Stream And Wetlands Foundation

Stream And Wetlands Foundation (S+W) is not a traditional philanthropic grantmaker — understanding this distinction is the single most important strategic insight for any grant seeker approaching this funder. Founded in 1992 and headquartered at 123 S. Broad St., Lancaster, Ohio (Fairfield County), S+W is a 501(c)(3) operating nonprofit whose primary revenue model is selling wetland and stream mitigation credits to developers, municipalities, and industrial permittees required by the Ohio EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to offset unavoidable environmental impacts. The foundation held $53 million in assets in FY2023 and generated $8 million in revenue — but its external philanthropic grants totaled only $207,491 that year.

Two types of organizations have successfully accessed S+W funding. First, Ohio academic institutions conducting aquatic resource research: Ohio University received $157,566 across two grants; the University of Akron received $10,000; Ohio State University received $55. Second, Ohio-based conservation and community nonprofits: Rural Action received $80,000 across two grants; Fairfield County Foundation received $100,000 for scholarship administration. All 12 grantees in S+W's disclosed history are Ohio-based, and 100% of grants have been to organizations operating within the state.

The relationship model here is partnership-first, not proposal-first. S+W's major restoration projects — Rolling Hills Meadow, Red Barn Reserve — emerge from multi-year collaborations with organizations like The Dawes Arboretum and the Society for Ecological Restoration. Microsoft's involvement as a corporate co-funder demonstrates that S+W actively structures three-way deals between landowners, ecological execution partners, and funders. If you want S+W money, position your organization as a restoration execution partner or research validator, not as a traditional grant applicant.

First-time applicants should note there is no published RFP, grant portal, or formal application form — the foundation explicitly indicates no application instructions. Relationships forged at the Ohio Surface Water Policy Conference and Society for Ecological Restoration events are the primary pathway into S+W's funding consideration. Cultivation timelines of 12–24 months should be expected before any grant commitment materializes.

S+W's external philanthropic grants are modest relative to its asset base. Total external grants paid were $207,491 in FY2023, $142,192 in FY2022, $181,707 in FY2021, and $109,678 in FY2020 — averaging roughly $160,000 per year. The headline "total giving" figures reported on 990s ($3.6M in FY2023, $4.6M in FY2022, $2.4M in FY2021) are significantly higher because they include the foundation's own restoration project expenditures — construction costs, land stewardship, and operational program work — not outgoing grants to third parties.

From disclosed grantee data, the average external grant is approximately $29,140 across 12 grants totaling $349,683. However, this is heavily skewed by two large awards: $157,566 to Ohio University and $100,000 to Fairfield County Foundation. Excluding those, the median gift falls to roughly $10,000, with many disbursements at sub-$1,000 levels (Pelotonia: $518; Fisher Catholic: $359; Lancaster High School: $250; Ohio State University: $55).

By purpose, disclosed grants cluster into three categories: academic research accounts for roughly 48% (Ohio University $157,566; University of Akron $10,000; Ohio State University $55); scholarship administration accounts for 29% (Fairfield County Foundation $100,000); and environmental and community nonprofits account for 23% (Rural Action $80,000), plus sub-$1,000 charitable donations.

The foundation's asset base has grown dramatically — from $4.8M in FY2011 to $53M in FY2023 — as the mitigation credit business scaled. Revenue grew from $503K in FY2011 to $8.05M in FY2023. This growth has not translated into proportionally larger external grants; rather, capital accumulation funds future mitigation bank acquisitions. Annual net investment income was $725,742 in FY2023. Geography is exclusively Ohio. A notable one-time inflow: $1.35M in contributions received in FY2022 (not seen in other years), suggesting an unusual land or project contribution.

S+W occupies a unique niche at the intersection of environmental regulatory compliance and nonprofit stewardship. Direct peer comparisons to traditional foundations are difficult, but the following table places S+W alongside comparable Ohio-focused and national wetland/habitat funders:

S+W is substantially smaller as a grantmaker than NFWF or Great Lakes Protection Fund despite comparable assets, because most of its capital funds internal operations. Unlike OEEF, it has no published RFP cycle and makes grants primarily as extensions of restoration partnerships. Organizations seeking significant wetland funding in Ohio are better served pursuing OEEF (open competition) or NFWF (invited) for core grant funding, while positioning S+W engagement as a technical co-implementer that can unlock additional corporate ESG funding. S+W's real value to partners is ecological execution expertise and regulatory credibility with Ohio EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers — not check size.

