Workshops/Conferences/Calendar Items
5. Georgia Water Coalition Meeting – Covington
6. Federal Listening Session on Cooperative Conservation - Brunswick
7. September DNR Board Meetings – Brasstown Valley Conference Center
8. Savannah River Coastal Meander
9. Celebrate Etowah Events
10. Stream Restoration Construction Training - NC
11. EPA Webcasts
12. Nonprofit Board Seminars at UGA - Athens
13. Lower ACF Research Conference III - Albany
14. SE Watershed Forum Leadership Training – Callaway Gardens
15. World Rivers Day
16. Conference – Paying for Sustainable Water Infrastructure - Atlanta

Group Spotlight
17. Altamaha Riverkeeper Seeks to Fund Coastkeeper Program

Resources
18. Water Conservation Resources

Fundraising Deadlines
19. Fundraising and Grants

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1. Variance Procedure for 150-Foot Buffers – Public Meetings Scheduled
The Georgia Water Coalition –including Georgia River Network - worked hard last year to defeat Senate Bill 510 in the General Assembly. SB 510 would have allowed an encroachment to the 150-foot buffer required upstream of all water supply watersheds. A bi-partisan effort in the House defeated this bad buffer bill resoundingly 139-30. At the last DNR Board meeting, EPD Director Dr. Carol Couch presented the new Proposed Rules for Stream Buffer Variances in Water Supply Watersheds. For a copy of the proposed rules, visit: http://www.gwf.org/gawater/081106MemotoDNRBoard.pdf. We want the variance procedures EPD is developing for the water supply watershed buffers to be as protective of our waterways and drinking water supplies as possible. Along with our friends in the Georgia Water Coalition, we will be reviewing the proposed rules and formulating comments on these variance procedures. We will gladly share these with you in time for you to take action and make comments on the proposed rules.

You can comment in two ways: at public meetings and in writing. EPD is hosting the following public meetings, all scheduled for 6:00 pm, to discuss the proposed rule change:
• September 21 at Dalton Utilities - 1200 V. D. Parrott Jr. Pkwy. Dalton
• September 26 at Dahlonega City Hall - 465 Riley Road
• September 27 at EPD Training Center - 4244 International Parkway Suite 116, Atlanta

Written comments should be submitted to EPD by close of business on October 6, 2006 so they may be included in EPD's briefing package for the Board of Natural Resources. Written comments may be emailed to EPDComments@dnr.state.ga.us or sent via regular mail addressed to: Linda MacGregor, Chief, Watershed Protection Branch, 4220 International Parkway, Suite 101, Atlanta, Georgia, 30354. EPD will brief the Board of Natural Resources on the proposed rule Amendment and on the public comments at the October 25 meeting at 10:00 am in the DNR Board Room. An additional public notice and comment period will be held prior to presenting the final rules to the Board of Natural Resources at its January 24, 2007 meeting.

2. Nominate Your River To Be on Most Endangered Rivers List
Does a river you love face an uncertain future? Will its fate be determined by action in the coming year? If your river is facing sprawl, pollution, mining, diversion or other imminent threat, consider nominating it for the 2007 America’s Most Endangered Rivers report. Each year, this much-anticipated report shines a national spotlight on rivers around the country that face uncertain futures. The deadline for nominations is October 1, 2006. For more information, contact outreach@AmericanRivers.org or call Rob Perks at 202-347-7550.

3. GRN Hiring Watershed Support Coordinator
Georgia River Network is hiring a Watershed Support Coordinator to provide support services to Georgia’s river conservation organizations. Visit www.garivers.org to view the job announcement.

4. Sign Up to Receive Action Alerts - GEAN
Receive action alerts on important environmental issues and utilize this easy way to contact your public officials to make your voice heard. GEAN (Georgia Environmental Action Network) is a collaborative effort among environmental and conservation organizations throughout the state to educate and mobilize their memberships utilizing a state-of-the-art electronic action alert system. This system provides the conservation community with a powerful means for getting their collaborative message out to elected officials, administrative decision makers, and leaders in big business and industry. To sign up to receive alerts from GEAN, go to: http://www.protectgeorgia.net. Be sure to indicate that you are a friend of Georgia River Network.

5. Georgia Water Coalition Meeting – Covington
The 2006 Fall Meeting of the Georgia Water Coalition will be held Tuesday, October 17 from 10am – 4pm at the Georgia Wildlife Federation’s Alcovy Conservation Center. Lunch will be provided. RSVP to Sarah Barmeyer at sbarmeyer@gwf.org or 770-787-7887 by October 12.

