Gifts In Kind International and The Home Depot are pleased to announce the launch of The Framing Hope Product Donation program for nonprofit organizations in the United States. Home Depot stores throughout the country will be matched with charities in the local community—charities that will pick up a wide variety of donated products and building supplies from their partner stores on a weekly basis.

Donation Items

The items available for donation may include building supplies and materials, plumbing products and assorted household and cleaning items. Specific items, including quantity, type and/or assortment cannot be guaranteed. While the available donation quantity will vary from store to store, the program is expected to consist of a donation pick-up of approximately one to three pallets per week. Although Home Depot strives to donate first quality merchandise, it is important to note that donations are given in an “as is” condition with no warranties expressed or implied by The Home Depot or Gifts In Kind International.

Program Qualifications

There are specific qualifications that nonprofit organizations must meet in order to qualify for this program. Framing Hope has been developed to make the donation process as simple as possible for The Home Depot (THD) stores and their nonprofit partners. In addition to managing the relationships between stores and nonprofits, Gifts In Kind International manages the systems and logistics that support this program. As a result, a nominal annual fee of $650 is required by GIKI from each nonprofit to participate. This fee covers ALL donations the nonprofit receives from THD AND from other corporate donors that GIKI is partnered with.

If your nonprofit organization is interested in participating in the program, please follow the steps below:

1) Read carefully the Eligibility Requirements to make sure that your nonprofit organization meets the minimum criteria for participation.

2) Complete the Home Depot Store Community Donation Program Application.

3) Participate in a live online Webinar to learn more about the program.

A Charity You Can Trust Gifts In Kind is acknowledged as one of the most cost-efficient charities in the United States by Forbes magazine. In 2006, we operated on 0.3 percent of the fair market value of our donations —meaning 99.7% of all donations went directly to communities and people in need. The following organizations have recognized us for our financial accountability:

Gifts In Kind International
333 North Fairfax Street Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 866-580-GIKI(4454)  Fax: (877) 798-3192

Great Wetland Grant Opportunity

Grassroots Environmental Programs Funded

The Patagonia Environmental Grants Program provides support to small, grassroots activist organizations with provocative direct-action agendas, working on multi-pronged campaigns to protect the environment. Patagonia funds local groups working to protect local habitats in the United States and Canada, as well as in targeted countries around the world. The company is most interested in supporting organizations that work on the root causes of problems and that approach issues with a commitment to long-term change. Most grants are in the range of $3,000 to $8,000. Proposals are accepted through the Patagonia website during the months of April and August each year, and must be submitted by April 30 or August 31. More information here.

Cracker Barrel Foundation

Cracker Barrel Foundation seeks to strengthen and preserve community by supporting programs in the areas of education, human services, cultural affairs and the environment. Special consideration is given to programs that address children, youth and family issues, and emphasize traditional values such as hard work, education and self-reliance. More details here.

Bayer USA Foundation

In order to meet its mission, the Foundation has developed a strategic grantmaking plan that welcomes proposals from 501(c)(3) organizations whose programming matches at least one of the following areas:

1. Education and Workforce Development
2. Environment and Sustainability
3. Health and Human Services
4. Arts and Culture

More details here. 

Deadlines

U.S. Small Grants Deadlines: October 28, 2010.

Purpose

The Small Grants Program is a competitive, matching grants program that supports public-private partnerships carrying out projects in the United States that further the goals of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (Act). These projects must involve long-term protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of wetlands and associated uplands habitats for the benefit of all wetlands-associated migratory birds.

This program supports the same type of projects and adheres to the same selection criteria and administrative guidelines as the U.S. Standard Grants Program. However, project activities are usually smaller in scope and involve fewer project dollars. Grant requests may not exceed $75,000, and funding priority is given to grantees or partners new to the Act’s Grants Program.

History

The North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Council) created the Small Grants Program in 1996 to encourage new grantees and partners to carry out smaller-scale, long-term wetlands conservation projects that may otherwise not be able to compete in the U.S. Standard Grants Program. The Small Grants Program has also become an important catalyst in developing a pool of new grantees and/or partners for the Standard Grants Program. In recent years, the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission (Commission) has approved $2 million in funding for the Small Grants Program annually.

The Process

Each year, the Commission approves the total amount of funding to be distributed to projects under the Small Grants Program in the following fiscal year. Applicants submit project proposals to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Division of Bird Habitat Conservation (Division) for the program's one funding cycle per year. After a preliminary review by Division staff, Joint Venture Coordinators, and Council staff, eligible proposals are presented to the Council for further review and ranking. The Council, which has been delegated final approval authority by the Commission, then selects the slate of projects to be funded and informs the Commission on its decision. The Division is responsible for administering the grants for the approved projects.

Current Funding

A minimum of $3 million has been approved to support projects in FY 2011. The Small Grant Program funding level is authorized up to $5 million.

Accomplishments

From September 1990 through September 2009, some 1,160 partners in 455 projects have received more than $22.9 million in grants. They have contributed another $101 million in matching funds to affect 172,600 acres of habitat and $57.4 million in nonmatching funds to affect 7,400 acres of habitat.

Contacts

Contact the Joint Venture Coordinator in your project area for assistance with developing a project proposal, for information about how proposals are ranked, and/or for guidance on Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and National Historic Preservation Act compliance requirements.

For general program information, contact the Small Grants Program Coordinator, Rodecia Mcknight (rodecia_mcknight@fws.gov), (703) 358-2266.

• Running your business
• Marketing
• Funding
• Business planning
• Organic produce

Your efforts to help secure funding for your farmers/ranchers will allow the NAP's funds to go farther and allow more producers to participate in the NTW.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Paul

-- 

Paul Jones 
National AgrAbility Project
Breaking New Ground Resource Center
Purdue University
ABE Bldg., 225 S. University St.
West Lafayette IN 47907-2093
765-494-1221
http://www.agrability.org

ARC Announces Fourth Round of Grant Competition for Community Energy Projects: Planning and Implementation

Grassroots Community Programs Funded

Tom's of Maine 50 States for Good Community Sponsorship Program supports grassroots organizations throughout the United States working to do good in their communities. In 2010, the program will provide grants of $20,000 each to five nonprofit organizations to help them enhance their community projects. More information.

