Federal Five Star Restoration Grants

The Five Star Restoration Program provides challenge grants, technical support and opportunities for information exchange to enable community-based restoration projects. The goal of the program is to achieve education, outreach, and community stewardship goals through on-the-ground projects that restore wetland, riparian, or coastal habitats. Project partners should include at least five (hence the Five-Star) participants from local governments, corporations and businesses, schools and youth groups, environmental and citizen organizations, and representatives of federal and state government agencies. Project sites can be public land, such as parks, streams, and school campuses, or private land, such as corporate facilities. Funding levels are modest, from $5,000 to $20,000, with $10,000 as the average amount awarded per project. Program sponsors are encouraged to provide opportunities for students and at-risk youth to become involved in the welfare of their communities. Applications must be postmarked by March 1, 2004. For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/restore/5star/.