S+W has been highly active operationally through 2025 and into 2026, with philanthropic activity manifesting primarily as project partnerships rather than traditional grant disbursements.

The flagship recent event is the Red Barn Reserve Wetland Restoration ribbon cutting on April 28, 2026 at The Dawes Arboretum in Licking County, Ohio — completed in partnership with Microsoft and the arboretum. The project created multiple wetland pools, prairie improvements, and public trail access. This followed the Rolling Hills Meadow launch on April 3, 2025, which used the same three-party model (S+W + Dawes Arboretum + Microsoft).

The Elk Creek Wetlands Mitigation Bank in Lorain County (215 acres) received regulatory approval and initial credit release — a geographic expansion into the Black-Rocky watershed west of Cleveland beyond S+W's traditional Fairfield County operations.

Regulatory developments are shaping the pipeline: the November 2025 WOTUS proposed rulemaking aligning with Sackett v. EPA (2023) will narrow federal wetland jurisdiction, directly affecting how many credits S+W can generate from certain land types. S+W published a stakeholder update and has been engaged in the comment process.

On the education front, biologists Chelsea Lamb Keefer and Joshua Anzalone presented at the SER International Conference in Denver in October 2025. The foundation also completed its annual Hydric Soils Training at Dawes Arboretum in September 2025. Scholarships for 2025-2026 opened December 1, 2025 via Fairfield County Foundation, with deadlines in February and March 2026.

1. Reframe your approach entirely. S+W is not a grant-distributing foundation. Rather than submitting a proposal, approach S+W as a potential restoration project partner. Identify a specific wetland or stream site in Ohio where S+W's mitigation credit expertise can be leveraged alongside your organization's land access, research capacity, or community relationships. The Red Barn and Rolling Hills Meadow partnerships are the model to emulate.

2. Scholarship applicants — apply through Fairfield County Foundation. All scholarship applications are submitted at fairfieldcountyfoundation.org/scholarships — not directly to S+W. Applications open December 1 each year. Eligibility requires Ohio residency, enrollment at an Ohio college, a degree in engineering or biological/ecological science, minimum 2.5 GPA, and at least one year of college completed. Candidates pursuing careers in native habitat restoration engineering receive highest priority. The 2025-2026 preliminary deadline was February 9, 2026; full application deadline was March 6, 2026.

3. Research grant seekers — start with a relationship, not a proposal. Ohio University ($157,566), University of Akron ($10,000), and Ohio State University have all received research-related funding. No formal mechanism exists. Faculty at Ohio institutions working on aquatic resource science, stream restoration hydrology, or wetland ecology should reach out directly to President Vince Messerly at the Lancaster office: (740) 654-4016.

4. Attend the Ohio Surface Water Policy Conference. Held annually in October in Westerville, Ohio (co-hosted by S+W and peer organizations), this is where project partnerships are initiated. Meeting S+W staff and board members in person precedes any productive funding conversation.

5. Align with post-Sackett regulatory strategy. Post-WOTUS, S+W needs to demonstrate ecological value for wetlands outside CWA jurisdiction. Organizations that can document isolated Ohio wetlands, vernal pools, or ephemeral streams are well-positioned for partnership conversations about voluntary conservation and state-level (Ohio EPA) mitigation compliance.

6. Bring a corporate co-funder. S+W's recent project model requires Microsoft-style corporate ESG or nature-based solutions commitments as a co-funder. Arriving with a corporate letter of intent dramatically increases partnership viability.

7. Small Fairfield County gifts exist. S+W has given small community gifts in Lancaster: Fairfield County Foster Care ($935), Fisher Catholic ($359), Lancaster High School ($250). Fairfield County-based nonprofits may cultivate a modest annual relationship gift through board member connections without a formal restoration partnership.