Climate Showcase Communities Grants

In 2009, EPA launched a competitive grant program to assist local and tribal governments in establishing and implementing climate change initiatives. The overall goal of the Climate Showcase Communities grant program is to create replicable models of sustainable community action that generate cost-effective and persistent greenhouse gas reductions while improving the environmental, economic, public health, or social conditions in a community. Full description here.

Autodesk

Autodesk offers a corporate grant program, providing financial support to nonprofit organizations up to $5,000.  Their focus areas are arts & culture, environment, education, health, and human services. Applications may be submitted any time during the year through their online submission process. More information. 

Support for Organizations in Virginia, West Virginia, and Surrounding Regions

The EQT Foundation supports nonprofit organizations in the communities that the company serves in eastern Kentucky, western Pennsylvania, and the states of Virginia, and West Virginia. The Environment category supports the preservation of local natural resources and enhances activities to minimize adverse impacts on the environment. More details.

Grants Target Invasive Plant Species
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Pulling Together Initiative
The Pulling Together Initiative, a program of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), supports nonprofit organizations and local, county, and state government agencies engaged in collaborations that will help control invasive plant species. To be competitive, a project must prevent, manage, or eradicate invasive and noxious plants through a coordinated program of public/private partnerships. In addition, projects should increase public awareness of the adverse impacts of invasive and noxious plants. Most funded proposals focus on a particular well-defined area, such as a watershed, ecosystem, landscape, county, or Weed Management Area. Pre-proposals must be submitted online by June 30, 2010. Visit the NFWF website to review the Request for Proposals.

Department of Agriculture: Rural Energy for America Program: Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Grants and Guaranteed Loans
Application deadline: June 30, 2010
This program provides support for energy audits and renewable energy development assistance in rural areas. Support is also provided to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) supports economic and social development in the Appalachian Region, including all of West Virginia and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Through the Planning and Implementation of Community-Based Energy Projects request for proposals (RFP), ARC will provide seven to fifteen grants of up to $75,000 to assist Appalachian communities in leveraging renewable energy and energy efficiency resources to revitalize their economies.

The Pulling Together Initiative, a program of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), supports nonprofit organizations and local, county, and state government agencies engaged in collaborations that will help control invasive plant species.

To commemorate their 20th Anniversary, the Anthracite Region Independent Power Producer's Association (ARIPPA) is offering a competitive award to watershed organizations working on Abandoned Mine Land (AML) and/or Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) remediation projects. Grants ranging from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $10,000 will be awarded to at least one eligible environmental organization or Conservation District in the Bituminous Region and one eligible environmental organization or Conservation District in the Anthracite Region in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania actively working on AML/AMD issues. Grant proposals should be for on-the-ground AML/AMD construction projects with a completion date between August 2009 and August 2011. Click here for more information.

Green America

Green America has announced that it will award four "Green Grants" to local projects in the United States that support its mission of creating a socially just and environmentally sustainable economy. Green America will provide one Grand Prize of $2,500 and three First Prizes of $1,000. Projects do not need to be run by nonprofits. More information. 

Don’t lose your federal tax-exempt status

No matter how small your budget, if your nonprofit organization fails to file IRS Form 990 for three consecutive years, you’ll lose your tax-exempt status. The U.S. Congress established this requirement in 2006, saying tax-exempt groups that did not file returns for 2007, 2008, and 2009 would lose their exempt status and will have to reapply for it. When you lose your tax-exempt status, your donors can not longer receive tax deductions, most foundations will no longer make grants to you, and you may have to pay taxes on your organization’s income.

The filing deadline is May 15, 2010, for organizations with a calendar-year fiscal year. If your organization’s income is over $25,000, you must file Form 990 or Form 990-EZ. If it’s $25,000 or less, you may use the Form 990-N e-postcard, which has only eight questions. You can get all these forms online at www.irs.gov.

Source: "Groups Risk Loss of Charity Status," by Grant Williams, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, March 7, 2010.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                CONTACT: Ashley Etienne

April 23, 2010                                                            202.606.6944; aetienne@cns.gov

National Service Agency Announces Grants

To Establish Youth Engagement Zones

Washington, DC—The Corporation for National and Community Service announces the availability of $5.4 million in grants to establish Youth Engagement Zones, as called for by the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. The purpose of the new initiative is to encourage collaborative community problem solving that increases students’ academic and civic engagement while improving the odds that they will stay in school and graduate from high school.

“Young people cannot achieve success in life without opportunities – and that is what these funds will do,” said Patrick Corvington, CEO of the Corporation. “Engaging students in meaningful service will have a sustained impact on the lives of those serving and the communities they call home.”

The agency anticipates awarding between four and twelve three-year grants of $300,000 to $450,000 per year to create networks of individuals, organizations and institutions that support the positive development of young people. The grants will provide support for eligible partnerships to build on existing resources and develop coordinated school-based or community-based service-learning opportunities for secondary school students.

Grants will support the establishment or implementation of Youth Engagement Zones to improve student engagement, including student attendance and behavior, and student achievement, graduation rates and college-going rates by:

1.      Engaging youth as positive contributors through service-learning to demonstrate the relevance of academic coursework and the value of civic engagement to their educational and personal development;

2.      Connecting with citizens from diverse communities, backgrounds and perspectives to provide expanded opportunities to serve; and

3.      Building enduring capacity within communities to become more effective at using service as a solution to address pressing challenges.

Applications are due by June 15 at 5 p.m. EDT. Potential applicants should send a letter of intent to apply to YEZ@cns.gov by May 28. For further information and instructions on how to apply, click here.  

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, and leads President Obama's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

EPA Accepting Applications to Operate Five-Year National Environmental Education Training Program

Computational Toxicology: Biologically-Based Multi-Scale Modeling

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications for research in developing quantitative, dose-response models to elucidate the associations between environmental agents and toxicity pathways across multiple scales of biological organization. Additionally, this solicitation calls for research into ways in which the data underlying these models can be managed and shared for easier access, interpretation and use by the broader community of researchers and risk assessors. More details here.

