1.    GRN 2010 Annual Conference – Registration Open
A River Runs Through It: Our Stories and Our Work from Headwaters to the Sea February 19-20, 2009, GRN’s 10th Annual Conference will be held on Jekyll Island, Georgia at the Jekyll Island Convention Center.  Each year, Georgia River Network puts on a conference for water advocates all over the state of Georgia.  GRN is committed to providing an interesting and compelling annual conference, full of useful information, interesting speakers and lots of time to talk to one another about the issues that affect us all. Visit http://www.garivers.org/events/conferences/2010/home.html.

3 Informative Tracks

Friday Workshops

Networking, Exhibits and Fun

Register Now!

Presenting Sponsor 
REI

Party and Awards Sponsor
R.E.M.
Stack & Associates

Stormwater Systems




Breakfast Sponsors
Fish Action Response Team
Flint Riverkeeper

Upper Etowah River Alliance


Supporting Sponsor
Coosa River Basin Initiative

Contributing Sponsors
Appalachian Outfitters
Broad River Watershed Association
Georgia Conservancy
Len Foote Hike Inn Broad River Outpost/Altamaha Coastal Tours
Ogeechee-Canoochee RiverkeeperUpper Oconee Watershed Network 

Partner         
Georgia Adopt-a-Stream

2.    River Jobs
Savannah Riverkeeper – Executive Director
Satilla Riverkeeper – Executive Director and Riverkeeper
Visit http://www.garivers.org/resources/jobs.html for the job descriptions.

3.    Sign Petition to Protect Georgia's Waterways
Go to www.nowatergrabs.com to let your elected leaders know you want all Georgia waterways protected.

Georgia is home to more than 70,000 miles of rivers and streams, but with a population of 9.8 million people, these abundant water resources are being strained. This is especially true in Metro Atlanta, where half of the state’s residents are located.

Some believe that the abundant water resources of Georgia’s smaller cities should be piped to Metro Atlanta to support its continued growth. This process is usually referred to as “interbasin transfer” because water is moved from one river basin to another and not returned. Such transfers could significantly impact the economic future of Georgia’s smaller communities and threaten the natural heritage of our state.

A better alternative is water conservation and efficiency. Metro Atlanta could save between 130 and 210 million gallons of water per day by implementing water efficiency and conservation. Interbasin Transfers are costly, very controversial and would take a long time to provide drinking water. The cost of efficiency measures range from $0.46 to $250 per 1,000 gallons saved or new capacity. Water efficiency FIRST is the most cost-effective and timely solution.

Let your elected leaders know you want all Georgia communities and waterways protected – go to www.nowatergrabs.com today and tell your friends!


4.    Wild & Scenic Film Festival – Atlanta
Save the Date for the 3rd Annual Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival
Sunday, March 7, 2010 ~ Tara Theater in Atlanta.
Tickets go on sale February 3rd
With a growing public awareness for the environment, the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival aims to increase this groundswell through inspiring and educational films which hopefully will motivate people (and YOU) to go out and make a difference in their community and around the world.  AND IT'S COMING TO ATLANTA AGAIN IN 2010! Whether it is the struggle for environmental justice, information on renewable energy or an educational tale about an endangered species, the films expose people to forward-thinking ideas and global awareness. We choose films that not only highlight the concerns but provide solutions, reaching people through beautiful imagery like the sweeping landscapes of the Tallgrass Prairie or the grandeur of the rivers around the world. Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Georgia River Network and Georgia ForestWatch have partnered to bring together the best of these award winning environmental films in a total three-hour program. To be presented March 7, 2010 there will be up to a dozen films of varying lengths, concluding with a local interest piece. If you are interested in sponsoring this event call Doug Barnes at 706-549-4508.
Sponsors to Date: Patagonia, Chevron and 92.9 Dave FM 

5.    ICL Leadership and Fundraising Programs
2010 ICL Executive Director Leadership Program and Complete Fundraiser Program
Begins May 2010 near Chicago IL.   Become a highly effective executive director through this 9-month ICL intensive program.  Move your organization forward with practical tools and guidance tailored to your organization. Expand your peer network with other leaders. The program includes 2 sessions, interim/follow up coaching as well as interaction with a network of peers/other participants. The initial session includes skill-building, problem solving and action planning.  The second session is attended with a board member and is focused on integration.

2010 Complete Fundraiser Program - Apply Now (year-long intensive program)
Diversify your income, increase revenue, and engage your whole organization in fundraising through this year-long program of training, support, and expert consulting. Visit www.icl.org.

6.    Georgia Adopt A Stream Conference
Confluence 2010: Georgia Adopt-A-Stream's Volunteer Conference
February 27, 2010 at Stone Mountain Park - Adopt-A-Stream Confluence
As the word implies, this event will bring volunteers together from the headwater streams to the coastal estuaries to further educate them about our waterways and nonpoint source pollution. This will be a great opportunity to share experiences, knowledge and advice, as well as honor their collective efforts that have positively influenced water quality within the State of Georgia over the past 11 years.  For more information, please visit www.GeorgiaAdoptAStream.org or contact the State Office at 404.675.6240.

