The Sustain Our Great Lakes partnership announced $13.8 million in competitive grant funding for 33 projects that will restore key habitats for wildlife, improve water quality and enhance urban greenspace throughout the Great Lakes basin. The grants will leverage approximately $12.1 million in additional project support from grantees, generating a total on-the-ground conservation impact of $25.9 million.
Sustain Our Great Lakes is a public–private partnership that supports habitat restoration throughout the Great Lakes basin and advances the objectives of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a federal program designed to protect, restore and enhance the Great Lakes ecosystem. Administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), the program receives funding and other support from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Caerus Foundation, Cleveland-Cliffs, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the USDA Forest Service.
“We are happy to be a partner in the Sustain Our Great Lakes program. Through this public-private partnership, we are able to leverage GLRI funding with federal and non-governmental partners, corporate and nonprofit entities to support projects that protect and restore habitat for important species, reduce stormwater runoff, and improve water quality. More importantly, these projects will yield real benefits for communities across the Great Lakes basin,” said Teresa Seidel, director for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes National Program Office.
“The 33 grants awarded today across the basin will support projects that restore crucial habitat, improve water quality and enhance areas for Great Lakes communities,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “This work is made possible by the private-public partnership and extraordinary grantees that strive to create a healthier, more resilient Great Lakes region.”
This year’s SOGL grants will support projects in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to sustain, restore and protect fish, wildlife and habitat, improve water quality and enhance urban greenspace for communities. The projects will improve quality and connectivity of streams, enhancing wetland and upland habitats, increase green stormwater storage capacity, and control invasive species to benefit priority species, including brook trout, least bittern and other migratory birds.
Collectively, the 33 projects receiving grants will:
- Restore more than 268 miles of stream and riparian habitat
- Restore 5,728 acres of wetland and upland habitat
- Add 43 million gallons of stormwater storage capacity
- Install over 1.8 million square feet of green infrastructure
“These projects will benefit communities and wildlife that depend on a healthy Great Lakes ecosystem.” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Regional Director Will Meeks. “We’re excited to continue to be a partner in this effort and help support the conservation outcomes that it delivers for the Great Lakes.”
Since 2006, Sustain Our Great Lakes has awarded 529 grants worth more than $142.4 million and leveraged an additional $180.9 million in matching contributions, generating a total conservation investment of more than $323.3 million.
For a complete list of the grants announced today, please see this link, and to learn more about Sustain Our Great Lakes, including applicant eligibility, funding priorities and submission requirements, visit https://www.nfwf.org/programs/sustain-our-great-lakes-program.