Watershed Stewardship Grants

A partnership program between CCG and SFPUC which awards funding for green infrastructure projects to support San Francisco's watersheds. 

download guidelines

Five Key Eligibility Requirements

1: CCG provides grants to the following types of organizations: 

1. Nonprofit organizations
   
2. Community or neighborhood groups
3. San Francisco businesses or merchant associations
4. San Francisco based Community Benefit Districts (CBDs)
5. Schools

2: Grantees must meet vendor requirements of the City and County of San Francisco. 
CCG funds are issued to San Francisco vendor approved nonprofit organizations with a 501 (c) 3 status. Local community groups, businesses, or schools performing a community project in their neighborhood must have a nonprofit fiscal sponsor. The grant contractor must be an approved and compliant City supplier. For more information on becoming a supplier, please visit https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org.

3. Unlike other CCG grant programs that fund a flexible variety of projects, the WSG only supports projects implementing green infrastructure to improve San Francisco's watersheds and sewer infrastructure. Eligible projects must harvest and use rainwater, remove impervious surfaces, and/or implement green stormwater infrastructure (i.e. rain gardens,permeable pavement, bioretention planters, etc.) in a publicly visible and/or accessible space. 

4: Funded projects require community participation and contributions. 
Groups may apply for funding in one of two levels, requiring a match of cash, volunteer labor (valued at $25/hr), donated materials and/or supplies, or services:

Project Size	Mid-Scale	Large-Scale
Budget	$15,001 - $75,000	$75,001 - $150,000
Duration/Contract Period	9-12 Months	12-18 Months
Required Match	35%	25%

5. Projects must demonstrate minimum requirements, and should:

• Have a 5-year maintenance plan detailing ongoing maintenance after project completion. Please identify an individual or entity responsible for maintenance as well as the source of funds to support proposed maintenance plan.
• Emphasize self-help and involve neighborhood residents in the planning and implementation of the project.
• Include design installation of interpretive signs explaining the stormwater function of the project to the public and naming the project partners and funders, including their logos.

Projects must not:

• Duplicate or replace funding for an existing private or public program
• Duplicate existing maintenance programs
• ​Conflict with existing City policies 

6. If awarded funds, grantees must comply with all CCG requirements, including:

• Enter into a contract with the CCG within three months of selection
• Acquire all necessary City permits, depending upon the type of grant, prior to begin project work
• Submit detailed reports for disbursement of grant funds on a reimbursement basis
• Notify CCG & PUC staff of key project milestones and participate in grant administration staff site visits
• Calculate and record the estimated stormwater benefit of the project.
• File status reports with CCG & PUC staff, project drawings (if applicable), and project completion reports

Please review the full list of eligibility requirements. The information provided above is a summary of select eligibility criteria and is not intended to replace in whole, or part, the requirements of a grantee as detailed in the eligibility requirements and contract agreement. 

Project Budget Examples
The following example budget forms are intended to support grantees in using the fillable budget tool accompanying the grant application. This example is not a depiction of the true costs associated with various projects and should not be used in place of obtaining quotes for budget line items. Please reach out to Kelly Teter (Kteter@sfwater.org) if you have any questions about this
resource.

• Sidewalk Landscaping
• Rain Garden
• Green Schoolyard

Plant*SF Sidewalk Gardens funded by the Community Challenge Grant Program and SF Public Utilities Commission.