Grants available to protect Highlands water, history

BOONTON – Grassroots organizations protecting water and other environmental resources or preserving cultural and historic treasures in the New Jersey Highlands can apply for grants up to $5000 through the New Jersey Highlands Coalition’s 2017 Small Grants Program.

The cultural grants include "bricks-and-mortar” projects for specific historic sites or districts, according to a press release from the Coaliltion, which said that applications must be received by June 16. Grants will be presented on Oct. 11at the Highlands Coalition’s Annual Meeting.

“This is the eleventh year of our Small Grants Program for environmental projects,” said Julia Somers, executive director of the N.J. Highlands Coalition. “We continue to help groups working on protecting the water supply for 70 percent of New Jersey’s residents through implementing the Highlands Regional Master Plan or fighting damaging development in the Highlands. Also, this is the third year that generous supporters have allowed us to add new grants for projects that protect cultural, historic, and archaeological resources in the Highlands, an important part of the Master Plan.”

Grassroots organizations are defined as non-governmental organizations with a total annual operating budget of less than $200,000. It is not necessary that the organization be incorporated. Grants from the Highlands Coalition cannot be used for political purposes.

Applicants can view the full guidelines for the program on the Coalition’s website at www.njhighlandscoalition.org. Click on the red button on the left labeled 2017 Small Grants Program. This is especially true of the new cultural and historic grants where detailed requirements for this third-year program are included on the website.