Household Water Well System Grant Program

The Household Water Well System (HWWS) Grant Program provides grants to qualified private non-profit organizations to establish lending programs for household water wells. Homeowners or eligible individuals may borrow money from an approved organization to construct or upgrade their private well systems. Click here.

Urban Watershed Capacity Building Grant

A key component of the Urban Watershed Capacity Building Grant is to engage communities in capacity building activities to foster an increased connection, understanding, and ownership of their waters. EPA is soliciting proposals from eligible applicants that address the following two project components: (1) establish and manage a competitive urban watershed subaward program; and (2) provide urban watershed technical services to subawardees. Click here for more details.

Greetings!

For watershed groups who work a lot with stakeholders (landowners, residents, public administrators, etc.) or desire to work with them more be sure to check out Affund.org. They offer $1,000 - $200,000 grants and training programs to help groups more effectively interact with the public and build support for watershed work. I’ve called them and they are very much interested in having our watershed groups apply. Please click on the following to see how this has been applied in a watershed in NM –

http://www.transitionandsocialchange.org/casestudies_meridian.html

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask. I know what this funder is looking for and I can help you put together an awesome proposal. Also, there’s no set deadline, they fund every quarter.

Cheers,

Scott Fanello

VISTA Leader 2

Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team

2795 Robert C Byrd Drive

Beckley, WV 25801

304.252.4848 ext. 7

vistaleader2@accwt.org

Ford Foundation
320 East 43rd Street
New York, NY
10017

Phone: 212-573-5000
Fax: 212-351-3677
Email: office-secretary@fordfound.org
Url: http://www.fordfound.org/

Primary Contact:
Mr. Luis Ubiñas
President

Geographic Scope:
National

Geographic Focus: 
International programs are also supported.

Type of Organization: Foundation

Total Annual Giving:  $631,920,000

Eligibility Requirements:
Nonprofit organizations and government agencies

Application Deadlines:
None

Areas of Interest:
The Ford Foundation is a resource for innovative people and institutions worldwide. The mission of the Foundation is to:

• strengthen democratic values;
• reduce poverty and injustice;
• promote international cooperation; and,
• advance human achievement.

The Foundation's grant programs address eight significant social justice issues:

Access to Education
The Foundation's work supports education reform that improves the life chances of young people from marginalized groups by expanding access, improving quality, and boosting student outcomes.

The focus is on:

• transforming secondary education;
• higher education access and success; and,
• building knowledge for social justice.

Democratic and Accountable Government
The Foundation supports efforts that help people become participants in the decisions that have an impact on their lives, with emphasis on robust and inclusive civic organizations that bring diverse people together and give them a voice in the democratic process.

The focus is on:

• strengthening civil society organizations;
• increasing civic and political participation;
• promoting transparent, effective, and accountable government;
• promoting electoral reform and democratic participation; and,
• reforming global financial governance.

Economic Fairness and Opportunity
The Foundation's work seeks ways to make markets and public systems and policies work better for low-income families and help them access the opportunities and tools they need to climb out of poverty and achieve economic security. The emphasis is on providing the resources necessary to help low-income people expand their livelihood options, get and keep good jobs, obtain quality financial services, increase their access to opportunities in metropolitan regions, and benefit from improved social protection systems.

The focus is on:

• securing equity for working families;
• next-generation workforce strategies;
• building economic security over a lifetime;
• improving access to financial services;
• economic opportunities for the rural poor;
• affordable homeownership;
• community development and land use innovation; and,
• metropolitan economic opportunity.

Freedom of Expression
Worldwide the Foundation's work focuses on promoting public policies that ensure equal access to all media platforms and strengthening public service media. In the United States, the Foundation supports religious leaders and institutions that engage in public efforts to promote justice and equity as well as efforts through the media to promote informed, diverse, and necessary dialogue on the public role of religion.

The focus is on:

• support next-generation arts spaces;
• cultural legacies, memory, and social change;
• advancing public service media;
• media rights and access; and,
• religion and the public sphere.

Human Rights
The Foundation supports efforts to help vulnerable populations gain access to the social, political, and cultural institutions that govern their rights. The emphasis is on strengthening the organizations and mechanisms that enforce human rights and monitoring the policies and practices of institutions that affect the well-being of individual citizens.

The focus is on:

• advancing racial justice and minority rights;
• protecting the rights of women and girls;
• protecting immigrant and migrant rights;
• reducing HIV/AIDS discrimination and exclusion;
• reforming civil and criminal justice systems;
• strengthening human rights worldwide; and,
• advancing economic and social rights.

Natural Resources and Sustainable Development
The Foundation supports the development of natural resource policies and programs that give poor communities more control over these resources and a stronger voice in decision making on land use and development.

The focus is on:

• expaning community rights over natural resources; and,
• climate change responses that strengthen rural communities.

Sexuality and Reproductive Health and Rights
The Foundation's work is directed toward strengthening sexual and reproductive health rights and encouraging comprehensive sexuality education and evidence-based public discourse on sexuality.

The focus is on:

• sexuality research;
• sexual and reproductive rights;
• sexuality education; and,
• addressing social and cultural barriers to sexual and reproductive health.

Social Justice Philanthropy
The Foundation is committed to increasing the amount and effectiveness of philanthropic resources devoted to supporting work aimed at changing unjust structures and unfair practices. The focus is on mobilizing philanthropic resources for social change.

Types of support include:

• general/core support;
• project;
• planning;
• matching; and,
• endowment.

The Foundation also administers the following initiatives:

• Special Initiative on Agent Orange/Dioxin
• International Initiative to Strengthen Philanthropy
• Global Initiative on HIV/AIDS
• Difficult Dialogues
• International Fellowships Program
• Pathways to Higher Education
• GrantCraft
• Leadership for a Changing World
• TrustAfrica
• Good Neighbor Committee
• Innovations in American Government
• United States Artists

For detailed information about each of the programs listed above, visit the website.

