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Community groups, nonprofits and school groups encouraged to apply

CLEARWATER, Fla. (August 18, 2021) – Community groups, nonprofits and educational institutions can receive a share of $30,000 in grant funding for protecting the Tampa Bay area’s drinking water sources. The program is sponsored by Tampa Bay Water, the region’s drinking water provider, to help protect drinking water sources by safeguarding watersheds, preventing pollution and cleaning waterways.

Grant applications are due by Nov. 12, 2021, at 5 p.m. The grant application packet is available at tampabaywater.org/grant. Awardees are notified in December 2021 and funds are available in 2022.

“Protecting drinking water starts at the source,” said Michelle Stom, Tampa Bay Water’s chief communications officer. “Partnering with the community on this effort helps to ensure that the region has clean, safe water supplies for generations to come.”

The grants range from $2,000 to $10,000 per organization, for a total of $30,000 available annually for the program. To qualify for a grant, the proposed projects must relate to protecting Tampa Bay area drinking water sources that include the Hillsborough River, Alafia River, Tampa Bypass Canal, Tampa Bay and several groundwater wellfields in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties.

Grant projects can include a variety of actions, activities and public awareness efforts aimed at understanding, safeguarding, maintaining or improving the quality of drinking water sources and the watershed areas in which they are located.

Tampa Bay Water is looking for a variety of projects, which are ideal for scouts to earn merit badges, students to earn volunteer hours, and community organizations to get involved in protecting local waterways. Source water protection projects are great for educators looking to combine STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) concepts and lessons with hands-on experience to supplement classroom learning about the water cycle and the environment.

Launched in 2008, Tampa Bay Water’s Source Water Protection Mini-grant Program is an important component of the utility’s outreach and education efforts for source water protection. A major line of defense in protecting drinking water sources is public awareness and support. Funds for these activities are approved by Tampa Bay Water’s Board of Directors each year through its budget.

About Tampa Bay Water

Tampa Bay Water is the largest wholesale water supplier in Florida, providing high-quality drinking water to its members, who in turn, supply water to more than 2.5 million residents of the Tampa Bay area. Tampa Bay Water’s member governments include Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties and the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa. To learn more, visit tampabaywater.org.