SBEP Awards Eight Bay Partner Grants to Local Groups

SARASOTA – The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP) recently awarded eight grants to organizations through its Bay Partners Grant Program. The local recipients include the City of Sarasota, Florida House, Founder’s Garden Club of Sarasota, Nature’s Academy, Sunbow Bay Condominium Association, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota Bay Watch, and Keep Manatee Beautiful. The grants total $20,000. SBEP has awarded more than $213,000 to support 109 local grant requests since 2003.

Planned projects for the new fiscal year include a rain garden, a demonstration of pervious pavers, installation of a bio-retention pond, marine science field trips, Bay-friendly landscaping, signage that supports Bay-education, trash clean up, and the removal of invasive plant species.

All of the local grants support Sarasota Bay waters and habitat. The next deadline for future Bay Partners Grants is March 1, 2013. Visit sarasotabay.org to learn more about the SBEP Bay Partners Grants Program. A subcommittee with the SBEP Citizens Advisory Committee reviews applications and selects the grant recipients. All of the projects have an education component designed to encourage environmental stewardship.