The Pisces Foundation is announcing a new funding opportunity as part of the Pisces Foundation Urban Water Strategy. Pisces will award grants to motivated organizations within communities interested in and in need of assistance moving to a new smart water (One Water or Integrated Water Management) approach to water management.

This approach is a system of water management that emphasizes treating all water as valuable and protecting water holistically. It integrates across water management and other disciplines, focuses on long-term sustainability, meets needs of multiple users, provides multiple benefits, supports community access and revitalization, and can be more cost effective than more narrowly focused efforts to protect water quality or water supply alone.

Possible elements of a smart water strategy include rainwater harvesting, water efficiency, water reuse, green infrastructure, watershed protection, groundwater replenishment, and other nature-based solutions to water challenges. Pisces is looking to support use of these and other smart water techniques as part of a systematic approach to addressing a community’s water challenges, not as an isolated project.

Grant Amount: Up to $125,000 will be available per grantee in 2018, with potential additional funding available for an additional one to two years. The Pisces Foundation expects to make awards totaling between $500,000 and $600,000 in year one.

The deadline for submitting a concept note is January 29, 2018.

See more details. 

Criteria for Project Selection: 

• Primary grantee must be a U.S.-based charitable institution recognized as a public charity pursuant to Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3)

• Project would take advantage of strong community interest in or drivers for moving to a smart water approach and would complement and help to accelerate existing efforts

• Project has a clear theory of change to describe how project activities will drive institutionalization of smart water approaches, demonstrate the value of smart water approaches, tackle difficult water challenges, and provide multiple benefits for people and nature

• Grantee and/or partner organizations have expertise related to smart water policies and practices

• Project includes involvement and financial support for at least one grassroots community-based organization

• Project includes meaningful engagement of communities within the watershed, including projects that would serve the greater needs of underserved communities

• Project city/county or urban watershed has a population of at least 200,000

• Project proponent is willing to participate in Pisces-funded networks or other venues for sharing their experience with other interested communities

• Project’s smart water strategy would be instructive for other urban watersheds facing similar water challenges
 

For more information about the program or questions about this RFP, please contact Andrea Fritsch, Water Program Consultant at: @email