West Virginia Stream Partners Program Grants

Annual $5,000 seed grants to community-based watershed groups in West Virginia for on-the-ground watershed improvement projects.

The West Virginia Stream Partners Program was created in 1996 when the Legislature passed HB 4497, amending 60CSR4 of West Virginia Code. It is a cooperative effort among multiple state agencies housed within WVDEP's Division of Water and Waste Management, and it funds local watershed groups known as Stream Partners. The Legislature appropriates $100,000 annually from general revenue, distributed as $5,000 seed grants to community-based organizations completing watershed improvement projects. A Stream Partner is a community-based group made up of local residents, industry, environmental groups, sportsmen, government, and landowners working together to improve conditions in and around their streams. Applications are due September 15 each year and are submitted by Google Form after an eligibility check. Prospective applicants must first contact the Basin Coordinator for their region to confirm eligibility, after which they receive emailed application instructions. The most recent round awarded roughly $92,000 to 20 watershed groups. This is one of the few dedicated small-grant sources for grassroots watershed organizations in West Virginia and pairs well with larger federal and foundation funding for groups building match.