Water and Environment Grant

The Water and Environment Grant, offered by the American Water Charitable Foundation, is part of the Foundation’s commitment to community impact and environmental stewardship. This private grant initiative focuses on funding initiatives aligned with the foundation’s mission to be a good neighbor and environmental steward in the communities served by American Water. The Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is financially supported by American Water shareholders. It operates independently from the company’s operations and does not affect customer rates. The Foundation’s grantmaking framework is anchored around three core pillars: Water, People, and Communities. This particular opportunity, the Water and Environment Grant, aligns with the Water pillar, emphasizing environmental improvement and sustainability. Funded programs should center around clean water access, conservation, environmental education, climate variability, water-based recreation, and the protection and restoration of water-related ecosystems. Eligible projects may include watershed restoration, biodiversity initiatives, hazardous waste cleanup, and other efforts that increase water access or environmental awareness in underserved areas. Applicants must be either a 501(c)(3) public charity or a qualified K–12 public school, college, or university. Additionally, eligible organizations must operate within or directly serve communities in an American Water service territory. Importantly, grant funds cannot be used to support any business-related interests of American Water or programs that may serve as recruitment mechanisms for the company, in accordance with IRS regulations. Applications are accepted exclusively through the Benevity Grants portal, with no paper submissions allowed. The 2026 application window opens on February 2 and closes on March 6. All applications are competitively reviewed by the Foundation’s internal Employee Grant Review Committee and overseen by the Board of Trustees. Decisions for this grant cycle will be announced by April 30. Each proposal will be evaluated based on alignment with the funding pillars, potential community impact, and clarity of measurable outcomes. Although the opportunity is not invitation-only like the Communities pillar grants, applicants are encouraged to thoroughly review eligibility and focus areas before submission. For assistance during the application process, applicants may direct programmatic questions to the Foundation via email at [email protected]. Technical assistance is available through the “Help” function on the Benevity platform. This grant is a recurring annual opportunity, reinforcing American Water Charitable Foundation’s ongoing commitment to supporting environmental projects in communities where American Water operates. The next expected cycle, following this 2026 round, is anticipated in February 2027.