URBANWATERS A Partnership for Restoring Urban Waterways and Revitalizing Communities / Next NWI Urban Waters Meeting April 5,2008 o* ) ^he next NWI Urban Waters Partnership meeting will be held jointly with NIRPC-EMPC on Thursday April 5, 2018 at 9:00am at NIRPC Your Input Matters! There's still time to provide input on accomplishments to date, needs for 2018-19, and the format of UW meetings! Click here to respond the the poll by Thursday, February 8 Your responses are anonymous. You can also contact Jen to share your thoughts. financial communication a.A)arQnocc partnerships connections networking finding ° Above: A word cloud generated by Partners showing the biggest benefits of participating in Urban Waters. Spotlight on Success The MCHS Wolves Environmental Restoration Team Earns Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence Congratulations to Michigan City High School's environmental restoration team on receiving the Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence! The team of about 30 students works in Hansen Park, cleaning up trash, planting trees and testing water among other actives to restore the park. Many NWI Urban Waters Partners are integral to this successful project, including the La Porte County Soil and Water Conservation District, Michigan City Park Department, Save the Dunes, and others. Read more about the award. The Michigan City Wolves Environmental Restoration Team proudly display their Governor's award with Mayor Ron Meer. Nicole Messacar of LaPorte County S WCD, MCHS Teacher Stephanie Dege, Amanda Glanz off Michigan City, and Nathanael Pilla of Save the Dunes. ------- US Forest Service Staff Earn Chiefs Honor Award for Urban Waters Work Congratulations to several Forest Service employees who were recipients of the Fiscal Year 2017 Chiefs Honor Award for their work with the Urban Waters Federal Partnership. The team was one of 85 nominations in five categories. Local U.S. Forest Service staff, Lynne Westphal, Cherie LeBlanc Fisher, Sheela Johnson, and Drew Hart were recognized for their "unwavering dedication to revitalizing urban waterways and surrounding lands, spurring economic development and reversing decades of neglect." Funding Opportunities The Northwest Indiana Urban Waters Partnership may be able to provide assistance to further your initiatives by exploring grant opportunities, building partnerships, and helping you to developing competitive proposals. Contact Jen Birchfield to discuss your projects and ways we can help. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grants Funding innovative conservation projects in three focus areas: grazing lands, organic systems and soil health. • Proposals due February 26 NEEF Pollinator Grants Grants to facilitate Pollinator Garden and/Community Garden activities. • Up to $1,000 • Applications due February 26 NEEF BioBlitz Grants Grants to lead citizen science activities that record the biodiversity of a particular area during a focused "blitz."" • Up to $3,000 • Applications due February 26 Sustain our Great Lakes Funding for habitat restoration, green infrastructure, and landowner technical assistance in the Great Lakes basin. • Award Range: $100,000-$1 million with 1:1 match encouraged • Pre-proposals due 2/23/18 - Proposals due March 15 EPA Environmental Education Funding for locally-focused environmental education projects that increase awareness and knowledge about environmental and conservation issues. • Award Range: $50,000-$300,000 with 25% match • Proposals due March 15 NOAA Coastal Resilience Grants Funding for projects that conserve and restore sustainable ecosystem processes and functions and reduce the vulnerability of coastal communities and infrastructure from the impacts of extreme weather events, climate hazards, and changing ocean Chiefs honor award logo. ------- conditions. • Award range: $75,000 to $2 million with 2:1 non-federal match • Pre-proposals due March 7, 2018 NOAA Great Lakes Habitat Restoration under GLRI Funding for habitat restoration in the Great Lakes region, supporting healthy ecosystems and resilient coastal communities in Great Lakes states. • Proposals due March 12 • Award range: $50,000-$3 million with 1:1 match encouraged Indiana American Water Environmental Grants Grants support innovative, community-based environmental projects that improve, restore and/or protect watersheds and community water supplies. • Proposals should be postmarked by March 26, 2018 • Maximum grant amount: $10,000. NOAA Environmental Literacy Grants The goal of this opportunity is to support the education of K-12 students and the public, so they are knowledgeable of the ways in which their community can become more resilient to extreme weather events and/or other environmental hazards, and become involved in achieving that resilience. • Due April 6, 2018 • Awards $250,000 -$500,000 Upcoming Events and Webinars Webinar: Sustain Adequate Funding for Water Infrastructure February 7th, 1:00 -2:00 EST Webcast on the new Surface Water Toolbox February 8, 2018, 1:00-3:00 (Eastern) Webinar: Advancing Nature-Based Solutions to Urban Challenges February 14, 1 PM (ET) Public Comment Open House on NIRPC Greenwavs + Bluewavs 2020 Plan NIRPC, Portage, IN February 15, 2018, 5:00-7:00 pm NIRPC is Hiring for a GIS Planner and a Public Participation Planner Applications due February 16 Stopping Invasive Plants Talk Indiana Dunes Visitor Center. Porter, IN February 18, 12:30 -2:00 Food Expo and Discussion (FED): Food Justice County Line Orchard, Hobart, IN February 23, 8am -4pm Central Tickets are $20 now or $25 at the door Save the Date - Free Green Infrastructure Training Hazel Crest, IL March 9, 8:00 to 12 noon ------- Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference Milwaukee, Wisconsin May 15-17,2018 Resources, Tools, and Reports Study Evaluates Performance of Bioswales On Urban Runoff Management Podcast: Addressing Environmental Health Disparities through Research Survey results from the Urban Forestry 2020 project designed "to assess perceptions of the urban forestry profession and make recommendations for future development." EPA Method for Measuring Urban Tree Loss Report: Emerging issues in urban ecology: implications for research, social justice- human health, and well-being Vibrant Cities Lab Website offers Green infrastructure resources and urban forestry tools. The National Recreation and Park Association new resources on green infrastructure in parks and on public lands. The Northwest Indiana Urban Waters Partnership focuses on the Lake Michigan watershed in Lake, LaPorte and Porter Counties, Indiana. Urban Waters works to connect urban communities, particularly those that are overburdened or economically distressed, with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and state and local partners. The goals are to improve the Nation's water systems and to promote their economic, environmental and social benefits. ------- |