Great Lakes Committee: Great Lakes Grant Program

On October 2, 1992, a core group of counties met in Calumet County to identify issues with addressing nonpoint pollution at local, county and state levels. In January 1993 this group adopted by-laws, elected officers, and officially became known as the Great Lakes Nonpoint Abatement Coalition (GLNAC). GLNAC’s mission statement was to: Develop, promote, and support nonpoint source pollution control programs for implementation at the local government level, which seek to protect water quality of the Great Lakes. For nearly 21 years GLNAC and the 34 Wisconsin counties within the Great Lakes Basin achieved many accomplishments that preserved nonpoint funding, prevented environmentally harmful legislation, created a legislative committee to quickly respond to legislative and administrative rule changes, and promoted numerous and innovative county approaches to conservation issues.

As GLNAC dissolved and merged with the Wisconsin land & Water Conservation Association, the Great Lakes Committee formed with a new but similar mission: The Great Lakes Committee will work to support, promote and develop county land and water programming to protect, conserve and enhance natural resources in the Great Lakes Basin.

Funding for this grant program is provided in the Wisconsin Land & Water annual budget and will be sustained through voluntary dues from Great Lakes Basin counties. The annual budget is currently $4,000.00 with the grant award maximum of $2,000.00.

The Great Lakes Committee will administer and maintain this grant program for projects within the Great Lakes Basin that benefit the general public and address Great Lakes natural resource issues. (Individual professional development applications will not be funded through this grant program.) Applications will be reviewed through a selection process by Great Lakes Committee members. Applications should be submitted to the GLC Chair Greg Coulthurst by September 1st.

1. Applications must be from a county within the Great Lakes Basin.
2. Applications must be “screened” and submitted by the corresponding County Conservation Department. If multiple applications are submitted, the County Conservation Department shall prioritize the applications.
3. Applications must be from the County, but can be on behalf of a public entity within the Great Lakes Basin.
4. Applications shall include a project timeline, a contact person, and an overall budget.
5. Applications shall clearly describe the public benefit or potential benefits and the natural resource issue(s) impacting the Great Lakes.

1. County status with Great Lakes Committee annual dues.
2. Matching funds acquired or needed for the project.
3. Probability for success and replication of the project within the Great Lakes Basin or within the State.

• Reimbursement payments will provided to successful grant recipients.
• Successful recipients shall complete and submit a final report to the GLC Chair Greg Coulthurst by December 15 the year the grant was awarded.