Tampa Bay Water is dedicated to conserving water and protecting our region’s drinking water sources and we need your help. Communities and individual citizens have an important role in keeping our drinking water sources clean, plentiful and safe.
In the Tampa Bay area, our drinking water comes from groundwater, river water and seawater. Because our region depends on these sources for our drinking water supply, it is important to take action to conserve and protect them.
That’s why Tampa Bay Water offers the Water Conservation and Protection Mini-grant Program with $50,000 in grant money available to help fund projects and events by local community groups, nonprofit groups, schools and universities. Grants range from $2,000 to $10,000 for activities that help conserve water and protect regional drinking water sources and the ecosystem.
The Water Conservation and Protection Mini-grant Program is a great way for the community to get involved in keeping our environment and drinking water supplies safe for years to come.
The application period for the 2026 grant cycle closed at 5 p.m. on Friday, November 14, 2025.
Evaluation Criteria
Final Report Framework
Applications for the 2025 grant cycle are due by 5 p.m. on November 22, 2024.
Amount: $5,000Water Education and Green Outreach (We-Go) Program
The We-Go program delivers STEM-based water education through classroom lessons, hands-on experiments and facility tours. Students learn about Tampa Bay’s water sources, treatment and conservation using real-world equipment. The project will reach hundreds of students directly and tens of thousands indirectly, promoting long-term water stewardship.
Amount: $10,000Camp Wai Lani Water Conservation Academy Water Wise Adventures
This project expands the Water Conservation Academy with interactive labs, leadership training and community events like Earth Day. Activities teach practical water-saving strategies through DIY filters, runoff simulations and drought-tolerant gardening. Thousands of Girl Scouts and families will be engaged, fostering sustainable habits and advocacy for clean water.
Amount: $7,200 Marine Exploration Mobile Aquarium
The mobile aquarium brings marine science and water conservation education to schools and public events across Tampa Bay. New features include a digital quiz station and pet waste awareness campaign, alongside hands-on exhibits. The program will reach tens of thousands, including underserved students, to promote watershed protection and personal responsibility.
Amount: $8,0004th Annual Tampa Bay Chalk Festival - "Our Watery Futures" 2026
The Tampa Bay Chalk Festival will use public art to highlight water conservation, climate resilience and estuary health. Activities include live murals, youth art zones and an environmental education panel. With more than 700 attendees expected, the event combines art and science to inspire community stewardship of local waterways.
Amount: $10,000Citizen Science: Protecting and Conserving Water
This project creates a curriculum supplement using Tampa Bay Times reporting to teach water conservation and source protection. Distributed to 100 high schools with 34,000 copies, it includes citizen science activities and teacher training. The effort connects classroom learning to real-world issues, increasing student understanding of drinking water resources.
Amount: $8,800Colors of The Bay- Educational Kayak Tour Series
Colors of The Bay offers kayak tours for students, blending art and environmental education to build connections to local waterways. Participants learn about watershed health, pollution prevention and conservation while creating watercolor sketches. The program fosters stewardship and advocacy for clean water through experiential learning.
Amount: $4,000Water Conscience Wellswood: Restoring Native Ecosystems and Installing Smart Watering Systems to Our Community Center
This project restores native landscaping and installs a drip irrigation system with rain barrel at the Wellswood Community Center. It includes a community planting day and workshop on sustainable practices. Outreach to 1,500 households will promote water savings and environmental stewardship while reducing potable water use.
Share our flyer with someone who wants to get involved in a water conservation and/or source water protection project.