6. Federal Listening Session on Cooperative Conservation – Brunswick
Brunswick, Georgia, 1 p.m., Sept. 21, 2006, Coastal Georgia Community College, Terrill Thomas Auditorium in the Southeast Georgia Conference Center - The Secretaries of Interior, Commerce and Agriculture, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality will hold a listening session on cooperative conservation and environmental partnerships in Brunswick. The session will give citizens an opportunity to exchange ideas on incentives, partnership programs, and regulations that can improve results and promote cooperative conservation and environmental partnerships. The meeting will focus on issues, programs, and policies mentioned frequently at the White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation. Visit www.cooperativeconservation.gov.

Discussion topics will include: How can the federal government enhance wildlife habitat, species protection, and other conservation outcomes through regulatory and voluntary conservation programs? How can the federal government enhance cooperation among federal agencies and with states, tribes, and local communities in the application of environmental protection and conservation laws? How can the federal government work with states, tribes, and other public- and private-sector partners to improve science used in environmental protection and conservation? How can the federal government work cooperatively with businesses and landowners to protect the environment and promote conservation? How can the federal government better respect the interests of people with ownership in land, water, and other natural resources?

7. DNR Board Meetings – Brasstown Valley Conference Center
Committee meetings are scheduled for September 26 and the Board meeting for September 27 at the Brasstown Valley Conference Center. For details on DNR Board Meetings, visit http://www.gadnr.org/ (bottom left corner of home page). To view the schedule, visit http://gadnr.org/documents/sched-agenda.html.

8. Savannah River Coastal Plain Meander
The Savannah Riverkeeper, Inc., an advocacy group committed to protecting the Savannah River, is again partnering with Bull River Cruises of Savannah to launch its premier fundraising event, the Coastal Plain Meander. The Coastal Plain Meander is a guided tour on the Savannah River. Accompanied by a naturalist and expert river guides, participants will board the Island Explorer, a 45’ triple pontoon, for a 186-mile adventure. Along the river’s banks you’ll come face-to-face with wildlife, remnants from the river’s commercial past, an archeological dig, and the river’s industrial residents. Programs are planned for the evenings and include marshmallows and a campfire. The journey departs from Augusta’s Riverfront Marina on Friday, September 29th and concludes at the docks on Savannah’s River Street on Monday, October 2nd. A variety of packages are offered and include day trips, an overnighter, a long weekend, and the full four-day meander. Prices start at $200 and include camping or cabin accommodations, meals, and ground transportation. For additional information, call Frank in Augusta at 706-364-5253 or Maria in Savannah at 912-228-5471. Check-out the events section at www.SavannahRiverkeeper.org. Reservations are due by September 22nd.

9. Celebrate Etowah
Learn more about the Etowah river during Celebrate Etowah events held September – November. Visit http://www.celebrate-etowah.org/ for event listings and details.

10. Stream Restoration Construction Training
Stream Restoration Construction Training to be held December 13-15, 2006 at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. This three-day workshop is designed to cover background, construction techniques, and bidding methods on stream restoration projects. It will introduce attendees to the unique construction techniques used in stream restoration. An active project will be ongoing throughout the course that demonstrates the installation of stream restoration structures. Attendees will be able to witness structures being installed and ask questions related to equipment, materials, and installation methods. The workshop will also include a tour of several completed restoration projects. A comprehensive exam will be given at the end of the workshop. For those who pass the exam, certificates of completion will be given. The workshop is designed for contractors and construction oversight persons who are presently involved with or desire to conduct stream restoration construction. Visit http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/workshops/constructiontraining/index.html.

11. EPA Webcast Seminars
Using Brownfields Grants for Watershed Restoration and Revitalization - 1-3 pm Wednesday, September 20th - Find out about funding available to states, communities, and other stakeholders under the Brownfields program and learn about a specific group which was awarded a $200,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant.

Getting Started in Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring - 1-3pm Wednesday, October 11th Learn how to start a volunteer water quality program by using this step-by-step process. This session will provide you with questions to ponder, success stories, and where to find the best resources. Registration for this Webcast will open on Oct. 4.

Registration is available on a first-come/first-served basis and opens approximately one week prior to each seminar at www.clu-in.org/live. Audio versions of all past Webcasts can be accessed at www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts. For more information and to download past Webcasts, visit www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts.

