Project Grant 03D16924

DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 TO MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY (MSU) EXTENSION TO IMPLEMENT ITS PROJECT, WHICH WILL DESIGN, DEMONSTRATE, AND DISSEMINATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PRACTICES, METHODS, AND TECHNIQUES, THAT WILL SERVE TO INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND ENCOURAGE BEHAVIOR THAT WILL BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT MISSISSIPPI WITH EMPHASIS ON JACKSON, MS. MSU WILL DO THIS BY IMPROVING PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AND STEWARDSHIP AT REGIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS IN MISSISSIPPI'S WATERSHEDS TO PROTECT AND RESTORE WATER RESOURCES, PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AND TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO EXPAND A PROVEN COMMUNITY-BASED WATERSHED STEWARDSHIP OUTREACH AND EDUCATIONAL MODEL THROUGH THE EXPANSION OF MISSISSIPPI WATER STEWARDS (MSWS) AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE URBAN STEWARDS PROGRAM. ACTIVITIES:THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN MISSISSIPPI WITH EMPHASIS IN JACKSON, MS. AND PROVIDE THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL CITIZENS THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS PROJECT PERIOD INCLUDE: DEVELOPING AND HOST MINI-GRANT PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBOS), CBOS EXECUTING BASELINE MONITORING PROJECTS IN FIVE WATERSHEDS, EXPANDING MS WATER STEWARDS TO CBOS THROUGH ONLINE TRAININGS (100 CITIZENS) AND HANDS ON WORKSHOPS (5). THE CBOS WILL EXECUTE ONE YEAR MONITORING PROGRAM (220 WATER QUALITY OBSERVATIONS COLLECTED), EXISTING COMMUNITY PARTNERS WILL SHARE BEST PRACTICES FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND SUPPORT (3 PEER-LEARNING EVENTS), EVALUATION OF WATER STEWARD KNOWLEDGE, AWARENESS, ATTITUDES, BEHAVIOR CHANGES, AND WATERSHED HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF URBAN STEWARDS PROGRAM TO SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS IN JACKSON METRO (1 CURRICULUM DEVELOPED)SUBRECIPIENT:SUBRECIPIENTS WILL BE DETERMINED THROUGH A MINI-GRANT PROGRAM. THE APPLICANT WILL DEVELOP A BRIEF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO ESTABLISH ELIGIBILITY AND CAPACITY OF APPLICANTS TO ACHIEVE LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED WATERSHED GOALS OF THE PROJECT WHICH WILL INCLUDE: COMPLETING ALL EDUCATIONAL TRAINING ELEMENTS, DESIGNING A COMMUNITY-BASED MONITORING PLAN, PROCURE MONITORING RESOURCES, SUBMITTING WATER MONITORING DATA, AND REVIEWING MONITORING RESULTS TO COMMUNICATE RESULTS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THE SUBAWARDS WILL BE GIVEN TO FIVE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,000 EACH. .OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: EXPANSION OF MISSISSIPPI WATER STEWARDS BY BUILDING WATER MONITORING CAPACITY WITHIN 5 COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE: MS WATER STEWARDS SHOW IMPROVED AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, INCLUDING WATER, INCREASED KNOWLEDGE OF BASELINE WATER QUALITY CONDITIONS FOR TARGETED OUTREACH AND CONSERVATION IS INCREASED TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESTORATION PLANS QUALITY, AND CONSERVATION PRACTICES AND IMPROVED HEALTH OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH PUBLIC PARTICIPATION TOWARD PROTECTING WATER RESOURCES. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE MISSISSIPPI LOCAL CITIZEN AND COMMUNITIES WITH EMPHASIS ON JACKSON, MS COMMUNITY AND CITIZENS.