Direct Support Fund

Small grants for grassroots groups working toward environmental justice in Appalachia

Funding for Grassroots Groups

Appalachia is at risk. Resource extraction, shale gas drilling, coal mining, and petrochemical infrastructure threaten our air, water, and way of life.

Are you part of a grassroots group in the Appalachian region? You can make a change in your community. Apply to the Direct Support Fund!

The College Park Climate Action Neighborhood organized a plastics awareness campaign.
The College Park Climate Action Neighborhood organized a plastics awareness campaign.

What does the Direct Support Fund do?

The Direct Support Fund gives community groups resources to organize around environmental justice issues throughout Appalachia (and sometimes beyond). 

  • Applicants do not need to be registered non-profit organizations! 
  • Our committee strongly considers proposals under $5,000 from grassroots, resident-led groups or resident-activists with few available resources.
  • Grants can be used for community organizing, education, and citizen science (i.e. water and air monitoring) projects, and more.
  • We discourage applications for individual efforts. (For example, we would probably not approve a project to test water supplies at a single residence. We would encourage a proposal for water testing that creates a community-wide baseline at multiple households.)
forest council
Heartwood Forest Council, an annual gathering of environmental advocates.

Ready to apply?

Just fill out this short application!

Our committee reviews applications monthly. A final completion form (linked below) is required within 30 days of project completion.

All approved applicants must submit a W-9 form before funding is dispersed. These funds are considered income for recipients. At the end of the year a 1099 form will be provided.

Need help with your application?

Just give us a call! Reach out at 724-455-4200, ext. #10

Or email DSF@mtwatershed.com

The Direct Support Fund is made possible by The Cloud Mountain Foundation, The Plastic Solutions Fund, The Heinz Endowments and The 11th Hour Project and is a project of the Mountain Watershed Association.

Organizations serving on the coordinating committee include:

Indigenous Environmental Network, Earthworks, People Over Petro Coalition, Marcellus Outreach Butler, Mountain Watershed Association, and the Center for International Environmental Law

Previous members have represented:

Clean Air Council, Clean Water Action, Berks Gas Truth, Protect Our Children, Shalefield Stories, OnePA, Center for Coalfield Justice, Black Appalachian Coalition, and the Ohio Chapter of the Sierra Club

News & Updates

Connecting the East Palestine Derailment to the Yough Watershed

April 3, 2023

In the months following the devastating train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio that occurred on February 3rd, 2023, Mountain Watershed Association (MWA) has received many inquiries from residents of the…

Direct Support Funding Available for Environmental Justice Organizers

August 31, 2021

Usually, we notice and act on environmental issues close to home. Be it discolored water in our backyard creek or a petition to cut use of single-use plastics, any local…

Welcome Our New Direct Support Fund Committee Members!

September 9, 2019

Mountain Watershed Association is celebrating the 5 year anniversary of our Direct Support Fund, with big changes in the works! Since 2014, Mountain Watershed Association has been distributing small grants…