CLEAN STORMWATER GRANT PROGRAM

THE DISTRICT IS NOW ACCEPTING CLEAN STORMWATER GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2026 CYCLE

Background
Established in January of 1997 by the District’s Board of Directors, the Clean Stormwater Grant Program (Grant Program) promotes partnerships between the District and local schools, nonprofits, and community organizations by funding field trips, public education, and on-the-ground projects that protect stormwater quality, prevent pollution, and engage the public in environmental stewardship.
The Grant Program effectively has two categories with grants for the following: water resources field trips and general projects. This year, up to $40,000 in funding will be awarded, with grants of up to $2,000 for field trips and up to $4,000 for general projects. The deadline to apply is Friday, December 19, 2025, at 5PM PST. Recipients will be notified in January, and grant funds must be used through 2026.

The District encourages innovation and is always open to new ideas! If you have an idea for a project that does not meet the requirements below, please reach out to [email protected] for further discussion.

Please read through the following information, in its entirety, prior to beginning any grant application.

Eligibility Requirements for Grant Applicants

1. The project and applicant must be located within the District’s boundaries (see map here)
2. The applicant must identify as one of the following organizations: school or university, youth organization, church, volunteer group, nonprofit, or other community-based organization. Grants will not be awarded to individuals, for-profit businesses or organizations, or public agencies proposing projects that are necessary to comply with federal, state, and local regulations (e.g., projects to develop or implement stormwater pollution prevention plans, monitoring, or other activities required by the NPDES stormwater permits).
3. If awarded a grant, the applicant must be able to provide the following documents to the District:
   • W-9
   • Certificate of Insurance (listing the District as additional insured)
   • Summary of the trip or project
   • Invoices
   • Photos (at least one)
   • Acknowledgement of District support in all of the project’s promotional materials (e.g., flyers, printed programs, reports, social media posts, etc.)
   • Total number of participants

Note: All required documentation must be submitted to the District by December 31, 2026.

Eligible Expenses and Payment Method
This is a reimbursement grant program. Grant recipients will be reimbursed for pre-approved expenses upon the District’s receipt of invoices, receipts, or other appropriate documentation. Reimbursement of expenditures will be limited to the itemized amounts specified in the approved grant application form with the District’s discretion. If a grantee requires expedited funding for specific items, the District will consider issuing a check directly to the vendor.

Eligible uses of grant funds include, but are not limited to, the purchase of materials, supplies, and nursery stock, equipment rentals, printing and postage for publicity and promotional materials, refreshments and other incentives for volunteers, fees for water resources field trips, honoraria for workshops, stipends for planning and development, and conference fees.
Ineligible expenses include, but are not limited to, wages or salaries for research and manual labor, administrative overhead fees, and permit fees.

Additional Requirements
In addition to meeting eligibility requirements and accomplishing at least one of the grant program’s objectives, grant recipients must:

• Enter into an agreement that holds harmless and indemnifies the District against any damages resulting from the project,
• Obtain all appropriate permissions and permits for the project, if any,
• Provide the District with copies of any documents or materials produced for the project,
• For school projects, provide the District with examples of student work prepared through the project.

Application Evaluation Process
The District reserves the sole discretion to determine if an applicant or project meets eligibility requirements, whether proposed expenses are an appropriate use of grant funds, and whether an application is complete. To this end, the District may request supplemental information regarding the project.

Staff’s evaluation, selection, and recommendations for funding will be based on the extent to which:

• The proposed project meets one or more grant objectives and closely relates to the Grant Program’s purpose and objectives,
• The project description, tasks, and schedules are clear and complete,
• The budget is adequately detailed and appropriate,
• The applicant demonstrates the ability to coordinate, manage, and complete the project,
• The project reaches the general public or specific groups through publicity, educational efforts, or participation,
• The project will result in or contribute to ongoing or long-term efforts, activities, and benefits within the community it serves,
• The project is fully funded. Non-grant funds necessary to complete the project should be available or realistically projected to become available within the grant period.

All project funding recommendations are presented to the District Board of Directors for approval or amendment.

