The Pigeon River Fund (PRF) exists to improve the streams and rivers of Haywood, Buncombe and Madison counties.
Donor Name: The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina
State: North Carolina
County: Buncombe County (NC), Haywood County (NC), Madison County (NC)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/15/2024
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
It supports projects and activities that provide direct benefits in at least one of the following focus areas:
- Improved surface water quality
- Enhanced fish and wildlife management and habitats
- Expanded public access
- Increased citizens’ awareness about their roles in protecting these resources
Grant requests may address any of the four focus areas listed above. Listed below are additional expectations for grant applications.
- Grants are typically for one year and generally range from $5,000 to $35,000. Some grant requests may exceed $35,000 with prior approval of CFWNC staff. Conservation easement requests for transaction or acquisition costs should not exceed $30,000.
- PRF grants should leverage other funds or in-kind resources toward total project costs. PRF awards may be contingent on receipt of additional funds. In such cases, other necessary funds must be secured within 18 months of a PRF grant award.
- If the project is or will be ongoing, PRF funds should be allocated for a specific time period. Operating support is only considered for select organizations chosen by the PRF Advisory Committee. Operating support requests may not exceed $50,000.
- Grant funds may be used to support administrative costs, including a share of staff costs, when essential to the project.
Higher priority projects:
- Support efforts to address water quality issues in streams or watersheds identified as priorities in county (or other authority) watershed action plans. A copy of the watershed plan should be uploaded with the application.
- Promote collaborative or coordinated projects that address comprehensive issues and that will have a long-term benefit.
- Encourage education and awareness of water quality issues, preferably focused on helping individuals understand how their actions relate to the overall health of the river basin.
- Install water quality Best Management Practices (BMPs) or other stream improvements that are part of a coordinated multi-faceted effort and that will result in significant water quality improvement.
Lower priority projects:
- Scattered projects (including demonstration BMPs or other projects) not related to a coordinated effort to improve priority streams/watershed in the relevant community.
- Government agency operating support, especially staffing.
- Projects related to regulation enforcement that is the responsibility of government.
Eligibility Criteria
Tax-exempt organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and governmental entities serving Buncombe, Haywood or Madison counties are eligible to apply.
For more information, visit CFWNC.
