Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program Seeks Proposals to support more than $1 million in grants for Education and Outreach Initiatives 

Grand Isle, VT – The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) seeks proposals for outreach projects that inform and involve the public in Lake Champlain stewardship. The LCBP anticipates awarding more than $1,000,000 to local organizations, municipalities, and educational institutions through three grant categories: 

Dr. Eric Howe, NEIWPCC Program Director of the Lake Champlain Basin Program, said, “Engaging the public is a core part of our mission, and critical to advancing clean water and healthy ecosystems throughout our watershed. We are always inspired by the innovative approaches taken by our partners as they build connections with communities who appreciate and rely on Lake Champlain and surrounding waterways.” 

Local organizations play a critical role in implementing projects to achieve water quality and habitat protection goals. Recent projects funded through education and outreach grants include: 

  • The Lake Champlain Committee developed outreach materials to increase awareness of and appreciation for Lake Champlain’s native aquatic plants. In addition to digital publication, the materials are designed to be circulated in local art galleries and libraries. 
  • The Nulhegan Abenaki Cultural Education Program developed a historically accurate educational program that draws upon the ancestral connection to the land and water resources with guidance from Abenaki Tribal Council members, Nulhegan Abenaki Historic Department members, and Abenaki Helping Abenaki members. The kits are available for educators in Lake Champlain Basin and throughout the State of Vermont. 
  • Thirteen organizations across the Lake Champlain Basin participated in Stream Wise in summer 2024 to engage streamside landowners in enhancing and protecting vegetated stream buffers, increasing flood resiliency and improving water quality and natural habitat. Trained assessors committed to completing over 100 voluntary property assessments in their local communities.  

The LCBP anticipates awarding more than $1,000,000 across these three categories. Large Education and Outreach grants will be awarded in April 2025 with start dates in January 2026. Small Education and Outreach and Stream Wise grants will be awarded in time for projects to begin in the 2025 field season. 

Projects located in the New York, Québec, and Vermont portions of the Lake Champlain basin will be eligible for consideration in these grant opportunities. Grant guidelines, applications, deadlines and electronic application submission links for each category can be found on the Lake Champlain Basin Program’s website at lcbp.org/grants. 

The grants will support projects that advance the goals of the long-term Lake Champlain management plan Opportunities for Action. These projects are supported by funds awarded to NEIWPCC on behalf of the LCBP by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. 

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The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program coordinates and funds efforts that benefit the Lake Champlain Basin’s water quality, fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources. The program works in partnership with federal agencies, state and provincial agencies from New York, Vermont, and Québec, local communities, businesses, and citizen groups. NEIWPCC—a regional commission that helps the states of the Northeast preserve and advance water quality—serves as the primary program administrator of LCBP at the request of the Lake Champlain Steering Committee and administers the program’s personnel, finances, quality management and contracts. NEIWPCC is a program partner of LCBP. For further information, contact the Lake Champlain Basin Program, 54 West Shore Road, Grand Isle, VT at (802) 372-3213 / (800) 468-5227 or visit https://www.lcbp.org/. 

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