Wings2Water
Reduce Iowa’s Nutrient Runoff and Flood Impacts, Restore Local Water Quality, and Eliminate the Dead Zone.
Grants
We offer two types of grants that help fulfill the mission of our organization.
Educational Grants
These grants are designed to support water quality or water restoration educational programs. Grants are awarded in the range of $100.00 to $500.00.
Project Grants
These grants can be used to fund a specific project or as leverage to attract additional funding from state, national, or private sources. Many past applicants have successfully secured larger funds using Wings2Water’s commitment as a match. Grant amounts range from $500 to $15,000.
“We’re proud to fund projects that both improve local water quality and educate the public on the urgent need for watershed restoration. These efforts move us closer to our mission of improving local water quality, as well as a better understanding of the water quality issue in the Mississippi River watershed.”
Marty Lenss, Wings2Water Board President
2025 Grant Recipients
These grants are made possible by generous support from corporate sponsors including GreenState Credit Union, TrueNorth, and New Leader Manufacturing, as well as round-it-up donations from travelers at the Eastern Iowa Airport.
2023 Grant Recipients
The awarded grant money comes from sales of a specialty beer called Greener State of Mind produced and sold in the fall of 2022. The beer was developed in partnership with Big Grove Brewery & Taproom, Green State Credit Union and Wings2Water.
Grant application Process, Eligibility, & More
Please contact Julie Kraft, Wings2Water Director of Organizational Development, at j.kraft@wings2water.org.
Process and timeline for applications
A grants subcommittee reviews our grant application and processes every two years to ensure our process is fair and meets the objectives of our organization.
A grant application committee reviews and scores the received applications using established criteria. Proposals are scored on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the lowest and not recommended for funding and 5 being the highest. The number of grants awarded is based on available funds.
Eligibility
Wings2Water funding is available to those committed to improving water quality, reducing pollution runoff, or addressing flooding impacts. Eligible applicants include educational organizations, nonprofit groups, government agencies, and individuals such as farmers or community leaders implementing sustainable practices.
Please note that Wings2Water does not cover personnel or indirect costs.
Timeline and deadline for program or project
At Wings2Water, we understand that environmental and water-related projects can sometimes face unforeseen delays. If your project timeline changes, we kindly ask that you keep us informed.
Wings2Water reserves the right to rescind the grant or request funds be returned only if the project faces significant, uncommunicated delays or major scope changes.
Reporting
Depending upon the project, Wings2Water will request progress reports on either a 6-month or yearly basis. Successful applicants will identify measurable goals and report on the progress of those goals. The Wings2Water Board may request an in-person meeting with the applicant to report on the project or a field trip to the project’s location to see its progress or completion.
Promotion and marketing
Wings2Water kindly requests that our organization be acknowledged in any promotional or marketing material for the completed project.