Indiana American Water announced Friday that it is accepting applications for its 2019 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 2019.
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, 2019 and November 30, 2019
- 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 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.
Applications must be postmarked by March 29 and mailed to Indiana American Water, 153 N. Emerson Ave., Greenwood, IN 46143, ATTN: Joe Loughmiller. Award recipients will be notified by April 26.
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 2018, a total of four projects throughout Indiana American Water’s service areas received grants totaling nearly $13,000. The projects included creating a storm water community watch program in Terre Haute to enhance the city’s response time and reduce or prevent pollutants from entering local waterways; expanding the Wonders on the Wabash program in Tippecanoe County; developing an educational water station for use at the My Little Farm interactive exhibit at the Floyd County 4-H Fair; and engaging Shelbyville High School students in a tree planting and maintenance project.
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 approximately 1.3 million people. With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,100 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to over 14 million people in 45 states and Ontario, Canada. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to its customers to make sure their lives are kept flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com.