Program areas at Water Foundation
National - national programs include efforts to maximize the equity and ecological impacts of federal infrastructure funding and to support and grow a national movement for Water. Grants in 2023 supported the capacity of Water organizations, coalitions, and leaders; more equitable and transparent implementation of water-related public funding; the design and development of Water infrastructure, watershed restoration, and climate resilience projects; and efforts to establish a permanent federal program to support affordable drinking Water.
Water table - the Water table is a funder collaborative hosted by the Water Foundation and committed to advancing a sustainable and equitable Water future in the us. Table members pool and align funding toward Water solutions to achieve greater collective impact. The table's priority areas are: western Water, which includes solutions in the Colorado river basin that balance resilience and equity in the face of climate change; support for tribal entities to protect ecosystems, sustain their communities, and affirm tribal sovereignty; and urban Water, which involves an integrated one Water approach to transform urban Water management and improve public health, equity, and environmental justice. The table also works to increase field and funder coordination, build community power, and invest in field partner, coalition, and community capacity to drive Water solutions.
States and basin - the states and basins program includes state, regional, and local efforts to secure clean and affordable drinking Water, build urban and rural climate resilience, and/or advance solutions that restore and protect freshwater ecosystems. Grants from the Water Foundation in 2023 supported sustainable, inclusive groundwater management and safe and affordable drinking Water in California; community engagement in green stormwater infrastructure projects in los angeles county; a campaign to restore the snake river and uphold tribal justice in the pacific northwest; coalitions supporting the protection of surface Water, wetlands, and floodplains in new mexico; and efforts to advance sustainable Water management that benefits people and nature in Texas.
Transitioning strategies: in 2023, Water Foundation grants supported an assessment of headwater forest management in the west that identified opportunities to ensure clean, reliable Water through forest restoration and protection.