Saginaw Bay WIN Grants

The Saginaw Bay WIN Grants, managed by The Conservation Fund, aim to foster sustainable solutions within the Saginaw Bay watershed. Established in 1996, this initiative supports projects addressing economic, environmental, and social challenges through funding in five focus areas: agriculture, communication, land use, water resources, and wildlife stewardship. By promoting partnerships and innovative approaches, WIN helps communities thrive while ensuring the region's natural resources are preserved for future generations.

About Us - The Conservation Fund
At the Fund, we make conservation work for America.
What is WIN?
What is WIN? The Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN) is a collaborative, community-driven quality of life initiative created by a variety of environmental, business and community interests in 1996. WIN was formed to create a more sustainable future for all who live, work and play within the Saginaw Bay watershed. One of the ways in which WIN accomplishes this objective is by providing financial support to projects that link the economic, environmental and social needs of the region.
Funding Priorities
WIN welcomes proposals that advance the search for sustainable solutions to current watershed and community challenges. WIN is responsive to new ideas, new research and new approaches, recognizing that such innovation is necessary to move the concept of sustainability forward in the Saginaw Bay watershed. The sustainability approach integrates economic goals with environmental and social goals and is based on the premise that meeting human needs for all people today should not impair the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
A strong local economy is at the core of a sustainable community because development and the jobs it creates are the vehicles for meeting human needs.
WIN accepts proposals for projects that advance its work within five focus areas:
Agriculture and Pollution PreventionCommunication / Regional MarketingLand UseWater ResourcesWildlife Stewardship
In addition to sustainability linkages, WIN evaluates projects by asking whether projects:
Promote and encourage partnerships by leveraging resourcesBalance long-term focus with short-term resultsPromote excellence by fostering a sense of identification and pride in the watershedServe as pilot or demonstration projects with broad application (can be replicated)Fit with WIN’s vision, mission, and guiding principles
Focus Areas
WIN accepts proposals for projects that advance its work within five focus areas:
Agriculture and Pollution Prevention:
Marketing region's agricultural products and agri-tourismWater quality improvement and pollution prevention including soil erosion issuesProduction of value-added, diversified agricultural productsPreserving farming as a viable industry for the next generation of farmersProtection and preservation of agricultural landsBridging gap between urban and rural community interestsPromotion of alternative and improved energy sources
Communication / Regional Marketing:
Promoting the Saginaw Bay watershed as a tourist destination and recreation areaEducation about concept of sustainability
Land Use:
Promotion of “green” developmentEncouraging regional cooperation on land use issuesEducation about land use issuesOpen space protection
Water Resources:
Pollution prevention (nonpoint source & point source)Wetland restorationFisheries (improve access to, health, promotion, Fisheries Scoping Study implementation)Access to water resourcesImprovement of water quality leading to the de-listing of the Saginaw Bay ecosystem as an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Area of Concern
Wildlife Stewardship:
Habitat restoration lakeward/riverward of the 585 foot contourPromotion of habitat-related eventsProviding access to significant habitat and wildlife areasProtection of significant habitatsEducational projects (habitat & wildlife related)

Eligibility

The "Local Champion" is the not-for-profit organization, entity or government agency that will have primary responsibility for insuring that the project is completed.

Ineligibility

WIN does not support land acquisition costs.