2025 Clean Boats, Clean Waters grants now available
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Email$35,000 is available for Michigan organizations dedicated to aquatic invasive species education and outreach.
The Michigan Clean Boats, Clean Waters program has $35,000 in grant funding available to support community driven aquatic invasive species prevention and education efforts aimed at boaters and anglers. Eligible applicants include lake associations, watershed groups, local or tribal units of government and other non-profit organizations dedicated to protecting Michigan’s waterways.
The grant application period is open now through January 17, 2025. Funding requests can be up to $3,000 and do not require local match or cost sharing. The grant application, budget proposal document, and additional information is available on the Clean Boats, Clean Waters grant website. This is a competitive funding opportunity and complete applications will be ranked based on group eligibility, project significance, anticipated outcomes, and target audiences. Accepted grantees will be notified in March 2025 of their award.
Troublesome aquatic invasive species, such as Eurasian watermilfoil and starry stonewort, often spread to new waterways when they are carried in the bilge water of boats or tangled on watercraft propellers or trailers. These plants, and other aquatic invasive species, pose a serious threat to the health of our waterways. To prevent the spread of invasive species, boaters should clean, drain, and dry equipment every time they leave the water. Clean Boats, Clean Waters grants can be used for a variety of activities to promote the “clean, drain, dry” message including educational signage at boat launches, outreach supplies, events, and staff time.
Since 2021 Clean Boats, Clean Waters has awarded 45 grants and over $111,000 to lake associations, watershed groups, high schools, local units of government, and other organizations. Some example projects include:
- The Missaukee Conservation District, in partnership with the North Country Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area and the local Lake Enhancement Committee, hosted three educational booths over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Their booths included solar powered toy boats and kiddie pools, showcasing the difficulty of boating through excessive amounts of invasive plants. Kits were also available to children who wanted to build their own boats at home. They also installed a Clean Boats, Clean Waters Decontamination Station sign at the Lake Missaukee County Park.
- The Elk-Skegemog Lakes Association, located at the tripoint of Antrim, Grand Traverse, and Kalkaska Counties, installed Clean Boats, Clean Waters Decontamination Station signs and distributed education materials around Elk and Skegemog Lakes. The lake association hosted invasive species education events and partnered with the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council to host boat washing demonstrations.
- The Kalkaska Conservation District partnered with Coldsprings Township and Manistee Lake Association to install a Clean Boats, Clean Waters Decontamination Station sign and display educational messaging near the boat launch at Manistee Lake Sands Park. In addition, the Conservation District sponsored paid advertising about clean boating practices in local media and hosted outreach events during busy weekends.
Michigan Clean Boats, Clean Waters program
Michigan State University Extension is leading the effort to implement the Clean Boats, Clean Waters program in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. Since 2006 the program has been educating Michigan boaters about aquatic invasive species by promoting understanding of boat cleaning practices and regulations through the distribution of educational materials, an online resource library, boat washing demonstrations, grants, and partnerships. Clean Boats, Clean Waters builds upon existing partnerships with statewide and local organizations including the Michigan Lakes and Streams Association, CISMAs, and lake associations. This program is funded by the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program.
More information on Clean Boats, Clean Waters can be found on the MSU Extension website, Facebook (@MichiganCBCW), or Instagram (@michigan_cbcw).
Questions about the Clean Boats, Clean Waters program and this grant funding opportunity can be directed to Kelsey Bockelman, bockelm4@msu.edu.
