The Southwest Florida Water Management District is announcing the recipients of the 2005 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 year the District awarded 29 grants Districtwide for a total of $107,667.
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 is the ninth year community education grants have been available.
Here is the Marion County recipient:
The Florida Yards & Neighborhoods/Marion County Extension Service will receive $5,000 for the 11th Annual Master Gardener Spring Festival. Approximately 12,000 people will be educated at this festival focusing on water conservation, water quality and watersheds. Participants will be encouraged to attend eight planned seminars directly related to water resources awareness. The Waters Journey video will be shown four times throughout the festival and a four-hour workshop focusing on Florida Yards & Neighborhoods topics will be conducted.
This project’s funding comes from the District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board. The Withlacoochee River Basin includes portions of Citrus, Hernando, Levy, Marion, Pasco and Sumter counties.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 2006 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 October. To be added to the mailing list to receive the 2006 Application and Guidelines, call the District’s Communications Department at 800-423-1476 or 352-796-7211, ext. 4757.