Note: The Foundation also makes program-related investments (PRIs) in the form of loans made at below-market interest rates. PRI support is generally restricted to existing grantees of the Foundation.

Application Procedures:
Application guidelines are available on the Foundation's website.

The Kresge Foundation
3215 West Big Beaver Road
Troy, MI
48084

Phone: 248-643-9630
Fax: 248-643-0588
Url: http://www.kresge.org/

Primary Contact:
Grants Inquiry Coordinator

Geographic Scope:
National

Type of Organization: Foundation

Total Annual Giving:  $181,000,000

Eligibility Requirements:
Nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies

Application Deadlines:
None

Areas of Interest:
The Kresge Foundation supports communities in the United States and around the world by strengthening the nonprofit organizations that serve them.

Nine values serve as the centerpiece of grantmaking at the Kresge Foundation:

• Creating opportunity – How does your organization’s work expand opportunities and support for low-income people in order to improve their quality of life and enable them to participate more fully in the economic mainstream?
• Community impact – How will your organization and the proposed project benefit the larger community?
• Institutional transformation – Does your proposed project have the capacity to profoundly influence the overall organization and its operations? How?
• Risk – Tell us how your organization is using new and possibly untested approaches for addressing the needs or tensions of communities in flux. For example, have you developed new ways to broaden access to new immigrant communities?
• Environmental conservation – Describe how your project incorporates sustainable building practices, embodies the principles of sound land-use planning, and promotes environmental stewardship and/or historic preservation.
• Innovation – How might your project advance best practices in a particular field?
• Collaboration – Describe your organization’s promise for bringing multi-party, interdisciplinary approaches to problems that defy solution by a single sector.
• Underserved geography – How has your project addressed locations with high concentrations of need and low financial capacity, such as poor rural areas or cities with a minimal tax base?
• Diversity – Describe how your organization’s staff and board reflect the racial, ethnic and gender composition of the population they serve.

The Foundation's six areas of interest include:

• Health
  The primary focus is improving access to health care for groups who have been marginalized, particularly low-income people, minorities, and women. Organizations with a predominant emphasis on improving the health status of these populations will receive priority attention.
• Environment
  The Foundation considers global climate change to be one of society’s most pressing issues. The Foundation supports nonprofits that are focused on projects such as reducing greenhouse-gas emissions in the built environment, accelerating the adoption of renewable energy technologies, and developing adaptive strategies for dealing with climate change.
• Arts and Culture
  The Foundation seeks to help arts organizations overcome the challenges that threaten their long-term sustainability while ensuring they continue to fulfill their important role as creative contributors to the community. Grants are intended to provide a financial safety net, support technological advancements, and build leadership capabilities.
• Education
  The Foundation's grantmaking is rooted in a desire to overcome systematic inequities in early childhood and higher education and to provide life-changing educational opportunities to those who have been excluded. Support is provided to organizations and institutions endeavoring to educate a workforce that can compete successfully in the global economy.
• Human Services
  The Foundation focuses primarily on the capital needs of community-based human service organizations that offer opportunity and access to the most vulnerable, disadvantaged, and low-income people in order to improve their quality of life.
• Community Development
  The Foundation supports organizations working in geographically-defined rural, urban, and aging suburban neighborhoods to enhance grassroots participation, resident empowerment, physical revitalization, neighborhood cohesion and, in some cases, youth opportunity.

The Foundation's types of support include the following:

• Facilities capital grants fund the acquisition and construction of facilities, including land, new construction and existing property renovation, and major equipment purchases. Facilities-capital grants historically have been awarded as challenge grants to organizations engaged in capital campaigns to raise private funds for their projects.
• General operating support provides nonprofit organizations with unrestricted funds to use as they deem appropriate to become more sustainable over time. The funds may be used for staffing, new technology, or business practice development, among other purposes.
• Growth capital grants support specific efforts associated with expanding, retooling, transitioning, or scaling an organization’s operations so that it may develop a more sustainable operating model.
• Planning grants provide seed money in the form of a grant or a loan to organizations for business planning, market analysis, and other necessary aspects of launching or spinning off a new nonprofit organization.
• Program-related investments (PRIs) are loans to nonprofit organizations, including nonprofit banks or community development financial institutions. PRIs provide high-performance organizations with access to financial capital.
• Program support provides restricted funds for specific activities associated with an organization’s programming, such as research, program management, or any other explicitly designated purpose.

The Foundation also offers the following initiatives:

• Detroit Initiative
  The goals of this initiative are to strengthen Detroit neighborhoods, invest in a revitalized downtown, promote a robust regional economy, support a thriving arts and cultural community, and protect the region’s natural resources and increase environmental sustainability.
• Kresge Community Arts
  Note: Foundation is piloting a new community arts and engagement project in St. Louis, MO; Baltimore, MD; Detroit, MI; Tucson, AZ; and Birmingham, AL, that encourages residents to use art and culture as a tool to address issues in their communities.
• Health Program
  This program seeks to promote the physical health and well-being of low-income and vulnerable populations by improving the environmental and social conditions affecting them and their communities. The Health Team funds evidence-based work and innovation developed at the local, state, or national levels in the following three areas: Healthy Environments (supporting efforts that create healthy and safe spaces for children and families); Caring Communities (strengthening partnerships and practices to achieve better health-care outcomes); and Emerging and Promising Practices in Health (Stimulating innovative connections across sectors to improve the well-being of vulnerable populations). The Health Clinic Opportunity Fund, the Safety-net Enhancement Initiative, and the Safety-net Facility Improvement Fund are also offered through the Health Program.

National Trust for Historic Preservation Loan Fund
1785 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC
20036 -2117

Phone: 202-588-6054
Fax: 202-588-6475
Email: nationaltrust_loanfund@nthp.org
Url: http://www.preservationnation.org/resources/find-funding/loans
/national-trust-loan-fund/

Additional Contact Information:
Toll-free number: 800-944-6847

Geographic Scope:
National

Type of Organization: Other Sources

Total Annual Giving:  Not Available

Grant Details:
Loans of up to $350,000 are available.

