The District recognizes that watershed organizations are playing an increasingly important role in helping local governments and residents address flooding, erosion, and water quality concerns through innovative stormwater management practices, and stream and wetland restoration. The majority of grant dollars available to them often restricts dollars for administrative and operating costs. As a result, a significant portion of the staff time of watershed organizations is devoted to pursuing operating funds to keep the organization viable. This emphasis on operating costs limits the ability of watershed organizations to focus on projects and assistance to local governments and residents. This grant addresses the need for operational support.

The following watershed organizations were awarded Operating Support Grants for fiscal year 2013:

Organization

Chagrin River Watershed Partners

Doan Brook Watershed Partners

Friends of Big Creek

Friends of Euclid Creek

Lake Erie Waterkeeper

Rocky River Watershed Council

Tinker's Creek Watershed Partners

West Creek Preservation Committee

The District recognizes the importance of local demonstrations of rain gardens, bioretention, and other site based stormwater management practices. We want to support the implementation of these demonstration projects by our member communities. To that end, we have developed grant opportunities to support these small-scale stormwater management projects.

The following list of projects were submitted for grant consideration this year. The top 13 projects (shaded) were awarded grants. If you would like more information on these projects or the grants program, contact Linda Mayer-Mack at (216) 881-6600.

2012

Brooklyn Heights Village Park Stormwater Treatment Project

Collinwood Art District Azure Green Parking Lot

Collinwood Art District Key Bank Green Parking Lot

Collinwood Art District Northeast Shores Headquarters Green Parking Lot

Green Infrastructure Curb Extension

Hospice of the Western Reserve Industrial Complex Green Infrastructure Retrofit

Park Drive Corner Lot Demonstration

City of Pepper Pike Traffic Circle Bioretention Cell

Collinwood Art District Outdoor Theatre Green Parking Lot

Downtown Water Harvesting Initiative

First Unitarian Solar Rain Garden

Forest Ridge Extension and Headquarters

Historic Lumberyard Stormwater Collection and Urban Agriculture Irrigation Project

R. Amelia Harding House for Demonstration of Sustainable Living

2011 awards

Art & Soul Park

Bioretention Areas at Jefferson Branch Library

Brooklyn Storm Drain Educational Markers

Cuy. Cty. Public Library - Warrensville Hts. Branch

Grace Lutheran Church Rain Garden

Let it Rain Gardens  (Lincoln West H.S.)

Miles Pointe Rain Garden

Neighborhood Greenspace Retrofit

Pilla Learning Center Patio Rehabilitation

Shaker Parklands Bioswale Demonstration

Stormwater Collection & Field Irrigation System

2010 awards

Ashurst Stormwater Management Project

Milligan Avenue Riparian Zone Projects

West 131st Street Rain Garden

2009 awards

Bioretention at Village Complex

Lancaster Road Bioretention

Quarry Park Bioretention Cell