7.    National River Rally
January 5 Registration Opens
February 5 Early Mayfly Discount Registration Ends
March 19 Scholarship Request Deadline
May 21-24 River Rally!
Visit http://www.rivernetwork.org/programs/national-river-rally

8.    Non-profit Board Seminars - Athens
The Nonprofit Program of the Terry College of Business, University of Georgia, announces its Board Member Seminars for Winter/Spring Semester 2010.  The popular seminars, which are available without charge to nonprofit board members and directors, will be held on the following Wednesdays in 2010:  Jan. 20; Feb. 24; Mar. 24.  The seminars are held from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in the Tate Center on the UGA campus and cover the following topics: Responsibilities of Board Members, Strategic Planning, Working with Volunteers, and Fund Raising.  Boards may send up to four members at one time. Each person must register and receive a confirmation; we don't just "hold" seats for your organization. You may register for the Seminars online at the Program's website page. Online registration for each seminar opens one month before each seminar. Or, contact the Nonprofit Office at 706-542-3750 or send an email to nonprofit@terry.uga.edu.

9.    Rehydrate US
The Rehydrate US Initiative is a non-partisan and independent organization, established to address the unnecessary waste of water in our built environment and in response to the historic drought affecting the Southeast in 2008, threatening water supply to millions of citizens. The goal of the Rehydrate US Initiative is spelled out on the homepage – reduce water consumption in buildings by 1 BILLION gallons per day by 2015, which can be accomplished by three simple, affordable solutions – replace standard toilets, showerheads, and faucet aerators with high efficiency, available in the market versions. While buildings are only responsible for 20% of water use in the US, we have the ability to rapidly and effectively increase the water efficiency of our buildings overnight – an opportunity not readily available in other sectors. More information at www.rehydrateUS.org.

10.    NERA Receives Grant from GRN and Paddle Georgia
$5,000 grant to monitor rivers by Calhoun TimesCALHOUN — New Echota River Alliance has accepted a $5,000 grant, which will be used for water monitoring and education programs focused in Gordon County. The grant from the Georgia River Network is from its fundraising effort in Paddle Georgia 2009, a weeklong kayak and canoe trip promoting the health and education of Georgia rivers each summer. With this grant, NERA has begun conducting an extensive survey of all river systems in Gordon County to identify sites of potential bacteria pollution, and will help launch an education program for fourth-graders about water issues.  NERA president Dan McBee began a water monitoring program in August. The first training class, which was last weekend, was a chemical monitoring workshop led by Coosa River Basin Initiative program coordinator David Promis.  A group of volunteers met at the Gordon County extension office to learn the basics of chemical water monitoring through a lecture and a hands-on activity. Collected samples provided what is known as baseline data of Oothcalooga Creek. Volunteers monitored the pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, phosphates and turbidity. Once these numbers are determined, they are then entered into a database for rivers, streams and other bodies of waters in Georgia that helps give governing officials a look at the health of the water in each area. The next workshop will be in the spring, and volunteers will learn about biological testing and monitoring. 

11. Tap Into 2 Powerful Human Impulses With Your Messaging
From Water Words That Work – Read about the power of tapping into the desire to be like one’s neighbors and then to beat them at something. Visit the website.

12. New Watersense Specifications Released
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just released its final WaterSense Single-Family New Home Specification, creating the first national, voluntary specification for water-efficient new homes. Designed to complement existing green building programs, WaterSense labeled new homes will be 20 percent more efficient than typical new homes, and must be independently inspected and certified by an EPA licensed certification provider to meet the WaterSense criteria for water efficiency and performance. Visit http://www.epa.gov/watersense/docs/home_finalspec508.pdf.

13. Fundraising Deadlines
The following foundations are either new to our list of grants or have upcoming deadlines to submit proposals. To view grant makers that give throughout the year, visit our website at http://www.garivers.org/resources/tools/grants.html. 

Ben and Jerry's Foundation provides grants ranging from $1,000 - $15,000 for grassroots organizing that leads to environmental change and addresses the root causes of environmental problems. Letters of inquiry may be submitted at any time and are reviewed three times a year. Click here for more information: http://www.benjerry.com/foundation/.

Captain Planet Foundation provides grants to organizations that promote an understanding of the environment and involve youth ages 6-18. Grants range from $250 - $2,500. Deadlines for submitting grant applications are March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31. Visit http://www.captainplanetfdn.org/.

Fall/Winter cycle of the CRN Action Assistance Fund. The deadline for this round of applications is Friday January 8, 2010. The fund disperses small grants to CRN Member Groups working to ensure that Army Corps of Engineers' projects are economically and environmentally sound. In many cases, CRN Member Groups use the fund to hire technical experts that aid in stopping controversial, environmentally destructive and/or fiscally unjustified Corps proposals and projects. Your organization must be a CRN Member to submit an application. If you would like to submit an application but are not a CRN Member, you may  join the CRN online at www.corpsreform.org, or contact CRN Coordinator George Sorvalis (202) 797-6617 sorvalisg@nwf.org for more information.