Eligibility Requirements:
Nonprofit organizations; local, state, or regional governments; and for-profit organizations
(Preference will be given to nonprofit and public sector organizations.)

Application Deadlines:
None

Areas of Interest:
The National Trust Loan Fund (NTLF), administered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, provides loans to low-income historic districts and to specific endangered historic resources.

The NTLF specializes in predevelopment, acquisition, mini-permanent, bridge, and rehabilitation loans for residential, commercial, and public use projects.

Financing may be used for mixed-use and upper-floor housing, commercial development, residential rehabilitation, affordable housing, façade improvements, and traditional preservation.

Technical assistance, including training and workshops, is also available.

USDA Announces Assistance for Wetland Restoration and Enhancement

MORGANTOWN, WV, April 20, 2010— Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the availability of funding to restore, enhance, protect, and manage habitat for migratory birds and other wetland-dependent wildlife through the Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP). WREP is a voluntary conservation program of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that works through partnership agreements with states, non-governmental organizations, and tribes.
.
“America’s wetlands play crucial roles in providing habitat for a wide variety of wildlife and plants and in sustaining healthy ecosystems,” said Vilsack. “The wetland restoration and enhancement actions made possible through WREP will maximize wildlife habitat values, water quality, and improve the overall environment.”

“At least $25 million will be available nationwide through WREP to eligible partners, who may submit proposals to their NRCS state office,” said Kevin Wickey, West Virginia State Conservationist. Proposals may be submitted for individual projects, watershed-wide, or a larger geographic area. All proposals must be received no later than close of business Monday, May 24, 2010. Proposals will not be accepted by fax, email, or through the grants.gov Web site.

Submit WV proposals to Kevin Wickey at

West Virginia State Office
1550 Earl Core Road, Suite 200
Morgantown, WV 26505

NRCS State Conservationists will evaluate partner proposals using a competitive process. Priority will be given to proposals that:

·         Have a high potential to achieve wetland restoration and significantly improve wildlife habitat;

·         Significantly leverage non-federal financial and technical resources and coordinate with other local, state, tribal, or federal efforts;

·         Demonstrate the partners’ history of working cooperatively with landowners;

·         Provide innovation in wetland protection, restoration, and enhancement methods and outcome-based performance measures and methods;

·         Provide evidence that wetland restoration and enhancement activities will be completed within 2 years of easement closing;

·         Provide for monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the restoration activities;
Provide for matching financial or technical assistance funds to assist landowners with the implementation of the Wetlands Reserve Plan of Operations and associated contracts;

·         Facilitate the submission of landowner applications; and

·         Provide for outreach to, and participation of, beginning farmers or ranchers, socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers, limited resource farmers or ranchers, and Indian tribes within the area covered by the agreement.

For additional information about WREP please visit: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp/index.html to view a copy of the national request for proposals published in the Federal Register.

For information about other NRCS conservation programs, visit: www.nrcs.usda.gov, or visit the nearest USDA Service Center in your area. 2010 represents the 75th year of NRCS “helping people help the land.” Since its inception in 1935, the NRCS conservation delivery system has advanced a unique partnership with state and local governments and private landowners delivering conservation based on specific, local conservation needs, while accommodating state and national interests.

-end-

Carol Lagodich, Public Affairs Specialist
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service,
West Virginia State Office,
1550 Earl Core Road, Suite 200,
Morgantown, WV 26505
304-284-4826, Fax: 304-284-4839
carol.lagodich@wv.usda.gov

http://www.wv.nrcs.usda.gov/

Administrator Jackson Announces $2 Million in Brownfields Job Training Funds to Clean up Our Communities

WASHINGTON – Today in New Orleans, La., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced that EPA is awarding more than $2 million in job training grants for environmental cleanups in communities across the country. The agency’s Brownfields Job Training Program helps train people for jobs in the assessment, cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields properties, including abandoned gas stations, old textile mills, closed smelters, and other abandoned industrial and commercial properties. These investments target under-served and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods – places where environmental cleanups and new jobs are most needed.

“By recruiting, training and employing local residents to clean up the community, we get the best of both worlds: new jobs and a cleaner community,” said EPA Administrator Jackson. “Transforming abandoned and contaminated sites sets the stage for bustling business centers, new parks and other developments. It shows that the right thing to do for the environment is the right thing to do for the economy.”

Twelve governmental entities and non-profit organizations in 10 states are receiving up to $200,000 each to train people in the cleanup of these abandoned and possibly polluted properties, while also providing training in other environmental skills, such as green building design, energy efficiency, weatherization, solar installation, green construction, and native plant revegetation. In New Orleans, Administrator Jackson presented the award to Limitless Vistas, Inc., a training program that teaches inner-city youth job skills in environmental assessment and improvement, as well as the value of community service. Graduates are placed in environmental work-related jobs and their success is tracked for one year. Cleaning up our communities is one of EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson’s priorities, leading not only to health and environmental benefits but also economic development.

The brownfields job training grants will help recruit, train, and employ residents living near brownfields sites in California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Washington.

Since 1998, EPA has awarded more than $33 million in brownfields job training funds. The program prepares workers for employment in the new green economy, and ensures that the economic benefits derived from brownfields redevelopment remain in the affected communities. As of February 2010, more than 5,300 individuals have been trained through the Brownfields Job Training Grant Program, and 3,400 have been placed in full-time employment in the environmental field with an average starting hourly wage of $14.65.

In 2002, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act was passed. The brownfields law expanded the definition of what is considered a brownfield, so communities may now focus on mine-scarred lands, sites contaminated by petroleum, or sites contaminated as a result of the manufacturing and distribution of illegal drugs (e.g. meth labs). EPA’s Brownfields Program encourages redevelopment of America’s estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites.

As part of Administrator Jackson’s commitment to this program, the 2011 proposed budget includes an increase of $215 million for brownfields with increases for planning, cleanup, job training and redevelopment.

