The mission of the Fund for Lake Michigan is to improve the health of Lake Michigan, its shoreline, and river systems, for the benefit of the people and communities that depend on it for water, recreation, and commerce.
The grants from the Fund for Lake Michigan support organizations and communities committed to enhancing the Lake's health through projects with both immediate and long-term benefits. This includes a focus on increased water quality, job creation in Wisconsin, and property value increases, among other economic activities. The grant program prioritizes on-the-ground projects that have near-term, direct, and quantifiable impacts on water quality within the Lake Michigan watershed, protecting critical natural habitats, reducing polluted runoff, and making water resources more swimmable, fishable, and drinkable. Additionally, it supports water quality monitoring and planning that informs and leads to tangible restoration and water-quality improvement projects. Grant decisions are made quarterly.
Priority is given to projects that effectively utilize substantial financial support from other donors in the Lake Michigan and Great Lakes region, combining both public and private funding sources.