The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) is now accepting applications for community-level projects that monitor, restore or enhance regional watercourses. The Drinking Water & Watershed Protection’s (DWWP) Stewardship Seed Funding grants range from $1,000 to $5,000 per project and multi-year projects can apply annually for up to three consecutive years. There is no deadline to apply as funding is first-come, first-served based on project merit until year’s end or the available funding is exhausted.
To be eligible for Stewardship Seed Funding, projects must:
- be led by a non-profit organization and involve community volunteers,
- be jointly funded by other partners, donors or with in-kind contributions,
- acquire all the necessary permissions and permits for work to be carried out,
- and actively enhance or monitor stream, river, lake, estuary or wetland health, hydrology or function
Projects that pursue recommendations from RDN supported stream assessments or water quality monitoring, such as the Community Watershed Monitoring Network, will be prioritized.
“The RDN is grateful for all the work done by volunteers to help protect and restore the natural assets in our region and encourages organizations to submit their qualifying projects for funding consideration,” said Tyler Brown, RDN Chair. “Together, we can help ensure that future generations are able to enjoy the benefits that come from having healthy watersheds in our communities.”
Since 2016, the RDN’s DWWP program has supported 23 watershed enhancement projects throughout the region, with projects ranging from stream habitat assessments and monitoring efforts to wetland restoration and bank stabilization projects. Through the Stewardship Seed Funding program, over $40,000 has been granted to support watershed restoration projects in the RDN.