More information on brownfields job training grants: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/job.htm

More information on EPA’s Brownfields Program: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/

Brownfields success stories: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/success/index.htm

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EPA Requests Proposals for Urban Watershed Capacity Building Grant

Through the Targeted Watershed Grants Program, EPA plans to award up to

$600,000 to an eligible entity to manage an Urban Watershed Capability

Building Grant. A key component of the Urban Watershed Capacity Building

Grant is to engage communities in capacity building activities to foster

an increased connection, understanding, and ownership of their waters.

EPA is soliciting proposals from eligible applicants that address the

following two project components: (1) establish and manage a competitive

urban watershed subaward program; and (2) provide urban watershed

technical services to subawardees.

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is based on the growing need for local

watershed protection efforts in urban areas.  EPA is encouraging local

watershed organizations and local communities to envision the role their

watershed should have in their long range community development plans

and aiding communities to formulate a means to achieve this.  Proposals

must be received by EPA by May 19, 2010. A national panel will evaluate

and rank proposals based on the evaluation criteria stated in the RFP.

Selection of the successful applicant will be announced this summer.

For more information, visit the Targeted Watersheds Grants program Web

site: http://www.epa.gov/twg.

Anne Weinberg

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Communications Coordinator

Assessment and Watershed Protection Division

____________________________________________________

Mailing Address:                            Off. Location & Fed Ex

Address

Mail Code 4503T                          1301 Constitution Ave. NW

1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW            Room 7417K

Washington, DC 20460                 Washington, DC 20004

Phone: 202-566-1217

Fax:      202-566-1333

Email:    weinberg.anne@epa.gov

Announcement of Grant Opportunity   

AGO Title:     GENERAL NONPOINT SOURCE PROJECTS

The NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection is announcing an opportunity to apply for Clean Water Act 319(h) grants.   This opportunity is for agencies, cities, counties, conservation districts, local watershed groups, non-profit organizations and academic institutions to apply for grants to support up to 60% of the cost of projects relating to nonpoint source pollution.  These projects may involve, but are not limited to, education, monitoring, research or BMP installation.

Nonpoint source pollution is water pollution from diffuse sources such as farming, logging, construction under one acre, septic systems, streambank erosion, drainage from abandoned mining and urban runoff.  CWA 319(h) funds cannot be used on any facility with a NPDES permit or to support mandatory compliance with any permit.

The application process:

q  Complete and submit an initial proposal form.  The initial proposal form can be submitted in writing or by e-mail and briefly describes the project and the amount of 319 funds being requested.

q  The initial proposal forms will be reviewed, and, if acceptable, the applicant will be notified to submit a more formal and detailed application by May 1. 

q  The formal submission will be reviewed and amended, if necessary.

q  Funding will be available June 1, 2010.

All CWA 319(h) grants are a 60/40 split between federal and non-federal funds.  Any applicant must provide 40% of the total project cost in non-federal funds.  These grants expire on September 30, 2012, and all activities must be completed before that time. 

To learn more about the Nonpoint Source Program go to the DEP website http://www.dep.wv.gov and search “Nonpoint Source Program”. 

Fish and Wildlife Service: North American Wetlands Conservation Act: Standard Grants Program

The Kresge Foundation: Healthy Environments Program

The Kresge Foundation is a national grantmaker that seeks to influence the quality of life for future generations. The Foundation's Healthy Environments grant program aims to improve the health and well being of vulnerable children from low-income families by making the places they live, learn, and play supportive of overall good health. Funding priorities include clean air; safe and healthy housing and schools; and safe, accessible, and inviting outdoor play spaces. Grants are provided for highly promising, evidence-based regional and statewide efforts that have the potential to achieve broad change through replication or increased scale. Grants range from $100,000 to $750,000 for project periods of up to three years. One-year strategic planning grants are also offered. Online letters of inquiry may be submitted at any time.  

Grants for School and Youth Gardens

Home Depot Building Healthy Communities Grant Program

The Home Depot Building Healthy Communities Grant Program provides support to nonprofit organizations, public schools, and public service agencies in the U.S. that are using the power of volunteers to improve the physical health of their communities. Grants support community improvement projects that include activities such as building, rebuilding, painting, or refurbishing; increasing energy efficiency or sustainability; landscaping or planting of native trees; community facility improvements; and the development and/or improvement of green spaces. Grants of up to $2,500 are made in the form of The Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools or materials. The application deadlines for 2010 are March 1, July 1, and November 1. Visit the Home Depot website to take the eligibility test and submit an online application. Full information here.

This is a grant opportunity for individuals.  Please let any farmer, farm family member or farm worker that you know about this great funding source.  If you have any questions, please call Sarah Ott at 304.293.4692 x 1144.

PATHS, the Partnerships in Assistive Technologies, is a non-profit group dedicated to increasing awareness about and access to assistive technology (AT).

Many people need AT, but affording devices can be difficult for some people.  PATHS is offering two $250.00 awards to qualified individuals to purchase the AT they need.  This award will be given to people who have no other means to pay for the AT they need.

Please see the attached application for all of the details of who is eligible and how to apply.  Call 800.841.8436 for more information or if you need this application in another format.

NGA Grant and Award Reports: Garden Impacts and Benefits
Educators and youth leaders have always provided NGA with meaningful and inspiring anecdotal accounts of how gardening boosts kids' interest in school and learning, improves their attitudes about eating healthful foods and caring for the environment, helps them develop social skills and self-esteem, and gives them a feeling of community spirit. NGA now captures quantitative data to back up these moving and powerful stories

There is 11 different grant opportunties offered
youth gardening program be sure to check out these grant opportunities: http://www.kidsgardening.com/grants.asp

Land O'Lakes Foundation Mid-Atlantic Grants Program

Website:www.foundation.landolakes.com
State: Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia
Maximum Grant Amount: $5,000
Deadline: December 31, 2010

Community organizations applying for grants may be eligible for donations of $500 to $5,000 for local projects and programs. Funds could be used to support such worthwhile projects as:

* Backing local food pantries or emergency feeding efforts
* Aiding 4-H or FFA programs
* Building a new park pavilion for the community
* Establishing a local wetland preserve
* Purchasing books for the community library

To be considered, grant proposals must demonstrate how the donation will be used to help improve community quality of life. Mid-Atlantic grants are generally restricted to organizations that have been granted tax-exempt status under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Applications for this program are accepted on an ongoing basis.  Full description here.

