Tampa Bay Water Blog

Tampa Bay Water annually provides grant funding to organizations that share our commitment to environmental stewardship. Since 2008, the agency has provided more than $400,000 to community projects that protect the region’s drinking water sources through its grant program. For 2025, the grant program was expanded to include water conservation projects in addition to source water protection projects, and the funding increased from $30,000 to $50,000. Grants range from $2,000 to $10,000 per organization.

The Water Conservation and Protection Mini-grant Program is an important component of Tampa Bay Water’s outreach and education efforts. Seven organizations received grants this year. They are:

• Florida Botanical Gardens Foundation – $3,000 for the Conserving and Protecting Water with Micro-Irrigation and More The foundation will use the grant funding to develop two engaging exhibits to raise awareness of the importance of protecting and conserving water.
• Girl Scouts of West Central Florida – $8,800 for the Camp Wai Lani Water Conservation Academy Funding will be used to teach scouts and adult volunteers about where drinking water comes from and the importance of water conservation. The project will include developing the Camp Wai Lani Water Conservation Academy and installing educational programming and water bottle filling stations.
• Marine Exploration Center – $8,800 for the Marine Exploration Mobile Funding will be used to renew an existing mobile educational display, changing its focus to water conservation and watershed protection education. The mobile display is used at various public events, local schools and summer camps.
• Pasco Education Foundation – $5,000 for the Protecting Watersheds, Enhancing Ecosystem Health, and Ensuring Clean Water: Educational Initiatives at the Starkey Environmental Education Center Grant funding will support educational initiatives at the Center, including the Watershed Ambassador program for 7^th graders and the Eco-Researchers program for high school students. The project aims to educate Pasco County students about watershed dynamics, pollution prevention and their relationship to drinking water safety.
• Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation – $10,000 for the Save our Water, Save our Butterflies Funding will be used to foster community awareness for protecting Tampa Bay’s drinking water sources, promoting responsible water use and enhancing natural filtration systems through the restoration of native ecosystems. In addition to workshops and presentations to schools, homeowners, businesses and local governments, the project will also organize community planting events to restore native habitats.
• Tampa Bay Times Newspaper in Education – $9,700 for the Be a Pinellas County Water Protector Funding will be used to create and distribute a Florida Standards-aligned, elementary school-level curriculum supplement focused on the importance of water conservation and source water protection. The supplements will go to all 95 public and charter elementary schools in Pinellas County and will focus on where drinking water comes from, how to protect and conserve it, and will feature activities that connect what students are learning in the classroom to what is happening in their community.
• The Water Warrior Alliance – $5,000 for the ARTivism: Transforming Upcycled Debris into Community Art project. Funding will be used to repurpose debris collected during monthly cleanups, a trash tournament and scuba efforts into creative art projects. Workshops and art creation events will educate participants on pollution prevention, water conservation and the impact of individual actions on the Tampa Bay region’s drinking water sources. Completed art will be showcased year-round at local festivals, environmental fairs and public venues, accompanied by signage and educational materials promoting water conservation and source water protection.