What We Fund
We consider opportunities to:
- Fund scientific research and analysis to provide information on surface water quality and watershed health.
- Support media, communications, and organizing to inform key audiences on best practices for watershed protection.
- Advance policies and practices that accelerate, strengthen or expand public and private watershed protection.
Our goal is to better understand the baseline data, progress over time, emerging threats, policies, and practices that can advance sustainable public funding and robust regulatory protection for clean water and healthy watersheds, with an emphasis on protection of forested headwaters and reduction of agricultural run-off and polluted stormwater. To accomplish this, we consider funding for:
- Research, baseline mapping, and data analysis that will be made publicly accessible and can inform programs and policy options used to advance targeted research and advocacy.
- Research on and analysis of innovative policies and practices with the potential to significantly affect water quality and watershed health.
- Science and data-driven monitoring programs to inform action on behalf of the watershed.
- Science and data-driven public and policymaker education efforts about campaigns, including targeted advocacy for effective federal, state, and regional policies and funding sources that promote protection or restoration of watershed resources.
What We Do Not Fund
- Work that is not grounded in credible science or other relevant data.
- Work with primary impact outside of the Delaware watershed.
Funding will not be considered to any organization that discriminates on the basis of race, ethnicity, creed, gender, or sexual orientation in policy or practice.
Evaluating Proposals and Grants
How do we select grantees?
Selections are based on the potential for a proposed project to significantly impact the essential conditions necessary for clean water in the Delaware River watershed, as well as an applicant’s capacity to implement the proposed work, secure desired results, measure change and progress, and contribute to collaborative or cooperative efforts with other key stakeholders.
How do we measure success?
We assess the success of the watershed-wide strategy in the near-term by monitoring progress toward the adoption and implementation of policies and practices that enhance regulatory protections for clean water, enforce pollution limits towards water quality restoration, and secure sustainable public and private funding sources capable of bringing improved practices to scale.