Lake Erie Protection Fund Grant

The Lake Erie Protection Fund Grant is administered by the Ohio Lake Erie Commission and is designed to support projects that protect, preserve, and restore Lake Erie and its surrounding watershed. This program is funded primarily through donations and the purchase of Lake Erie specialty license plates by Ohio residents, with proceeds directly financing grant activities. The fund supports both research-driven and applied projects that advance the ecological health and sustainability of Lake Erie, aligning with the objectives outlined in the 2025 Lake Erie Protection and Restoration Plan (LEPR 25). Grants typically range between $45,000 and $50,000 and are available to government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and research institutions based in Ohio. Funding may not be used for the salaries of state employees. Eligible projects must produce tangible benefits to Lake Erie or its tributaries and be directly tied to one or more of the LEPR 25 priorities, such as reducing nutrient runoff, restoring habitats, or improving water quality. The fund emphasizes work that leads to better ecological management decisions or that prepares future implementation-ready projects through activities like design documentation, permitting, or site assessments. Applications must be submitted using the official 2026 form, without modification, and must include any required signatures. Submissions are accepted by email as a signed PDF to lakeeriecommission@lakeerie.ohio.gov by 11:59 PM on January 9, 2026. Only limited attachments are allowed: a one-page map or concept plan and a one-page resume or CV. Letters of commitment are needed if a partner provides matching funds or in-kind support. The program does not require cost sharing, but applications including a financial or in-kind match will receive bonus points during evaluation. Proposals are reviewed by a Grants Committee composed of Commission agency staff and Ohio Sea Grant representatives. Final decisions are made by the Ohio Lake Erie Commission. Evaluation criteria include project relevance to LEPR 25 priorities, applicant qualifications, anticipated ecological and economic benefits, innovative approaches, budget reasonableness, and project dissemination. Additional preference is given to proposals that help make future restoration projects shovel-ready or suitable for further state or federal funding. Grant recipients must include a clear outreach plan and stakeholder engagement list, as well as an evaluation method (quantitative or qualitative) to measure project outcomes. Grant disbursement is structured with 70% provided upfront and the remaining 30% released upon satisfactory final reporting. Projects typically span one year, with extensions possible upon request. Recipients must acknowledge the Lake Erie Protection Fund in all products and communications generated under the grant.

Including a match increases scoring. Projects should clearly align with LEPR 2025 priorities and ideally result in implementation-ready plans. Educational-only projects are not funded.