Program Contact
Heather Nelson Kent - heather@emswcd.org (Send Email)

Financial Contact
Heather Nelson Kent - heather@emswcd.org (Send Email)

Reporting Contact
Heather Nelson Kent - heather@emswcd.org (Send Email)

To be eligible for SPACE Grant Program funding, the applicant must meet one of the following criteria: 1. Non-profit 501(c)(3) organization 2. Non-profit groups without 501(c)(3) status (for example, community groups, neighborhood groups, etc.) that retain a qualified fiscal sponsor 3. Educational institution 4. Government agency 5. Native American tribe. Businesses and private landowners are not eligible for this program but are encouraged to consider the EMSWCD CLIP program. The types of projects/events that are eligible for SPACE Program funding are: 1. On-the-ground habitat improvement project. Examples: native plant/tree planting, invasive weed control, erosion control, pollinator gardens. 2. Sustainable agriculture or gardening project. Examples: establishing new school and community gardens/orchards, garden education or upgrading existing gardens, composting systems, water saving irrigation, use of beneficial insects. 3. Pollution prevention project. Examples: trash cleanup along a stream, toxics/pesticide reduction workshop. 4. Sustainable stormwater management project. Examples: parking lot bioswale, rain garden, tree planting, pavement removal. 5. Monitoring project. Examples: volunteer training, monitoring events such as a bioblitz. 6. Outdoor nature education programs for youth and/or adults. Examples: classroom/outdoor programs, workshops, teacher training, signage, Earth Day event. 7. Furthering diversity, equity and inclusion in the conservation sector and through conservation projects. Example: stipends or scholarships to promote the participation of underserved populations and communities of color. 8. Building capacity for conservation in community-based organizations. Examples: training to build conservation knowledge and technical skills in staff or board, event speakers, project planning.

Funding Schedule and Limits 1. The maximum dollar limit for requests is $2,500 per application. If funded, the amount awarded for a particular project or event will be determined by the EMSWCD. 2. Applications will be accepted and considered on a first-come, first-served basis during the fiscal year (July to June). 3. Applicants are not encouraged to submit applications for more than one project or event per fiscal year.  4. If the available funds for the SPACE Program for a given fiscal year are not committed before the fiscal year ends, additional applications may be considered. 5. Payments for approved awards can be made on a reimbursement basis or as an up-front payment. For reimbursement payments, grantees must submit copies of bills and/or receipts with their final report to EMSWCD after the completion of the project or event. For upfront payments, funds will be provided once the grant agreement is signed. Grantees must submit copies of bills and/or receipts to EMSWCD after project completion along with their final report. 6. For awards over $600, the income may be taxable. EMSWCD will request an IRS W-9 form from applicants to which this requirement may apply and will report the income on a 1099-MISC form. Grant recipients are responsible for any tax consequences associated with receiving grant funds. 7. The total project budget should typically be $10,000 or less. If your total project budget exceeds this amount, please contact a staff person to provide more information. 8. If you are awarded a grant, you may need to provide a landowner letter of approval prior to obtaining an EMSWCD’s signature on your contract. This applies if the landowner/manager is other than the applicant organization. Please see the documents section for more information and the landowner letter template.