New Grant Program Will Invest in Community-Led Watershed Restoration

This week was the launch of the new Community Partnerships Grant Program – Southern Lake Michigan (CPGP), a funding program to support the goals of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) by realizing restoration and green infrastructure projects in communities where they are needed the most.

CPGP is led by Alliance for the Great Lakes in partnership with Friends of the Chicago River, Calumet Collaborative, Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, and Faith in Place using funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 2026, the CPGP will award $1,125,000 to community-driven projects that reduce pollution, control invasive species, and restore lands and waters across the Southern Lake Michigan watershed, which includes the Chicago-Calumet River system.

“By bringing together local experts, including Friends of the Chicago River, to help shape this new funding opportunity for nature-based watershed projects, this strategic partnership ensures that GLRI investments are informed by local knowledge and responsive to the unique needs and opportunities of our region’s watersheds. We’re proud to contribute our expertise to help maximize the impact of these investments and excited to see what projects arise from the program” said Adam Flickinger, Friends’ planning director.

Information on eligibility, application timeline, and applicant technical support is available on the program website. The deadline to submit a Letter of Intent is September 4, 2026.