March 20 Eagle River Fund Informational Event Invites Support
- eagleriverfund
- Mar 21
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 28
Approximately 45 community members came together on March 20 to learn about the Eagle River Fund's vision of providing permanent funding for river projects. The gathering, hosted by Tom and Margie Gart in Lake Creek, featured a presentation in which staff from The Nature Conservancy who had been active in the development of the Yampa River Fund discussed their successful initiative.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has made available resources, such as a Water Fund Toolkit, that helped guide early Eagle River Fund (ERF) actions. Its water fund model has been implemented successfully around the globe to protect vital water resources in places from Africa and South America to the Yampa River Valley. It was the Yampa River Fund that, in late 2019, originally inspired Tom Gart to present the concept of a similar fund for the Eagle River.
In addition to context and history, Melanie Smith, CFRE, Eagle River Fund Manager, shared about two Eagle River Fund pilot projects that have illustrated the need for and power of the funding mechanism to realize critical water projects.
Smith described one pilot project as supporting the replacement of more than 5,600 square feet of turf-grass, which requires significant consumptive water use through irrigation, with more than 20 species of pollinator-friendly and generally native vegetation that will reduce water use over time by 70-80%. This project, which is featured in more detail here, is located at the Riverwalk at Edwards, and brought together 7 partners, and 17 volunteers. The Eagle River Fund contributed funding for Phase 1 of an anticipated multi-year two-phase project, which will be completed upon the installation of permanent signage later this spring.
Before garden installation, spring 2024 After garden installation, August 2024
Photo credit: Eagle Valley Wild Photo credit: Eagle Valley Wild
The second pilot project that Smith discussed centered on the completion of the Eagle River Community Water Plan, which is a guiding document for decision-makers regarding waterways in the Eagle River Valley. A technical document with community-driven and stakeholder-supported actions to restore historic degradation and protect water resources for the future, the plan is intended to serve as a to-do list for projects that may receive funding via the Eagle River Fund granting mechanism.
The presentation featured a question-and-answer session with dialogue from participants including Holly Loff, Cliff Simonton, Rose Sandell, Peter Suneson, Pete Wadden on topics ranging from reservoirs to restoration projects to funding eligibility.
Because the Eagle River Fund is a funding source for projects, and not an endowment for an organization itself or its own organization, groups such as municipalities, agencies, governments, and charitable organizations may be eligible to recieve funding for projects. This is intended to limit and remove duplication of efforts, increase capacity for collaboration, and extend the size and scope of work being done.
Intended to provide additive funding to close gaps and provide matching funds, projects must have already secured support. With approximately 4.5% of the envisioned $5 million principle released through grants, this will mean that as much as $500,000 in overall project support may be leveraged annually, including secured non-ERF funding.
To close the evening, Margie Gart shared about opportunities to support the Eagle River Fund, which include sharing about the effort to friends and neighbors and gifts of various levels. She noted that she and her husband Tom will be matching gifts of $50,000-$100,000, up to $1,000,000. Additionally, 77 opportunities will be available at $25,000 for River Partner-level supporters to each be symbolically recognized on public signage as supporting one mile of the 77-mile-long Eagle River. As a community-driven initiative intended to aid in the protection of the Eagle River for generations, gifts of any size are encouraged and welcome.
See donor recognition opportunities below:
To join the Eagle River Fund as a donor, please contact Melanie Smith at eagleriverfund@eagleriverco.org or 9970-827-5406 x1003, or learn about other forms of support here.
Enjoy pictures of the evening below!