Environmental Groups in Targeted Regions Supported

ESC provides capacity-building services to environmental justice groups and their allies nationwide, working with them to develop customized assistance plans that will benefit them over the longer term.  ESC works with groups to assess their needs, set evaluation benchmarks, and develop a customized assistance plan.  This may include small grants for technical assistance from culturally competent local consultants, or for training opportunities.
  Service we provide are:

·        Short-term intensive training and organizational assistance to help groups individually or in coalition;

·        Longer-term assistance over an eight-month to two-year period to groups ready for major organizational breakthroughs.

This support offers maximum flexibility, addressing a wide variety of organizational issues with assistance from ESC-approved consultants and management support providers.  Organizations requesting support for technology or fundraising support should see the information for the Technology Resources or Fundraising for Sustainable Organizations programs.
For more details click here.

“The Self-Development of People Committee of the Presbyterian Church (USA) is a partner in grassroots projects in poor communities around the world that seek to improve the lives of poor and underserved people. The National Committee carries out its work by making grants to, and entering into partnerships with, community groups that meet SDOP’s funding criteria of group members directly controlling, owning and benefiting from the project.

Please share the attached flyer with persons or groups that you might come into contact with that may benefit from a Self-Development of People grant if they meet our funding criteria.  Thank you in advance for helping to spread the word on Self-Development of People!

Receive more information or request an application by calling the national office of Self-Development of People at 888-7228 Ext 5782 or go online to  www.pcusa.org/sdop.

Grants to Improve Fish Habitat

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing the availability of funding habitat restoration through the National Fish Passage Program. The Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act authorizes the Secretary of Interior to provide technical and financial assistance through the National Fish Passage Program to partners interested in restoring, enhancing, and managing fish and wildlife habitats. These funds are available for habitat restoration projects that address high priority aquatic habitats. Projects must provide direct benefits to Federal Trust species (i.e., migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, inter-jurisdictional fish, certain marine mammals, and species of international concern). It is a goal of the program to secure at least 50 percent of project costs from non-Service sources, but this goal applies regionally as a whole, and does not have to be achieved on a project-by-project basis. If you are interested in requesting assistance for a potential project under the National Fish Passage Program you must contact your Regional Coordinator for information about funding and technical assistance availability. A listing of Regional Fish Passage Coordinators is available at http://www.fws.gov/fisheries/fwco/fishpassage/contacts.html

Brush up on your grant writing skills and discover new fundraising strategies with the following items from the Resource Center lending

library<http://nationalserviceresources.org/library>:

Storytelling for Grantseekers: A Guide to Creative Nonprofit Fundraising (Second Edition)

http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R2451

Winning Grants Step By Step (Third Edition)

http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/W0044

Only Grant-Writing Book You'll Ever Need (Second Edition)

http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R2577

Grant Proposal Makeover: Transform Your Request from No to Yes

http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R3568

Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing (Fifth Edition)

http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R0316

Resources Now! National Institute

http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/K3732

ROI For Nonprofits: The New Key to Sustainability

http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R3683

Fundraising for Social Change (Fifth Edition)

http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R0239

Fundraising Online: Using the Internet to Raise Serious Money for Your Nonprofit Organization

http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R3200

Everything Fundraising Book: Create a Strategy, Plan Events, Increase Visibility, and Raise the Money You Need

http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R3349

Search the library database for more materials:

http://nationalserviceresources.org/library-search

If you have any questions about library services, contact Erica Marsh (Resource Center library assistant) at rc-library@etr.org<mailto:rc-library@etr.org> or 800-860-2684 x260. Thanks for your patronage!

The Resource Center: Tools and training for volunteer and service programs.

www.nationalservice.gov/resources

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will provide significant levels of funding for states to finance high priority infrastructure projects needed to ensure clean water and safe drinking water. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, in place since 1987, will receive $4 billion. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program, in place since 1997, will receive $2 billion. Together, the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund programs have funded more than 30,000 projects totaling $84 billion.

• Clean Water State Revolving Fund
• Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

EPA will make Recovery Act grants to states and Puerto Rico to capitalize their State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs, from which assistance is provided to eligible publicly-owned treatment works and public water systems to finance high priority water infrastructure projects. The states will set priorities based on public health and environmental factors, in addition to readiness to proceed to construction, and identify which projects will receive funding.

What Can I Find on This Site?

• Guidance for Award of Water Quality Management Planning Grants Funded Under the Recovery Act (PDF) (32 pp, 634K, About PDF)
• Allocation Chart – funding levels for states and territories (PDF) (2 pp, 109K, About PDF)
• Guidance for Award of Recovery Act Funding to State Revolving Funds (PDF) (49 pp, 661K, About PDF)
• Frequently Asked Questions
  • How can a community or utility get funding?
  • How can the public find out what projects the state is considering for funding?
  • How quickly will states use the funding?
  • Does EPA anticipate that it might have to take funding away from states?
  • What is EPA going to do to ensure that states fund green projects?
  • Can a utility get a grant from Recovery Act funding?
  • Can an individual get assistance from Recovery Act funding?
  • Will states get to use any of these funds to help them run the program?

Considerations for Using Funds

States must provide at least 20% of their grants for green projects, including green infrastructure, energy or water efficiency, and environmentally innovative activities.  EPA has a number of websites that can help communities identify potential projects and activities that may be eligible for funds.

• Green Infrastructure
• Water Efficiency
• Energy Efficiency
• Septic and Decentralized Infrastructure

State CWSRF programs have a history of funding innovative projects.

• Local Successes and Innovations
• Fact Sheets in Information

Effectively managed water utilities help sustain our nation’s water infrastructure. As local communities identify projects for funding, EPA encourages them to use sustainable practices to ensure that their infrastructure will provide long-term benefits for their customers and the environment. 

