New Jersey American Water and the American Water Charitable Foundation announced on Monday that 10 organizations across the Garden State have been awarded a combined $179,404 in grants to support water protection, environmental education, and community resilience.
The funding is provided through the Foundation’s 2026 Water and Environment Grant Program, a key component of the “Keep Communities Flowing” initiative. The program focuses on protecting natural watersheds while engaging the next generation of environmental stewards through hands-on learning.
The grants support a diverse array of projects, ranging from urban rain gardens in Paterson to coastal resiliency efforts in Egg Harbor Township. By funding these local initiatives, the Foundation aims to strengthen the ecological health of the regions served by New Jersey American Water.
“Providing safe, reliable water is what we do, but giving back to the communities we serve is part of who we are,” Mark McDonough, president of New Jersey American Water said. “We’re proud to invest in local organizations that protect our water resources, educate future stewards, and strengthen communities across New Jersey.”
Among the 10 organizations receiving support, five key projects highlight the program’s commitment to scientific research and community-driven conservation:
- Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space ($25,000): This top-tier grant will fund habitat restoration and a nature-based play space at Hopewell Borough Park. The project will replace invasive species with native meadows to improve stormwater absorption in the Raritan River watershed.
- Camden’s Charter School Network ($12,000): Students will expand floating wetland construction and water monitoring at Tippin’s Pond in Pennsauken, combining classroom ecology with real-world water quality solutions.
- Great Swamp Watershed Association ($11,900): Funding will support the installation of a rain garden at Paterson School No. 25, providing urban students with a living laboratory to learn about flooding and watershed health.
- Egg Harbor Township High School ($10,000): Science students will lead a coastal resiliency project, growing dune grass in school greenhouses before planting it along the Ocean City coastline to combat saltwater encroachment.
- Hacklebarney Trout Unlimited Chapter ($10,000): This grant will support the restoration of cold-water trout habitats and streambank stabilization along India Brook in Mendham.
The Musconetcong Watershed Association also received a repeat grant to continue its vital research into “forever chemicals.”
“This support allows us to continue our critical work studying PFAS in groundwater and the Musconetcong River,” Eileen Murphy, executive director of the Association said. “It helps advance science while protecting the health of the communities that depend on this watershed.”
