2 days Ago By Jennifer Martinez
Sacramento residents with a passion for environmental conservation have a new incentive to contribute to the health of local waterways. The city's Department of Utilities is reaching out to community groups, encouraging them to vie for grants aimed at keeping the city's storm drains and rivers pollution-free. According to a recent announcement provided by the Sacramento City Express, the initiative offers grants up to $3,000 for projects that help maintain the cleanliness of Sacramento's waterways, including the Sacramento and American rivers.
Emma Burke, who works with the Utilities staff as an outreach specialist, sees the grants as an opportunity for community members to affect change directly. "This is a great opportunity for people who want to help keep our waters clean and make a tangible impact in their communities," Burke told the Sacramento City Express. Ranging from service clubs, local schools, to youth organizations and nonprofits, a diverse array of groups is eligible for the funding.
They must all, in the pursuit of grant aid, propose ways to engage creatively with pollution prevention.The Sacramento City is prepared to support various types of projects with this funding. Projects that are eligible could involve creating educational materials, organizing school field trips to familiarize students with the waterways, or establishing community gardens that adopt sustainable practices.
Emma Burke shared some ideas for potential projects, explaining, "People can create educational materials to encourage others to prevent pollution, organize school field trips to learn about Sacramento’s waterways, or even create a community garden that uses eco-friendly pest management," a statement obtained by the Sacramento City Express.Access to the grants is contingent upon an application process initiated on the City’s website. Community groups interested in applying have until May 16 to submit their applications with all project work required to be completed by June 30, 2026.
The city is looking forward to creative and engaging submissions, with the Utilities’ outreach specialist encouraging potential applicants to "get creative and have fun" with their projects..