• EPA's Sustainable Infrastructure Initiative
• Effective Utility Management

There are additional Recovery Act programs that focus on water infrastructure and water quality.

• Rural Water and Waste Disposal

About 604(b) Guidance

Guidance for Award of Recovery Act Funding for Water Quality Management Planning Grants (PDF) (32 pp, 634K, About PDF)
Section 604(b) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) provides for reservation each fiscal year of 1% of each State's Clean Water State Revolving Fund allotment (or $100,000, if greater) " to carry out planning" under Section 205(j) and 303(e) of the CWA.

Jesse Smith Noyes Foundation

The mission of the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation is to promote a sustainable and just social and natural system. The Foundation provides support to grassroots nonprofit organizations nationwide through a number of grantmaking programs.

Protect the Health and Environment of Communities Threatened by Toxics Program supports state and regional organizations that address toxics exposure and contamination.

Advance Environmental Justice Program supports organizations that work to counter environmental degradation in low-income communities and communities of color.

Letters of Interest may be submitted via U.S. mail or an online form. For more details, click here.

The Laura Jane Musser Fund is calling for applicants for their Environmental Initiative Program. The focus of this program is to fund environmental stewardship projects in rural areas that draw upon collaborative efforts in a community. Non-profit organizations and local units of government are eligible to apply for grants of up to $35,000. For more information on the Laura Jane Musser Fund or previously awarded projects, visit http://www.musserfund.org/enviro.php.

Watershed Funding

Committed watershed organizations and state and local governments need adequate resources to achieve the goals of the Clean Water Act and improve our nation's water quality. To support these efforts, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created this Web site to provide tools, databases, and information about sources of funding to practitioners and funders that serve to protect watersheds.				Features New Tools: Plan2Fund 3.0 Plan2Fund Objective Prioritization Tool Training: “Developing a Sustainable Finance Plan” Module Moving Beyond Grants: Financing Watershed Protection
	Resources for Nonprofit Organizations		Requests for Proposals
	Resources for State and Local Governments		Federal Funding Programs
	Resources for Funders		Funding Databases
	Sustainable Finance Tools		Sustainable Finance Training

Alternate Foundations and Funding Sources

Training and Organizational Assistance

Program Description

CHS Foundation
The CHS Foundation is committed to investing in the future of rural America, agriculture, and cooperative business through education and leadership development. The Foundation supports national efforts related to its mission as well as programs within the CHS trade territory for regional, multi-state, or statewide projects.

This program area is primarily targeted at building leadership capacity in rural America through adult education and leadership initiatives. However, the CHS Foundation is open to innovative and collaborative approaches to address emerging issues and opportunities in rural communities. The CHS Foundation may accept and fund proposals to support these projects.

All applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Please read the FAQ page before applying.

More here…

Governor announces new program offering $1 million in loans
A partnership between the West Virginia Housing Development Fund and DEP

Contact: Adola Miller, 304-345-6475

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gov. Joe Manchin and West Virginia Housing Development Fund Executive Director Joe Hatfield today announced the addition of $1 million in loans available to West Virginia homeowners. The loans will assist citizens whose septic tanks need repair, replacement, or connection to a public treatment system.

The Onsite Systems Loan Program, which allows each homeowner a maximum of $10,000, was created in a joint effort between the West Virginia Housing Development Fund (WVHDF) and West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.

“This program has the potential to bring many positive benefits to the state, especially in our more rural areas,” said Manchin. “We’re increasing property values and improving the environment from unnecessary waste.”

The program helps homeowners repair malfunctioning septic systems and assists in the financing of connections to newly constructed sewer systems. The latter will significantly decrease the number of straight pipes into West Virginia rivers and streams.

Hatfield commented on the unique partnership created. “DEP’s funding, combined with the Housing Development Fund’s extensive reach into the state, allows this program to help every rural neighborhood in the state. We’re very excited to get this going.”

DEP Cabinet Secretary Stephanie R. Timmermyer touted the program’s environmental benefit. “Waste water infrastructure is one of West Virginia’s greatest needs,” said Timmermyer. “The launching of this program will improve water quality and educate citizens about the importance of promoting a healthy environment.”

Under the Onsite Systems Loan Program, there are no income or property value limits.

To begin the process, homeowners can contact the West Virginia Housing Development Fund at 1-800-933-9843 or through its website www.wvhdf.com.

If you want more information on the program and to see how to write a proposal and what is required after getting a 319 grant you can click on the link below and download the Grant Guidance document.  No watershed based plan is needed for this particular grant.

No actual proposal needs to be submitted until we review the initial proposals and choose those projects that best fit the Program.  Then we will ask for a formal proposal from those selected. 

http://www.wvdep.org/item.cfm?ssid=11&ss1id=588  If this link doesn't work go to www.wvdep.organd search for Nonpoint Source.

Alvan Gale

WVDEP

601 57^th St. S.E.

Charleston, WV.  25304

(304) 926-0499 x1021

agale@wvdep.org

Onsite Systems Loan Program

A solution to pollution from septic systems

The EPA has been encouraging the States to expand their funding efforts into what is known as Non-Point Source projects.  As part of that plan, the DEP has been looking into various water quality issues to see if funding them would be feasible.

The Onsite Systems Loan Program was created in a joint effort between the West Virginia Housing Development Fund (WVHDF) and West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and allows each homeowner a maximum low interest loan of $10,000,

Partnering with the Housing Development Fund allows this program to help every rural neighborhood in the state. We're very excited to get this going."

Under the Onsite Systems Loan Program, there are no income or property value limits.

The program helps homeowners repair malfunctioning septic systems, assists in the financing of connections to newly constructed sewer systems, and install septic systems for existing homes.  The latter will significantly decrease the number of straight pipes into West Virginia rivers and streams.

To begin the process, homeowners can contact the West Virginia Housing Development Fund at 1-800-933-9843 or through its website www.wvhdf.comto obtain an application.  A credit review will be performed and a determination of eligibility will be made.  This is a loan program and funds will have to be repaid but at minimal, if any, interest. 

We are looking forward to a most successful program.