipalities, schools, environmental organizations and civic groups to apply for a grant that will benefit their watersheds and the communities we serve all across the state.”
To qualify, proposed projects must:
- Address a source water or watershed protection need in the community.
- Be completed between May 1, 2018 and Nov. 30, 2018.
- Be a new or innovative program for the community, or serve as a significant expansion to an existing program.
- Be carried out by a formal or informal partnership between two or more organizations.
- Provide evidence of sustainability (continued existence after the American Water grant monies are utilized).
- Be located within one of Indiana American Water’s service areas across the state.
Information and application requirements can be found online on the Environmental Grant section of the company website at amwater.com/inaw/about-us/environmental-grant-program.
Applications must be postmarked by March 26 and mailed to Indiana American Water, 153 N. Emerson Ave., Greenwood, IN 46143, ATTN: Joe Loughmiller. Award recipients will be notified by April 18.
Projects will be judged based on criteria that include clarity of project goals and projected impact, strength of collaboration with other community and/or municipal organizations and evidence that the project will provide sustainable environmental results after Indiana American Water’s funding ends.
In 2017, a total of four projects throughout Indiana American Water’s service areas received grants totaling $14,000. The projects included creating an environmentally friendly splash pad in Terre Haute, modifying a stream bank on the Wildcat Creek in Kokomo to reduce contamination and pollution runoff into the stream, addressing pollution and algae issues at the Spicewood Gardens retention pond in Hamilton County, and planting approximately 100 trees in the Little Calumet River watershed in Gary.
About Indiana American Water
Indiana American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to more than 1.3 million people. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. Marking its 131st anniversary this year, the company employs more than 6,700 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in 47 states and Ontario, Canada. More information can be found at amwater.com.