Stream Monitoring

The grant application process for the 2010 Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program has now ended. Please check back in April 2010 for an announcement of this year's grant recipients.

Volunteer Stream Monitoring Grant Program

MiCorps provides grants for water quality monitoring in wadable streams and rivers. The monitoring primarily includes an evaluation of benthic invertebrate communities and stream habitat. The grants may be used to fund a local monitoring coordinator and/or purchase water quality monitoring supplies. MiCorps will provide training to the grantees, and the data will be used by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources & Environment (DNRE) as a screening tool to identify sites requiring a more detailed assessment and as supplemental data for DNRE water resources management programs.

Local units of government and nonprofit entities are eligible to receive grant funding. Nonprofit entities are those exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code.

Volunteer Stream Monitoring Start-Up Grant Program

MiCorps has set aside a portion of the Volunteer Stream Monitoring Grant funds as “seed money” for newly forming volunteer monitoring groups. These start-up funds will serve two purposes: 1) provide funding and support to assist start-up groups in designing a monitoring strategy for their community; and 2) help groups develop a full proposal for the next year's Volunteer Stream Monitoring Grant Program (VSMGP). The start-up grants are intended for individuals and communities that want to get involved in volunteer stream monitoring but do not have a volunteer program to build on and are not sure where to begin.

Start-up grant recipients will have access to MiCorps resources and training and can use the start-up money to conduct research on a monitoring project and strategy. Start-up grant recipients will address such questions as 1) why they want to begin monitoring; 2) how they want to use the data; 3) where they want to monitor; 4) who will conduct the monitoring and how they will be recruited; 5) whether the monitoring program will be coordinated under an existing organization or a new organization will be formed; 6) what technical expertise and resources are available; and 7) what financial resources are available to support their monitoring program over the long term.

All interested individuals or small groups are encouraged to apply, but applications must come from a local unit of government or a nonprofit organization (as the fiduciary agent) to be eligible to receive grant funding. Ineligible entities include for-profit, other professional institutions, or unaffiliated individuals or groups. Up to $10,000 will be available for start-up grants, with multiple grants expected in the $1,000 to $3,000 range.

Contact

If you have any questions about the grant program or applying for a grant, please contact the MiCorps Manager below.

Paul Steen
MiCorps Program Manager
Huron River Watershed Council
Ph: 734-769-5123 x14
Email: psteen@hrwc.org

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