The Southwest Florida Water Management District is proud to announce the recipients of the 2006 Community Education Grant Program. The grants, which are up to $5,000 each, will help fund projects that provide communities the opportunity to learn about water resources.
This is the ninth year community education grants have been available.
The overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues pertaining to conservation, protection and preservation. Funded by the District’s Basin Boards, the program is intended to motivate communities to get involved in water protection through various activities and educational formats.
This year the District awarded 34 grants Districtwide for a total of $151,278. Of those 34 grants awarded, five were given to groups in the Manasota Basin area, which includes Manatee and Sarasota counties.
Funding for the following five projects comes from the Manasota Basin Board.
The City of Bradenton Beach will receive $4,435 for an Eco Expo. This project includes conducting a stormwater workshop for approximately 1,450 members of the Anna Maria Island community. The workshop will provide information and guidance to business and property owners and residents on how to build and maintain natural stormwater retention areas to reduce flooding and detain runoff, which will improve water quality and create alternative water sources. In addition, a rain garden will be constructed on city property to demonstrate how a retention area functions.
Keep Manatee Beautiful, Inc. will receive $5,000 for the Adopt-A-Shore Program. This project, which is implemented throughout Florida, is available to public, private and government agencies. Selected areas are cleaned up at least three times a year and are recorded on a data card. Participants must agree to a minimum commitment of two years. There are 16 areas in Manatee County that have been adopted but do not have signs. Through this project, signs will be purchased and installed to promote public awareness about water quality and participation in litter prevention and reduction along shorelines.
The St. Armands Residents Association will receive $5,000 for the Barrier Island Water Preservation project, which will reach approximately 5,000 homeowners, business owners and commercial property owners in St. Armands and Lido. The goal of this project is to inform the target audience about water conservation, water quality improvement, stormwater flooding mitigation and alternatives to nitrate fertilizers. This information campaign will be accomplished through town and public meetings, a newsletter and a telephone campaign.
Manatee County will receive $4,664 for Lawn Sprinkler Calibration Kits. This project will supply 3,500 Manatee County residents who use potable water for irrigation with lawn sprinkler calibration kits. Participating residents will attend a workshop explaining automatic irrigation systems, settings for the controller and instructions on conducting a calibration test before receiving a kit. Each kit includes simple instructions, 10 sprinkler gauges and record cards for calibrating each zone in an automatic system. The goal is to prevent over-watering lawns by taking the guesswork out of calibrating zones.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 85 will receive $538 for the “Stop the Drips” campaign. Approximately 200 recreational boaters will be surveyed about on their attitude toward fuel/oil spills. After taking the survey, the boaters will be given literature and a non-spill fuel/oil absorbent bib. Through the campaign the boaters will be informed about the options available to prevent small fuel/oil spills from entering our waterways, and about the hazards of fuel/oil pollution.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 2007 Community Education Grant Program will begin its application process in August of this year if funding is approved by the Basin Boards. The deadline for applications is tentatively scheduled for September. To be added to the mailing list to receive the 2007 application, call the District’s Communications Department at 800-423-1476 or 352-796-7211, ext. 4757.