Grant Timeline and Deadlines

Grant Types & Funding

1. Water Resources Field Trip Grants (up to $2,000)
   This grant provides funding for transportation, facilities use, and programming fees for students and teachers visiting one of the following local facilities: 1) Scout Island Outdoor Education Center, 2) San Joaquin River Parkway Trust, or 3) other local attractions that include a strong focus on water resources education (e.g., wastewater treatment facilities). While all grade levels are welcome to apply, 2nd through 8th grade classrooms will receive priority because the District has designed a suite of materials, in correlation with these grade levels’ curriculum, that aligns with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). School supplies, activity books, posters, and in-class presentations are available for free upon request.
2. General Grants (up to $4,000)
   To be eligible for a general grant, the applicant’s project must focus on one or more of the following topics:
   • Stormwater Quality Information and Education
     Inform and educate the public, specific members of the community, or students about the following: 1) local water resources and supplies, 2) water quality and water pollution prevention, or 3) urban stormwater runoff (where it goes, how it becomes polluted, and how citizens can help keep it clean).
   • Household Hazardous Waste Information and Education
     Inform and educate the public, specific members of the community, or students about the following: 1) reducing household hazardous waste through alternative practices or products, and 2) proper use, storage, and recycling or disposal of household hazardous waste, including but not limited to used motor oil, paint, and garden chemicals.
   • Stormwater Pollution Prevention Assistance and Education for Businesses
     Inform and educate businesses about one or more of the following: 1) water quality, 2) stormwater pollution prevention, 3) compliance with stormwater quality regulations, and 4) urban stormwater runoff (where it goes, how it becomes polluted, and how businesses can help keep it clean).
   • Environmental Restoration, Enhancement, and Preservation
     Enhance, restore, or preserve the quality of a wetland or riparian habitat by completing one or more of the following: 1) removing litter and waste, 2) planting appropriate trees or vegetation, and 3) working with the Department of Fish and Wildlife on a Salmonids in the Classroom project.
   • Urban Trash Reduction and Elimination
     Trash has been identified as the most prevalent stormwater pollutant in the Fresno-Clovis area. Projects may consider focusing on source control strategies, improved removal, etc.
   • Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
     IPM is an ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties. Pesticides are also a common source of pollution in stormwater. Projects focusing on the mitigation of pyrethroids will be given special preference.
   • Stream or River Cleanup(s)
     Projects should focus on restoring and/or enhancing the San Joaquin River or local streams/tributaries. This project can include removing trash and debris from rivers, planting along or near the rivers, and/or removing invasive plants near the river. The scope of this project should be significantly larger than that of a general grant project.
   • Low Impact Development (LID)
     Low Impact Development (LID) refers to systems and practices that use or mimic natural processes resulting in the infiltration, evapotranspiration, or use of stormwater to protect water quality and associated aquatic habitat. Demonstrations that focus on decreasing the amount of stormwater runoff from individual lots or tract developments by mimicking predevelopment conditions are of particular interest. For more information on LID, view this fact sheet. LID projects may include infiltrating stormwater on site, replacing impervious areas with pervious alternatives (e.g., pavers and pervious concrete), directing downspouts to landscaped areas, and/or creating rain gardens with low water use, native plants, and appropriate irrigation. This project will preferably develop LID in a publicly accessible location (e.g., common areas within established developments, businesses, complexes, schools, or model home lots).
   • Research Related to Stormwater Pollutants
     Projects overseen and conducted by classrooms and professors associated with higher level academic institutions are particularly desired.

The following are examples of, and ideas for, general grant projects:
Public Information Projects

• Develop and distribute a public service announcement about storm water pollution prevention.
• Develop and distribute fact sheets about preventing pollution, such as how to read and follow pesticide labels, including how to properly dispose of empty containers.
• Create and distribute a calendar about water quality or pollution prevention.

School Projects

• Purchase watershed or groundwater educational resources for your school or district.
• Conduct teacher in-services to learn about water resources and available curricula.
• Create a local version of a pollution prevention computer game or learning materials from other areas.

Community Involvement Projects

• Conduct watershed tours.
• Recruit volunteers to adhere “No Dumping – Protect Our Water” signs on storm drain inlets.
• Hold a watershed or pollution prevention symposium.

Business Outreach Projects

• Sponsor workshops to assist businesses in understanding environmental protection laws and regulations.
• Create and distribute promotional items to remind employees to prevent pollution.

Enhancement and Restoration Projects

• Remove non-native species and re-vegetate areas along the San Joaquin River, local creeks, or trails.
• Coordinate clean-up days along the San Joaquin River, local creeks, or trails.

Environmental Assessment Projects

• Monitor waterfowl or other wildlife species in or near a water body over time.
• Monitor a water body for basic water quality indicators over time.
• Establish a record of plant and wildlife diversity in an area near a water body.

Applications and Checklists
General Grant Application
General Grant Guide
Water Resources Field Trip Grant Application
Water Resources Field Trip Guide

Grant Program Contact Information
If you have any questions about the Clean Stormwater Grant Program or need assistance with your application, please reach out via phone, email, or fax, to:
Natalie Rose Wilcox
Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District
5469 E. Olive Avenue
Fresno, CA 93727
(559) 456-3292, fax (559) 456-3194
[email protected]