Freshwater Future Weekly: September 23, 2022

Freshwater Future Weekly: September 23, 2022

This Week: Freshwater Future Fall Project Grants Deadline Approaching Fast!; Need New Technology? Share Your Opinion and be Entered to Win Gift Cards; Freshwater Future Participated in One Water Summit; Hurricane Fiona Leaves Many Without Electricity or Water 


Freshwater Future Fall Project Grants Deadline Approaching Fast!

Looking for funds to support your advocacy efforts to protect or improve drinking water and freshwater in the Great Lakes Region? The deadline for Freshwater Future’s Fall Project Grants is one-week away on September 30th. This is a great time to apply for funds because we currently have more dollars available to support this program. If your community’s or organization’s advocacy efforts focus on protecting or improving drinking water, rivers, lakes, wetlands, shorelines, and groundwater in the Great Lakes region you may be eligible for these grant funds. Any questions regarding applications can be directed to [email protected], or [email protected]. To call, 231-348-8200. To view a recording of our Grants Q&A Webinar we hosted on August 24th, click here. Visit our grants portal to find out how to apply! 


Need New Technology? Share Your Opinion and be Entered to Win Gift Cards 

Want to be a part of the change in Freshwater Future initiatives to help communities protect water? Please share your opinions to guide Freshwater Future’s new Strategic Plan for the coming three years. These plans ensure we align our short and long-term goals strategically based on the needs of our members and partners. There are two ways to engage:

Take five minutes to provide your feedback by answering some quick questions here.  Complete our survey to help us with planning and you will be entered into a drawing for $250 and $100 Visa gift cards. The survey closes on October 10th, so make sure to have your voice heard now! 

Participate in  Virtual Conversation:

Sign up for our October 5th Virtual Strategic Planning Conversation

Sign up for our October 6th Virtual Strategic Planning Conversation


Freshwater Future Participated in One Water Summit

Freshwater Future staff member Kristen Haitaian participated in the One Water Summit in Milwaukee last week as a member of a delegation of State Revolving Fund Advocates to advance equitable and affordable water infrastructure financing. The first in-person gathering since 2019, the event sought to advance representation and uplift water justice. The conference featured an unprecedented number of community and frontline voices that have traditionally been absent from this forum attended by public utilities and private interests. 

During the panel Ebbs and Flows: Milwaukee’s Water Story, Mark Denning (Educator, Consultant, and Native American Water Protector) ensured the representation of an indigenous woman who could not attend by donning her traditional garment. (L-Shalina S. Ali, Co-Executive Director, TRUE Skool; R – Kevin Shafer, Executive Director, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District)
Monica Lewis-Patrick, President and CEO of We the People Detroit, passionately calling attention to institutional racism and the need for water justice in Detroit and in all Black and Brown Communities during a panel on Centering Community Experience and Expertise

Hurricane Fiona Leaves Many Without Electricity or Water 

Hurricane Fiona, a Category 4 storm tore through the Caribbean on Wednesday September 20th, causing flooding, destruction, and power outages. More than a million people in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are still without electricity or running water.  Climate change is impacting the severity of hurricanes, as storms are becoming more intense, wetter and windier with a longer season. Freshwater Future’s thoughts are with the residents in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, and urge decision makers to provide emergency water and services to aid residents.