The Great Lakes Protection Fund is excited to announce the investment of over $3.5 million in four innovative regional projects that will launch and accelerate novel solutions to enhance the health of the Great Lakes and its ecosystems. 

Designing Market Pathways for Agroforestry Adoption on Problematic Cropland ($150,000) led by Propagate

During this design project, Propagate will develop the team to align potential chestnut crop producers and prospective buyers to scale adoption of agroforestry cropping systems throughout the region. Agroforestry can reduce nutrient runoff, improve soil health, and provide long-term financial security for farmers; yet, adoption has been slow, in part due to producers’ uncertainty about reliable markets. If successful, the project will lay the groundwork to connect early adopters with committed buyers and establish a replicable model for integrating tree crops on marginal lands across the Great Lakes basin. Read more here.  

Transforming Shoreline Stewardship through Adaptive Management and Remote Sensing ($1,200,000) led by Proof Projects, LLC

In this implementation project, Proof Projects, in collaboration with coastal communities and regional networks, will create an integrated platform that enables large-scale adoption of adaptive coastal management across the Basin. Adaptive management has the potential to improve habitat replenishment and coastal resilience across the Great Lakes, but it is difficult to scale because it requires consistent data and a shift in thinking. This team will create an online platform that syncs remote sensing data and management recommendations to enable the adoption of more nature-based solutions among coastal communities. Read more here.  

Embedding Conservation in Farm Finance Across the Great Lakes ($1,075,000) led by Environmental Defense Fund

In this implementation project, Environmental Defense Fund, along with partners in US and Canada, will unlock a critical driver in regenerative farming: favorable farm finance. Food companies and agricultural lenders will build incentives into financial tools farmers are already familiar with, such as loan products, to reward practices that protect water quality downstream. Dairy companies will collaborate with banking partners and funders to create a Dairy Impact Fund to help small and mid-sized dairy farms finance transitions to nutrient-reducing manure management systems. Read more here.  

Expanding a Peer-led Utility Network for Resilient Water Management ($1,130,000) led by Moonshot Missions

This project aims to accelerate a basin-wide shift in how wastewater utilities are managed to drive water quality improvements through better operations. Moonshot Missions and its network of wastewater utilities will develop a new Utility Performance Management (UPM) model, a suite of practices that optimizes a utility’s capital budgeting, operations, personnel management, leadership, and outreach strategies to help wastewater utilities tap into new opportunities. The team will collaborate with other organizations to integrate these practices within professional societies and technical assistance programs, resulting in a more empowered workforce, ongoing infrastructure and system improvements, and a reduction in combined sewer overflow events across the Great Lakes region.  Read more here.