Paul Brest and Hal Harvey draw on the experiences of hundreds of foundations and non-profits to explain how to deliver on every dollar. Money Well Spent, an award-winning guide on how to structure philanthropy so that it really makes a difference, offers a comprehensive and crucial resource for individual donors, foundations, non-profits, and scholars who focus on and teach others about this realm.īehind every successful grant is a smart strategy. Take action to support game-changing investment in water infrastructure and healthy rivers – and ensuring it goes to communities most in need.Philanthropy is a booming business, with hundreds of billions of dollars committed to the social sector each year. Tell Congressional leadership that investing equitably in clean water infrastructure and healthy rivers is a top priority. Investing in water infrastructure and healthy rivers creates jobs and economic benefits, strengthens our communities, improves public health and safety, addresses longstanding injustices, and improves our environment. We have a historic opportunity to revitalize our communities, make our infrastructure more resilient, and ensure healthy rivers and clean water for everyone. We are calling on Congress to invest $500 billion over 10 years to create the transformational change we need when it comes to ensuring clean water and healthy rivers for everyone. While Congress has made some initial investments in healthy rivers and water infrastructure including the recently passed Great American Outdoors Act, more action is needed. The Outdoor Industry Association’s National Recreation Economy Report found that the outdoor watersports and fishing economy supports over 1.5 million jobs nationwide.Įarlier this summer, American Rivers released a new report, Rivers as Economic Engines: Investing in clean water, communities and our future detailing how the right investments in water infrastructure, natural infrastructure and river restoration can create jobs, strengthen communities and address longstanding injustices. Healthy rivers also spur tourism and recreation, which many communities rely on for their livelihoods. Similarly, the University of Oregon found that every $1 million invested in watershed restoration creates 16 new or sustained jobs on average. The Value of Water Campaign estimated that every $1 million spent on water infrastructure in the United States generates more than 15 jobs throughout the economy. They create stronger, more resilient communities and contribute significantly to local economic growth and job creation. As communities begin rebuilding, we must address longstanding social and environmental injustices, and ensure our communities and infrastructure are more resilient in the face of a changing climate.Ĭlean water infrastructure and healthy rivers are smart investments for communities across the country.
Many of these inequities fall disproportionately on Black, Indigenous, Latinx and other marginalized people. Centuries of poor river management has degraded ecosystems and disconnected communities from their rivers. Too many people in our country lack access to safe, clean affordable water - two thirds of which comes from rivers and streams. America’s rivers and water infrastructure have been neglected and abused for decades. The impacts associated with a changing climate are exacerbating existing challenges facing our country. Precipitation is becoming more variable and uncertain, leading to more frequent and more intense floods and droughts. On top of that, climate change is shifting where and when water is available. While you can’t directly point the finger at climate change for any one weather event, scientists have found that climate change is increasing the frequency, intensity, and impacts of extreme weather events. Along the Upper Mississippi, an unusual derecho covered hundreds of miles and brought significant rainfall and wind damage to the region. Crashing into the coast, storm surges are causing catastrophic flooding and torrential rainstorms are impacting communities far beyond the coast. This year we’ve seen 20 tropical storms, 6 of which have turned into hurricanes. Conversely, on the East Coast and the Midwest, significant flooding has occurred. These wildfires are uprooting communities, causing serious health issues and when the smoke finally clears, leftover debris and toxic runoff could pollute our rivers and impact drinking water supplies. In the last month, over 5 million acres of land has burned in California, Washington and Oregon.
Drought and record-breaking wildfires have plagued the West this summer. Coast to coast, communities across the country are feeling the impacts of too much – or not enough water at the right time.
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