Department of Agriculture: Solid Waste Management Grant Program
This program supports projects to reduce or eliminate pollution of water resources in rural areas, and to improve planning and management of solid waste sites in rural areas. Applications will be accepted from October 1 through December 31 of each calendar year. Visit http://www.usda.gov/rus/water/SWMG.htm.

The mission of the Educational Foundation of America is to improve individual lives and their surroundings through education and awareness, in hopes of bettering humanity and the world we inhabit. The Foundation’s areas of interest include the environment, reproductive freedom, theatre, drug policy reform, democracy, peace and national security issues, education, medicine, and human services. Letters of inquiry may be submitted by email at any time. Visit http://www.efaw.org.

The Home Depot Foundation makes grants to 501(c)(3) tax exempt public charities for several purposes including community cleanup. Grants typically range from $10,000 to $50,000. Preference is given to proposals that encourage volunteerism and community engagement that result in the restoration or conservation of community and wildland forests for a healthier environment that address one or both of the following: restore urban or rural forests for environmental and economic benefit using community volunteers in planting and maintenance efforts, promote sustainable forestry management to ensure responsible harvesting and use of wood resources. Proposals are accepted throughout the year, and grants are awarded four times a year. Visit www.homedepotfoundation.org.

The Impact Fund awards grants to non-profit legal firms, private attorneys and/or small law firms who seek to advance social justice in the areas of civil and human rights, environmental justice and/or poverty law. They seek to provide funding for public interest litigation that will potentially benefit a large number of people, lead to significant law reform, or raise public consciousness. The Impact Fund has awarded over $4 million in general and donor-advised grants, since its inception. The Impact Funds awards grants four times per year, with the average grant size being $10,000 - $15,000. The maximum grant amount awarded to any single applicant per year is $25,000. Pre-applications reviewed 4 times a year. Visit http://www.impactfund.org/pages/grants/grants.htm.

Mead Westvaco Foundation's primary focus is to enhance the quality of life in communities where MeadWestvaco has major operations and where MeadWestvaco employees and their families live and work. This includes providing direct grant support and encouraging active management and employee leadership involvement and volunteerism. Priorities for contributions in small and/or rural communities, where there are fewer sources of contributions, often address a broad range of needs. Support for urban communities is generally more targeted. Additionally, the Foundation seeks to provide leadership for advancing research, education and public dialogue on public policy issues of special interest, such as the economy, regulation and environmental stewardship. Proposals for grants are accepted throughout the year. Grants range from $250 to $10,000. Visit http://www.meadwestvaco.com/index.htm.

Norcross Wildlife Foundation provides funding for equipment and publications. Grants range from $1,000 - $5,000. Visit http://www.norcrossws.org/.

The Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation promotes a sustainable and just social and natural system by supporting grassroots organizations and movements committed to this goal. The Foundation provides support to organizations nationwide in the following funding categories: Protecting the Health and Environment of Communities Threatened by Toxics; Advancing Environmental Justice; Promoting a Sustainable Agricultural and Food System; and Ensuring Quality Reproductive Health Care as a Human Right. Applications are accepted throughout the year. Visit http://www.noyes.org/.

Techsoup - Discounted Computer Software
Click on this website to purchase computer software at great prices. Must be 501c3. www.techsoup.org.

The Tellabs Foundation makes direct grants to eligible organizations, generally in the amount of $10,000 and above. Generally, grants will be considered for specific programs, rather than for general operating funds. The primary focus of the Foundation is to support programs in areas in which Tellabs employees live and work. (The Tellabs Southeast Regional Sales office is located in the Atlanta area.) Environment is one of three areas of special interest to the Foundation. It supports programs to encourage understanding and the protection of the environment - particularly in the areas of public health, clean air, clean water, recycling and waste reduction. The Tellabs Foundation Board meets quarterly, usually in January, April, July and October. The deadline for letters of inquiry or invited proposals is four weeks before the scheduled meeting. Proposals received after the deadline will be considered at the next meeting. It is recommended that letters of inquiry be submitted at least four months before funding is needed. Visit
http://www.tellabs.com/about/foundation.shtml.

The mission of Wildlife Forever is to preserve America's wildlife heritage through conservation education, preservation of habitat, and management of fish and wildlife. Grants from Wildlife Forever support habitat restoration and acquisition, research and management, and educational projects throughout the United States. Special emphasis is placed on grassroots programs that involve local conservation, sportsmen's, or outdoor recreation groups. All Wildlife Forever grants are challenge grants, and funds must be matched on at least a one-to-one basis. The application deadlines for 2010 are January 1 and July 1. Visit the Wildlife Forever website to review the grantmaking criteria and download the application forms. Visit  http://www.wildlifeforever.org/grants/overview.aspx 

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