Grants available for storm water projects
The Stormwater Incentive Grant Program is gearing up for its seventh year of providing funds for storm water projects in Lexington. These grants, funded by the Water Quality Management Fee, provide financial assistance for projects that reduce runoff, improve water quality and educate citizens about storm water.
Applications are being accepted for all grants. Neighborhood Grants and Education Grants are due Friday. Infrastructure Grants are due July 29.
Neighborhood grants are available for Fayette County neighborhood, community and homeowner associations that represent single-family homeowners or farms that pay the Water Quality Management Fee. The grants can be used to fund rain gardens, rain barrels, aeration systems for retention ponds, stream bank restoration, neighborhood workshops and other projects that improve or manage storm water through education and/or physical improvements. Projects may be funded up to $100,000 and require a 20 percent cost share of the total cost, through cash or in-kind donations.
Education grants are open to schools, churches, nonprofits, and owners and tenants of businesses that pay the Water Quality Management Fee. In the past, education grants have funded the development of storm water-related curriculum for schools, publicity campaigns about water quality, workshops for the public and educational rain gardens. The maximum award is $35,000, with a cost share of 50 percent above the first $2,500.
Infrastructure grants for businesses, schools, churches, apartment complexes and other institutions are also open. In the past, these grants have funded stream restoration, wetlands, bio-retention, rain gardens, rainwater harvesting and previous pavement installation.
Construction-only and design and construction projects have a maximum award of $300,000, with a 20 percent cost share of total project cost in cash or in-kind donation. The program has set aside $50,000 for feasibility-only projects, which also require a 20 percent cost share of total project cost in cash or in-kind donation. Infrastructure grants are due July 29.
Grant application packets, contact information, sample scoring sheets and other information is available at Lexingtonky.gov/incentives.
This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 8:19 AM with the headline "Grants available for storm water projects."