12. Non-Profit Board Seminars at UGA – Athens
The Nonprofit Program of the Terry College of Business, University of Georgia, will conduct its fall seminars on the following Wednesdays: October 11, and November 15. Each seminar will cover the same material: Role of the Board, Strategic Planning, Working with Volunteers, and Fund Raising. Contact nonprofit@terry.uga.edu or 706.542.3750 to register or if you have any questions.

13. Lower ACF Research Conference III - Albany
Lower Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Research Conference III
Water Resources and Aquatic Habitat: Impacts and Issues
This meeting is to be held at The Parks at Chehaw, Albany, Georgia and is sponsored by the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center. The conference will focus on current water resource and aquatic habitat studies as well as emerging policy issues specific to the Lower ACF Basin of Georgia and Florida. Presentations will be organized into three sessions: Long Term Hydrologic Changes; Critical Habitat and Rare Species; and Emerging Policy Issues. Presentations are intended to reach natural resource managers, policy makers, or anyone interested in water resources in the Lower ACF Basin. The conference will convene with an icebreaker and tour of the Flint RiverQuarium on the evening of October 23. A guided canoe field trip down the lower Flint River below Lake Chehaw will take place the afternoon of October 25 (weather permitting). The field trip will introduce participants to the beauty of the limestone bluffs, springs, and wetlands that are part of this natural river system. Information about the Conference and instructions for submitting papers can be found at:
http://www.jonesctr.org/education_and_outreach/water_resources/lower_acf_conf.html.

14. SE Watershed Forum Leadership Training – Callaway Gardens
This training takes place Sept 19-21. The Watershed Leadership Training Academy provides attendees with proven tools and techniques to change land use practices in their community and to work with local city-county officials to design watershed-friendly land use and development practices that will protect open space and water quality. Additional skills and techniques in public meeting facilitation and consensus building are included to help attendees address local resistance to land use change. Attendees then agree to work towards changing land use practices in their communities over the next year and commit to providing quality growth information and techniques to local leaders. Through lectures, small work-group sessions, and a field trip, attendees gain valuable resources and tools on land use and water quality protection strategies. Each attendee receives a notebook, a facilitator’s manual, CDs as well as other reference materials. For more information, call 615-627-1310 or email kd@southeastwaterforum.org.

15. World Rivers Day – September 24
Visit http://www.riversday.bcit.ca/update.htm

16. Conference – Paying for Sustainable Water Infrastructure - Atlanta
Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) will co-sponsor an upcoming national conference, Paying for Sustainable Water Infrastructure: Innovations for the 21st Century, which is being coordinated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. For further information and to register, visit www.payingforwater.com.

17. Altamaha Riverkeeper Seeks to Fund Coastkeeper Program
The coast of Georgia provides homes to a wealth of plant and wildlife species, it serves as a nursery ground for fish, shellfish, and crustaceans and provides a vast food source for migratory birds. In addition to providing some of the most beautiful scenic vistas in the country, Georgia’s coastal zone performs many valuable functions. As development moves closer to the coast, incidents of sediment and erosion entering marshes and rivers are multiplying. The quantity of non-point source pollution caused by industry and runoff from bridges and roads is growing. Pesticides and fertilizers from farms, lawns, and golf courses, over taxed water treatment plants, sewage spray fields, and septic systems generate more pollutants. Eventually, these pollutants enter estuaries and rivers. The Altamaha Riverkeeper is working to protect and restore the habitat, water quality, and flow of the mighty Altamaha—from its headwaters in the Oconee, Ocmulgee and Ohoopee Rivers to its terminus at the Atlantic Coast. Altamaha Riverkeeper (ARK) is raising funds for a Coastkeeper to work in the coastal zone of the Altamaha River Watershed. To establish the new program, the Malcolm Fraser Foundation is offering $50,000 to match dollar for dollar all contributions. The Coastkeeper’s work will include making site visits, conducting water tests, taking photos/videos to document pollution, and communicating with regulatory agencies. The Coastkeeper will monitor and encourage consistent enforcement of established water quality laws to protect sensitive areas in our coastal zone from environmental disaster. The new Coastkeeper will investigate rapidly increasing requests for assistance with pollution in the watershed’s coastal zone, working with regulatory agencies for enforcement of local, state, and federal water quality laws. They will actively participate in policy-making meetings, encourage sound land use, and build advocacy through environmental education. For more information, visit www.altamahariverkeeper.org or call 912-437-8164.

18. Water Conservation Resources
Georgia Department of Natural Resources launched a water conservation campaign. The Water Smart campaign is dedicated to showing citizens how to conserve water. Visit www.conservewatergeorgia.net for information and links on Georgia water, conservation, and drought.

