Special Opportunity Grants Program

• Proof of Great Lakes Network membership.
• Sponsor information, if the applicant is not a 501(c)(3).
• Signed sponsor letter on the sponsor’s letterhead, if applicable.

Who is eligible?

• Great Lakes Network members
• Nonprofit organizations
• Sponsored groups without 501(c)(3) status

Who is not eligible

• Governmental entities and agencies
• Conservation districts
• Conservation authorities

Eligible expenses

• Costs needed for advocacy work, excluding lobbying.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Lobbying activities.

Eligible geographic areas

• Great Lakes region

• Same eligibility, overall goal, priority areas, and evaluation criteria as the regular grants program.
• Preference for requests submitted before project funds are spent.

• Step 1: Confirm eligibility
  • Verify Great Lakes Network membership.
  • Check that there are no past-due grant reports.
• Step 2: Prepare the request
  • Prepare the project request and sponsor information, if needed.
  • Obtain a signed sponsor letter if the applicant is not a 501(c)(3).
• Step 3: Submit the request
  • Submit the request through the program’s application process.
  • Send after-the-fact requests within one month of the expenditure if applicable.

• Requests are reviewed differently from regular grants to allow a quick turnaround.
• Applications are handled on a first-come, first-served basis.
• After-the-fact requests may still be considered if submitted within one month of the expenditure.

• Applicants must be Great Lakes Network members.
• Funding is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
• After-the-fact requests may be considered if submitted within one month of the expenditure.
• Applicants must not have past-due grant reports on file.