Conservation of Freshwater Ecosystems in North America

The Mott Foundation's Environment program includes a focus on the Conservation of Freshwater Ecosystems.

Goal

To advance the conservation and restoration of freshwater ecosystems in North America, with emphasis on the Great Lakes and southeastern U.S.

Objectives

Strengthening the Environmental Community.
To establish a strong, effective and sustainable NGO community dedicated to the long-term conservation of freshwater ecosystems.
Public Policies.
To secure well-designed and effectively implemented water-quality and water-quantity policies that advance the conservation of freshwater ecosystems.
Site-Based Conservation.
To protect and restore selected freshwater ecosystems through site-based conservation activities.

We focus our grantmaking on the Great Lakes basin and portions of the southeastern U.S. because of the uniqueness and richness of these freshwater ecosystems. The Great Lakes are the world's largest freshwater ecosystem, containing 20 percent of the global supply of fresh water. Freshwater ecosystems within the Southeast have among the highest levels of species diversity in the world.

In both the Great Lakes and the Southeast, healthy freshwater ecosystems are vital to local economies, community character and regional culture. Conserving and restoring these ecosystems protects globally significant biological diversity while contributing to human well-being and quality of life.

Our grantmaking is based upon the assumption that freshwater ecosystems will be conserved successfully only when a mix of ingredients is present. Three elements are particularly important: a strong and effective non-governmental organization (NGO) community, sound public policies, and site-based conservation efforts. Each of these elements is addressed through our grantmaking objectives.

Funding priorities for Strengthening the Environmental Community

Public opinion polls in the U.S. and Canada show strong public support for environmental protection and natural resource conservation. The environmental NGO community plays a critical role in translating that support into tangible conservation projects and policy gains. Grantmaking under this objective aims to build a strong cadre of NGOs capable of maintaining constructive and effective involvement, over time, in issues important to freshwater ecosystems in the Great Lakes and Southeast.

Grants support:

key organizations active on freshwater issues, particularly state/provincial or regional groups, to build their organizational capacity; and
organizations that provide technical assistance and/or small grants to nonprofits active on freshwater issues, with an emphasis on helping such groups build their organizational capacity through revenue diversification, strategic planning, technology enhancements and similar activities.

Click here to view the 10 most recent grants for this program area.

Funding priorities for Public Policies

A wide array of public policies at the state, provincial, national and international levels has significant impact on the health of freshwater ecosystems in the Great Lakes and Southeast. We have identified three policy topics on which public education, advocacy, consensus-building efforts and related technical assistance (such as legal and scientific help) are supported:

state-level implementation of the U.S. Clean Water Act, with an emphasis on measures that reduce storm water pollution and protect freshwater wetlands;
adoption and implementation of new regional and/or state-level policies governing water withdrawal, diversion and related water management issues; and
the relicensing of hydropower facilities.

Within those policy reform efforts, we fund groups working at the state/provincial and local levels as well as regional and national groups that provide technical assistance and/or regrant funds to state/provincial and local groups.

The Foundation does not provide support for lobbying activities.

Click here to view the 10 most recent grants for this program area.

Funding priorities for Site-Based Conservation

The Great Lakes and Southeast have high ecological value largely because of the cumulative richness of the rivers, streams, creeks, springs, lakes, ponds and wetlands within their boundaries. During the past several years, NGOs, academics and government agencies have conducted research in both regions to identify freshwater ecosystems of outstanding ecological value. This research has helped establish priority locations where intensive conservation projects should be undertaken.

To advance conservation action at such high-priority sites, grants support:

Preparation of site conservation plans using an interdisciplinary, science-based methodology that identifies conservation targets, develops action priorities based on a threat assessment, and establishes standards to measure progress. Projects that address multiple sites and build technical capacity are encouraged.
Demonstration of model conservation approaches at sites where the alteration of a river or stream’s natural flow, storm water pollution or wetland alteration is a dominant issue of concern. Projects that seek to achieve specific improvements in river flow within three to five years are encouraged. Due to budget constraints, few unsolicited proposals of this type are funded.

We favor projects that foster a collaborative, community-based approach to addressing freshwater issues at sites greater than 20,000 acres in size. We provide support for capital projects, such as land acquisition or habitat restoration, by invitation only.