19. 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 www.garivers.org and click on “Grants”.
Abelard Foundation East is a family foundation with a forty-year history of progressive funding. The Foundation is committed to supporting social change organizations which reflect, through membership or grassroots participation, the communities in which they are based; expand community control over economic, social and environmental decisions affecting the community's well-being; and build a strong informed voice on public policy issues. The Foundation's eastern office reviews applications for organizations east of the Mississippi. The eastern office accepts proposals throughout the year. However, applications mailed by March 15th will be reviewed for the spring meeting and applications mailed by September 15th will be reviewed for the fall meeting. Visit http://foundationcenter.org/grantmaker/abelardeast/.
Beldon Fund funds projects that emphasize "Human Health and the Environment". The Beldon Fund seeks to build a national consensus to achieve and sustain a healthy planet by supporting nonprofit advocacy organizations. The Fund's Human Health and the Environment program supports projects throughout the United States that engage new constituencies in exposing the connection between toxic chemicals and human health and in promoting public policies that prevent or eliminate environmental risks to people's health. Letters of inquiry will be accepted between September 27 and November 1, 2006. Click www.beldon.org for more information.
BoatU.S. Foundation (Safe Boating Grants) is dedicated to promoting safe and environmentally sensitive boating. Grants of up to $4,000 are provided to local volunteer organizations for the promotion of boating safety education and clean boating education. Visit http://www.boatus.com/foundation/Grants/index.htm. Deadline: November 1, 2006.
Captain Planet Foundation - The mission of the Captain Planet Foundation is to support hands-on environmental projects for youth in grades K-12 throughout the world. The Foundation’s objective is to encourage innovative activities that empower children to work individually and collectively as environmental stewards. Support is provided to nonprofit organizations and schools for environmental education programs that promote interaction and cooperation and that help young people develop planning and problem-solving skills. Grants generally range from $500 to $2,500. Requests are reviewed four times per year, and the remaining application deadlines for 2006 are September 30 and December 31. Visit http://www.captainplanetfdn.org/.

ConAgra Foods Foundation works to improve the quality of life in communities where ConAgra employees work and live. The Foundation focuses its resources in the areas of arts and culture; civic and community betterment; education; health and human services; and hunger, nutrition and food safety. Nonprofit organizations in communities with company facilities throughout the United States are eligible to apply. Consult your local phone directory or contact your Chamber of Commerce to find out if ConAgra Foods operates in your community. Applications are due the last working day of January, April, July, October. Visit http://www.conagrafoods.com/company/corporate_responsibility/foundation/index.jsp.
EPA Targeted Watershed Grants
Applicants Sought for $19 million in Watershed Grants - EPA plans to award up to $19 million in grants to help clean up and restore the nation's waterways. Proposals must reach EPA by November 15, 2006, for project-implementation grants. State governors and tribal leaders nominate potential recipients for implementation grants. EPA will evaluate and rank submissions based on criteria outlined in each notice. Watershed organizations receive the awards based on how likely they are to achieve environmental results in a relatively short time. Selection of the grantees will be announced in the fall. Under the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program, EPA has awarded nearly $40 million to 46 watershed organizations since 2003. In excess of $2 million has gone to five watershed capacity-building organizations to further the activities of more than 3,000 local watershed groups. For this grant cycle, the focus will be on supporting community-based approaches and strengthening local capacity to protect and clean up water resources. Watersheds currently in the program cover more than 142,000 square miles of the nation’s landscape draining into lakes, rivers, and streams. For more information on Targeted Watershed Grants, visit http://www.epa.gov/twg.

Foster's Community Grants, a program of the Foster's Group, a global company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, provides support to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and Australia for community-building projects. Grants are provided in the following focus areas: wellness, including both physical and mental health; culture, including artistic, sporting, and educational activities; and the environment, including all aspects of the natural environment. For the second funding cycle in 2006, applications will be accepted from August 1 to September 29. Visit http://www.fosters.com.au/about/fosterscommunitygrants.htm.
The Georgia-Pacific Foundation supports a wide range of organizations that improve the quality of life in communities where Georgia-Pacific operates, and where company employees live and work. (A map of the Georgia-Pacific facilities and locations is available online at: www.gp.com/facilitydirectory/index.asp.) The Foundation’s areas of interest include: education, community enrichment, and the environment. Grant applications are accepted between January 1 and October 31, annually. Visit http://www.gp.com/center/community/index.html.
The American Honda Foundation supports projects in the areas of youth and scientific education. The Foundation defines "youth" as prenatal through 21 years of age. "Scientific education" encompasses the physical and life sciences, mathematics, and the environmental sciences. The Foundation provides grants for K-12 education, higher education, and other nonprofit organizations that focus on youth and/or scientific education. Only projects that are national in scope will be considered for funding by the Foundation. Application deadlines are February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1 of each year. Visit http://corporate.honda.com/america/philanthropy.aspx?id=ahf.
National Sea Grant College Program Aquatic Invasive Species Research and Outreach This program seeks to fund research and outreach projects addressing the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species in the coast. Visit http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=9953. Deadline December 19, 2006.

