Project Grant P24AP02280

THE ALLIANCE FOR THE CHESAPEAKE BAY IS SEEKING PROJECT FUNDS TO SUSTAIN AND ENHANCE A COMMUNITY-BASED WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM WITH THE CHICKAHOMINY INDIAN TRIBE - EASTERN DIVISION (CIT-ED) IN VIRGINIA. THE TRIBE PARTNERED WITH THE ALLIANCE IN JULY OF 2022 TO INITIATE A COMMUNITY-BASED WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM UNDER THE ALLIANCES RIVERTRENDS PROJECT, WHICH COLLECTS BASELINE YEAR-ROUND CHEMICAL WATER QUALITY DATA. THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THE TRIBE TO COLLECT WATER QUALITY DATA, BUILD A LADDER OF ENGAGEMENT FOR TRIBAL CITIZENS, AND DEEPEN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MONITORING DATA AND THE TRIBES HISTORY AND CULTURE THROUGH STORYTELLING. STRENGTHENING THE MONITORING DATA AVAILABLE TO TRIBAL CITIZENS AND HAVING A PRE ESTABLISHED MONITORING RECORD ARE NOT ONLY ESSENTIAL TO PROTECTING LOCAL WATERWAYS, BUT CAN PROVIDE A UNIQUE TOOL TO RECONNECT INDIGENOUS CULTURE TO THESE IMPORTANT WATERWAYS WHERE PHYSICAL CONNECTION MAY BE BROKEN. THIS PROJECT WILL ULTIMATELY PROVIDE A COMMUNICATIONS TOOL TO CONNECT TRIBAL CITIZENS TO THE CHICKAHOMINY RIVER AND ESTABLISH A NEW MODEL OF ENGAGEMENT FOR RIVERTRENDS THAT COULD BE UTILIZED IN OTHER UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES. GOALS 1. INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF CIT-ED TO COLLECT MONTHLY WATER QUALITY DATA. 2. USE STORYTELLING TO CONNECT MONITORING DATA TO THIS HISTORY AND CULTURE OF CIT-ED. 3. DEVELOP A RIVERTRENDS ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY TAILORED TO CIT-EDS NEEDS AND INTERESTS. OBJECTIVES 1. PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TRAINING, SUPPORT, AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE FROM THE ALLIANCE FOR MONTHLY MONITORING TO ESTABLISH BASELINE CONDITIONS. 2. ENGAGE TRIBAL MEMBERS IN CONVERSATIONS TO DETERMINE THE MOST EFFECTIVE TYPE OF STORYTELLING TO SHARE MONITORING DATA. 3. UTILIZE WATER QUALITY DATA TO CREATE COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS CONNECTED TO THE TRIBES HISTORY AND CULTURE. 4. UTILIZE STORYTELLING AND COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS TO CONDUCT OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE TRIBE. 5. ENGAGE ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEER TRIBAL CITIZENS IN WATER QUALITY MONITORING TO SUSTAIN THE PROGRAM LONG TERM. SUMMARY OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES THE ALLIANCE WILL PROVIDE CONTINUED MONTHLY SUPPORT TO CIT-ED VOLUNTEERS TO BUILD UP BASELINE MONITORING SKILL, COMFORT LEVEL, AND CONFIDENCE OF VOLUNTEERS, HELPING TO MEET THE QUALITY ASSURANCE REQUIREMENTS OF DATA COLLECTION. GREEN FIN WILL WORK WITH CIT-ED TO DEVELOP A SERIES OF QUESTIONS TO GAUGE STAKEHOLDER UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER QUALITY, THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE LOCAL ECOSYSTEM AND TRIBAL CULTURE, AND THOUGHTS ON THE BARRIERS AND BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN VOLUNTEER MONITORING. INTERVIEWS WILL INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCT AND ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY TO ENCOURAGE MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE TO PARTICIPATE IN STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES. THIS PROJECT WILL: -RECRUIT 2 TRIBAL CITIZENS, WHO WILL RECEIVE STIPENDS, TO COLLECT WATER QUALITY DATA TO ESTABLISH BASELINE CONDITIONS. -CONDUCT 10-15 INTERVIEWS WITH TRIBAL CITIZENS OF CIT-ED. -CREATE 1 COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCT USING MONITORING DATA TO TELL A LOCAL STORY. -CONDUCT OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT WITH TRIBAL CITIZENS AT 3 EXISTING COMMUNITY GATHERINGS. -CREATE 1 REPLICABLE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO OTHER MONITORING GROUPS. -CREATE A MODEL OF ENGAGEMENT THAT DOCUMENTS SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES, LESSONS LEARNED, GAPS AND ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT OR RESOURCE NEEDS. THIS PROJECT WILL FURTHER ENGAGE CIT-ED CITIZENS IN DEEPENING THEIR CONNECTION TO THEIR LOCAL WATERWAYS, CULTURE, AND HISTORY. FOR CIT-ED, CULTURAL PRACTICES ARE DEPENDENT ON TRIBUTARIES OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY. HEALTHY RIVERS MEAN A HEALTHY CULTURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE ALLIANCE HAS BUILT IN APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD OF THIS PROJECT BUDGET TO BE PROVIDED TO TRIBAL CITIZENS IN SUPPORT OF THEIR TIME, RESOURCES, AND HIGHLY VALUED COMMUNITY INPUT THAT WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT.