2025 Watershed Fund Capacity Support Request for Proposals

Proposals are due by 5 pm on Thursday, January 9, 2025. Funding decisions will be made early February with funding distributed by March 2025, upon completion of an agreement between MWCC and the grantee (up front rather than as a reimbursement). Match funding is not required for Capacity Support grants but is encouraged to maximize the impacts of this funding and our partners’ programs. 

Purpose

The purpose of this funding is to fill immediate capacity gaps that, if bridged, would enhance local watershed organizations’ ability to more sustainably and effectively pursue targeted conservation goals identified within their communities. Projects must directly relate to community-led solutions using the Watershed Approach to conservation, and must also demonstrate a strong connection between organizational or community capacity and improved watershed health. 

Eligibility

Watershed conservation organizations that are supporting local communities to advance community-based, locally led conservation using the Watershed Approach to conservation are eligible. This includes watershed groups; conservation districts; irrigation districts; water quality districts; non-profits; forest collaboratives; tribally led organizations; and tribal government agencies. Federal agencies, state agencies, individuals, and for-profit entities are not eligible.

Examples of Eligible Projects:

The following are merely examples and are not inclusive of all potentially eligible projects. MWCC encourages innovative approaches to building organizational capacity to achieve local watershed conservation goals.

• Establishing or developing a new conservation program or initiative
• Growing or sustaining existing conservation programs or initiatives
• Watershed planning and project prioritization
• Developing partnerships for a specific conservation goal
• Establishing or developing cooperative conservation initiatives such as weed management areas, drought response and mitigation efforts, long-term natural disaster recovery and resilience efforts, local climate change response, etc.
• Developing sustainable fundraising strategies for specific watershed conservation efforts
• Landowner outreach efforts aimed at specific conservation efforts or developing more on-the-ground projects on private lands
• Increasing Board involvement in conservation initiatives
• Creating education and outreach programs

Restrictions

This money cannot be used for the following:

• On-the-ground project implementation or monitoring programs
• Political lobbying or litigation
• Purchase of equipment that is not directly related to a capacity-building project or that exceeds 20% of the project budget.
• Projects not directly related to improving or sustaining local conservation efforts, such as financial planning, strategic planning, general communications, organizational succession planning, etc. The MWCC Watershed Resource Library provides resources and links to training related to nonprofit development and management under the  “Capacity and Organizational Resources” and “Additional Nonprofit Resources” tabs.

What is Required of Organizations that Receive Funding?

Organizations that receive funding will be required to:

• Complete their project by December 18th, 2025
• Submit a brief final report on project outcomes, activities, deliverables, budget, and publicity on or before December 18, 2025 (Reporting questions available for download at the bottom of this page.)
• Be willing to share materials, photos, and social media developed from funded activities with MWCC and our watershed conservation partners to build capacity statewide

Funding Timeline

• Thursday, January 9, 2025 by 5 pm – Funding proposals due
• Week of February 3, 2025 – Applicants notified of funding decisions
• Week of March 3, 2025 – Draft funding agreements to grant recipients
• Funding checks mailed to grant recipients upon signature of funding agreements by both MWCC and the grant recipient.
• December 18, 2025 – Projects complete
• December 18, 2025 – Final grant reports due

How to Apply

The MWCC Watershed Fund uses the online platform Submittable for grant applications, review, and management. If you are new to Submittable, you can click here to learn more about how to create a free account and fill out a proposal form (“submission”) via this platform.

Submit your proposal for funding by 5 pm on Thursday, January 9, 2025 via the online 2025 Capacity Support Application Form.

We strongly encourage applicants to contact Executive Director, Amy Seaman, to discuss their proposal ideas, and with any questions. Director@mtwatersheds.org, 406.475.1420

Application Documents to Download

• Use the following spreadsheet template for the Project Budget Proposal upload in the proposal form.
• This Word document of the full proposal form is available for reference, but final proposals must be submitted via the online form linked above

Review Criteria

MWCC Watershed Fund Reviewers (see Watershed Fund Committee Members at the bottom of this page) evaluate proposals based on the following criteria:

• Organization’s mission and goals are clear and in line with the proposed project.
• Organization’s project and capacity needs are clear. Project addresses targeted community conservation goals, concerns, or limitations.
• Project deliverables will enable the applying organization to more sustainably and effectively pursue targeted watershed conservation goals identified within their community. 
• Project timeline is realistic.
• Project deliverables, quantifiable targets, and specific products are realistic and attainable.
• Project implements the following principles of the Watershed Approach:
  • Is community-based and community-driven
  • Ensures broad community involvement and inclusion
  • Relies on local leadership
  • Encourages collaboration with partners in the watershed, with key project partners and partner roles clearly identified
• Project Budget provides clear, realistic details on costs for each line item, for both funds requested and financial match, if applicable.
• Organizational budget is complete and attached.

Questions and Proposal Ideas

Please contact Executive Director, Amy Seaman, to discuss their proposal ideas, and with any questions. Director@mtwatersheds.org, 406.475.1420

Examples of past successful Capacity Support Funding Proposals and Project Budgets

The format of both our funding application and project budget template have been simplified since our last round of Capacity Support funding. However, the basic principles of providing a clear project narrative and clear, specific explanations of budget line items remain important for this round of funding.

• EXAMPLE PROPOSAL 1 – Drought Resilience Presentation Series
• EXAMPLE PROPOSAL 2 – Community Engagement on Stream Flow Management
• EXAMPLE PROPOSAL 3 – Urban Wetlands and Communities
• EXAMPLE BUDGET 1 – Drought Resilience Presentation Series
• EXAMPLE BUDGET 2 – Expanding the Restoration Toolkit for the Bull River

The MWCC Watershed Fund wishes to thank the following supporters for making this capacity funding available to our local watershed partners