The Lake Erie Protection Fund

Small Grants up to $15,000 are available to fund a wide variety of projects which will provide a direct benefit to Lake Erie or its tributary watersheds in Ohio. The LEPF focuses on projects which lead to better management decisions, both for environmental protection and economic development. Targeted Grant amounts and topics change annually.

To date, over $9.3 million has been distributed for over 300 projects during a 17-year period.  Grant projects have focused on an array of issues critical to the effective management of Lake Erie.  These include: fisheries management, watershed planning, non-point source pollution abatement, wetlands restoration, exotic species, algae bloom research, Lake Erie ecological shifts, ecotourism and environmental measurements.  The projects have also attracted significant amount of federal funding into Ohio, as the projects are often matched with funds from one of numerous federal agencies.

Interested in applying for a Lake Erie Protection Fund grant? Click here for more information!

Lake Erie Protection Fund Final Reports

Final Reports for past LEPF projects can be found here.

Summary of Recent Award Recipients

FY 2007 - Present: Award Recipients

Other State Grant Funding Sources

Ohio EPA

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Ohio Department of Agriculture

Clean Ohio Fund