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Water Quality Education Grant Program

MARC, on behalf of the Water Quality Education Committee annually requests proposals from individuals and community groups to implement education activities, events or projects designed to promote actions that will improve water quality in the Kansas City area.The Committee wants to continue its focus on educating citizens about stormwater as a primary source of water pollution and about actions that individuals can take to reduce the amount of polluted stormwater that enters our lakes, rivers and streams.

Grant program overview

This grant program is designed to improve public understanding about the negative impact that stormwater runoff has on our local rivers and streams by providing funding to individuals and community groups to utilize in developing their own educational activities, events and projects.

Download the 2013 Water Quality Grant Application»
Deadline for submission is April 2, 2013.

Individuals, non-profit organizations and community groups are eligible to apply for grant funding under this program. Government entities and religious organizations are not eligible to apply for funding.

Grant funds must be used to support activity and/or event planning, project implementation and associated costs. Selected proposals must address at least one of the water quality education goals set out below. Additional information about activities, events and projects funded through this program in previous years can be found below.

Program funders

Grant funds are administered by Mid-America Regional Council. The program is funded by local municipal contributions.

2012 grant recipients

• Blue River Watershed Association ($3,500)
  The Blue River Watershed Association received funds to conduct education and outreach in the West Branch Sni-A-Bar Creek Watershed Consortium (WBSCWC). BRWA representatives have partnered with WBSBWC for the last several years, helping them get established, form a professional board of directors, and design a watershed management plan. WBSCWC will implement water quality education programs to fifth grade students in their watershed as one of its top priorities. The goal is to get the program in the schools and work to get additional funding for future classes.
• Green Works Kansas City ($3,000)
  Grant funds will support Green Works’ fall Urban Water Session for 30 high school students for twelve weeks (60 hours of programming) from September – November 2012. During this session the students will learn about green solutions and plant native plants, take part in water filtering experiments, learn about non-point source pollution, take a ride on the Missouri River, test the water quality of the creek and learn about Kansas City’s storm and sewer system including touring the water and wastewater treatment facilities.
• Missouri River Relief ($5,000)
  Missouri River Relief proposes to expand educational opportunities. Work will consist of a pilot program of classroom presentations for younger students and adults, a watershed festival for grade to middle school students and a “Day on the River” program for high school students. The education events will finish with a Big Muddy River Cleanup on October 20, 2012. Students, parents and metro area residents will be taken on the river to witness the highly visible effects of stormwater runoff and non-point source pollution in the riverscape. Participants will help with debris removal during the river cleanup.
• New Reflections KC ($3,000)
  New Reflections KC will use grant funds to conduct green collar job training and green solutions demonstration projects. The organization will train four workers to create a Green Team to install 50 rain barrels in KCMO Water Services Department’s Overflow Control Plan pilot project area and build a demonstration rain garden at 69th and Prospect. Green Team members will participate in workforce training to develop the instructional curriculum and workshop materials. Reflections KC will recruit community members to undergo a training program that teaches residents about disconnecting downspouts, building/installing rain barrels and building/maintaining rain gardens. Participants of the training program will also learn how to conduct a workshop and assist with the two workshops held in the Middle Blue River Pilot area.
• Roanoke Park Conservancy ($2,300)
  The grant awarded to the Roanoke Park Conservancy will (1) help construct a vegetated swale of approximately 1,200 square feet in Roanoke Park, Kansas City, Mo., that will address erosion and stormwater absorption issues, improve upland water quality and beautify the area, and (2) provide community education about how using native species and best management practices can minimize erosion and improve storm water absorption and water quality. The vegetated swale will address erosion and treat runoff before it enters the local stormwater system and will illustrate stormwater best management practices. It will also promote and continue the complete, native ecological restoration of the urban savanna, glades and overall landscape found within the boundaries of Roanoke Park, while improving water quality in the Turkey Creek Watershed by providing stormwater capture and pollution filtration.
• The South Grand River Watershed Alliance ($3,128)
  The SGRWA will partner with local organization to hold a Know Your Watershed Festival in July 2012 on the grounds of the Peculiar Lions Club Community Building. Project partners will include the Peculiar Lions Club International; the Cass County Sustainability Committee; Missouri Stream Team Amarugia Ridge Runners; Missouri Master Naturalists; the Peculiar Farmers & Artisans Market; the City of Peculiar; and the Missouri Department of Conservation. This educational project will address regional water quality education goals by providing education workshops and information to attendees about the adverse impacts of excessive stormwater runoff and nonpoint source pollution and actions individuals, local governments, and businesses can take to minimize the same. This project will also promote policies and management practices to reduce stormwater runoff and NPS pollution through demonstrations, activities, and informative stations.

For additional information regarding this Grant Program please contact Lesley Rigney at lrigney@marc.org or 816-701-8355.