An official website of the United States government.

This is not the current EPA website. To navigate to the current EPA website, please go to www.epa.gov. This website is historical material reflecting the EPA website as it existed on January 19, 2021. This website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work. More information »

Source Water Protection (SWP)

Resources for Collaboration and Outreach

On this page:

EPA Resources

  • Environmental Education Grants - This program supports environmental education projects that increase the public awareness about environmental issues and increase people's ability to make informed decisions that impact environmental quality. EPA awards between $2 and $3 million annually. More than 75%  of these grant recipients receive less than $15,000.
  • Getting in Step: A Guide to Effective Outreach in Your Watershed - This guidebook provides some of the tools watershed groups need to develop and implement an effective watershed outreach plan. If you're a watershed practitioner trained in the sciences, this manual will help address public perceptions, promote management activities, and inform or motivate stakeholders. Related resources for this book include a 35-minute companion video of case studies and an online web training tutorial.
  • Top Ten Watershed Lessons Learned - There has been trial and error when dealing with watershed issues, and this document outlines important lessons learned that are worth sharing. Oftentimes, these lessons are shared informally through networking at conferences, by phone, or over the Internet. This document attempts to identify the top lessons learned and present them in one place.
  • Nonpoint Source Outreach Toolbox - This toolbox is intended for use by state and local agencies and other organizations interested in educating the public on nonpoint source pollution or stormwater runoff. It contains resources to help develop an effective and targeted outreach campaign.

Other Resources

The following links exit the site EXIT

References are provided in accordance with EPA's external link procedures.

  • Building Local Partnerships - A Guide for Watershed Partnerships - This document from the Know Your Watershed Campaign coordinated by the Conservation Technology Information Center explains why partnerships are a key to effective watershed management. Through a partnership different people and organizations work together to address common interests and concerns.
  • National Environmental Training Center for Small Communities (NETCSC) - Funded by the EPA, NETCSC seeks to improve small community health by helping environmental trainers improve drinking water, wastewater, and solid waste services in small communities (those with populations less than 10,000). Trainers help environmental professionals in small communities develop skills and knowledge so they can better plan, manage, and operate environmental infrastructure.
  • Source Water Collaborative Partnership Resources - The Source Water Collaborative website provides a variety of resources on partnering for source water protection, including guidance and tips on how to engage land use planers, local officials, drinking water utilities, agricultural producers, conservation districts, and state drinking water programs. The How to Collaborate toolkit provides detailed, step-by-step instruction on forming, advancing, and maintaining a source water protection collaboration.