The Norfolk Southern Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that focus on educational, cultural, environmental, and economic development opportunities within the region served by Norfolk Southern in the Eastern U.S. (A system map of Norfolk Southern communities is available on the company’s website.) The Foundation offers grants in three principal areas: educational programs, primarily at the post-secondary level; community enrichment focusing on cultural and artistic organizations; and environmental programs. Applications are accepted between July 15 and September 30, annually. Visit http://www.nscorp.com/nscorp/application?pageid=About%20NS&category=About%20NS&contentId=english/nscorp/about_ns/ns_foundation.html.
Norman Foundation supports efforts that strengthen the ability of communities to determine their own economic, environmental and social well-being, and that help people control those forces that affect their lives. Support is provided for efforts to promote economic justice and development through community organizing; to prevent the disposal of toxics in communities, and to link environmental issues with economic and social justice; and to promote civil rights by fighting discrimination and violence and working for equity. Current civil rights priorities are education equity and criminal justice reform. Letters of inquiry are due November 15, 2006 in the area of economic justice. Nonprofit organizations throughout the Unites States are eligible to apply. Visit http://www.normanfdn.org.
The Starbucks Foundation funds local programs that serve low-income, at- risk youth (ages 6-18) through its Youth Leadership Grant Program. Grants range from $5,000-$20,000 and are given in two areas: Power of Literacy - programs that stimulate personal development and a commitment to social equity, justice, and environmental awareness through writing, literacy and expression in public forums; and, Leaders in Diversity - programs that teach the value of societal diversity and develop youth leadership skills to foster understanding between individuals, groups and communities. Grant applications are reviewed twice yearly, April 1st and October 1st. Visit http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/grantinfo.asp.
The Stonyfield Farm's Profits for the Planet Program donates 10% of the company's profits annually to nonprofit organizations in order to enhance efforts that help protect or restore the environment. Projects that generate measurable results, for example, natural resources saved, people educated, etc., are given priority. Applications for support are accepted from organizations throughout the U.S., with some emphasis on organizations located in the Northeast with projects often reflecting Stonyfield's support of organic farming methods and efforts to combat global warming. Requests for funding may be submitted at any time. Visit http://www.stonyfield.com/AboutUs/ProfitsForThePlanetProgram.cfm.
Temper of the Times Foundation promotes the use of standard marketing concepts to increase environmental awareness. Recognizing that organizations working to protect the environment generally have limited access to paid media, the Foundation provides funds to underwrite advertising designed to promote the conservation and restoration of native wildlife, plants, and ecosystems in the United States. Projects with measurable short-term effects on wildland ecosystem conservation will be prioritized over those that are purely educational in nature. Grants may be used to fund the production of print, radio, or television ads; to pay for advertising space or airtime; or to produce or distribute pamphlets, books, videos, or press packets. The application deadline is October 16, 2006. For more information, visit http://www.temperfund.org.
Town Creek Foundation - The Foundation supports programs that engage citizens in challenging the unsustainable use of natural resources and in protecting biological diversity. Strategies supported are grassroots activism, monitoring the enforcement of environmental laws, public policy advocacy, collaborative opportunities, media outreach, and model or demonstration projects fostering sustainable policies and practices. Deadlines are November 17, 2006 and March 16, 2007. Visit www.towncreekfdn.org.

The Waste Management Charitable Giving Program is committed to making company communities safer, cleaner, and better places to live and work. (Information on company locations is available on the Waste Management website.) One of the primary focus areas of the Charitable Giving Program is the environment. The company is committed to helping provide renewable resources to reduce our nation’s dependence on fossil fuels, and to conserving and maintaining wetlands, wildlife habitats and green spaces for people's enjoyment. Support is also provided to environmental education programs, including environmental and science related projects targeted to middle and high school students. Applications are accepted throughout the year. Visit http://www.wm.com/WM/community/Giving.asp.

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