Restoring and preserving the Chesapeake Bay, and other local watersheds, requires collaborative action. From neighbors to nonprofits, grassroots to governments, we all play a part in ensuring communities across the region have access to healthy waterways and other natural resources.
Analogous to a healthy tree starting with healthy roots, many nonprofits, local governments, and other community-based organizations with innovative and compelling solutions for their communities often need support building a strong foundation to carry out their work. This is where the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network Capacity Building Initiative comes in.
“The Chesapeake Bay Trust is part of the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network. It’s a network of funders acknowledging that building efficiencies, investing in organizations, allows us to have greater impact for the projects,” shared Vice President of Programs for Outreach and Education, Kacey Wetzel.
The Chesapeake Bay Trust leads and administers the Capacity Building Initiative (the Initiative) on behalf of the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network. The Initiative provides resources to smaller organizations including nonprofits and local governments to increase the effectiveness of their operations to address natural resource and community health issues within the Chesapeake Bay, Coastal Bays, and Youghiogheny River watersheds.
In Virginia, the Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley exists today because of this Initiative.
“The Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley is a C3, a regional conservation group, based here in the Valley. We work to support communities to achieve their vision of clean streams and rivers, protected working farm and forest land, and thriving communities,” said Kate Wofford, Executive Director. “We were formed from a merger of five conservation groups. Were it not for the Capacity Building Initiative, it’s possible that the merger would not have happened.”
“We shifted from going from these very small, what we quickly realized not sustainable nonprofits, to this regional work,” add Kim Woodwell, Deputy Director and Shenandoah County Coordinator.
The Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley is an example of how a little support can lead to large impact.
“Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley has a big mission centered on protecting landscapes, agricultural vitality, clean water, community engagement and that’s so big that’s not something that one organization can achieve by itself,” explained Kevin Tate, Director of Conservation. “We really rely on partnerships.”
“We work collaboratively with partners at the intersection of community health and watershed health,” added Maya Alexander, Community Engagement Manager. “So, a lot of that capacity building is making sure there are tools and resources that they can access together so we can have a greater impact.”
Empowering community-based organizations to implement on-the-ground restoration activities requires time, people, and equipment, to name a few resources. Many operational challenges faced by smaller organizations can become barriers to completing these critical projects that will keep our local waterways, greens spaces and communities clean and safe. These challenges include technology, strategic planning, board and staff development, fundraising, and other growing pains that can prevent an organization from effective and sustainable operations. Addressing these organizational challenges allows local groups to address the environmental challenges and opportunities in their communities.
“Some of the more invisible work like database software and paying your electronic bill, we look to the Capacity Building Initiative and Chesapeake Bay Trust and often make the most difference in our ability to achieve our conservation outcomes,” explained Kate.
The Capacity Building Initiative is supported by a diverse group of funders including the Chesapeake Bay Trust, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chesapeake Bay Program, Keith Campbell Foundation, Hillsdale Fund, Prince Charitable Trusts, Philip Merrill Foundation, and Agua Fund. This network is ensuring smaller, local organizations can achieve their missions for the people and environment in their communities.
“What people want to see is this extraordinary landscape maintained,” added Kate. “Our staff on the ground are working with communities to achieve that vision.”
As Maya exclaimed, “we have lots of natural resources here to protect and access is the foundation for stewardship.”
