October 18 marks the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. It is a significant U.S. law regulating pollutants and supporting water quality standards to ensure the nation’s waterways are healthy. Before this law, communities witnessed the rapid degradation of our rivers and lakes. An example in southeast Michigan is the Rouge River catching fire....
On Tuesday, October 4, 2022, from 11 am – 12 pm ET, the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation hosted a Twitter chat using #GreatLakes and #InflationReductionAct. The chat posed seven questions about the recently signed federal Inflation Reduction Act and how investments in climate change will impact the Great Lakes. Here’s a...
This month marks the one-year anniversary of the launch of the #GreatLakes500 ranking of influencers on Twitter. Published every Tuesday, the listing has come to be regarded as a go-to source for making connections, building relationships, and spreading awareness about the Great Lakes. So, what have we learned from its success in year one, and...
Today we announced $7.3 million in new and ongoing grants during our September grant cycle. See the complete grants list here. As part of our continuing participation in Detroit Arts Support, we made three-year general operating grants totaling $5.2 million to 61 Detroit area and Erb family legacy arts and cultural institutions. The Foundation’s increased...
On August 16, 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The law will authorize $369 billion in spending on energy and climate change – the largest investment into addressing climate change in United States history. How will investments in climate change impact the Great Lakes? Join the conversation on Twitter on October 4th where...
Having the right tools in the toolbox is necessary to address tough challenges like the toxic algal bloom in Lake Erie. Partnering with the Joyce Foundation, the Erb Family Foundation made a grant to Environmental Working Group to use geospatial tools to identify where phosphorus might be most concentrated in Michigan. Throughout the process, Environmental...
The Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation welcomes Nat Lichten to its team. Nat was named associate program officer for Great Lakes and Environment. He brings seven years of experience in watershed management, green infrastructure, and water and environmental research. Nat will work with current grantees, future applicants, and partners to help the...
For over 10 years, the Foundation supported programs and projects to improve Great Lakes water quality and reduce untreated combined sewer overflows, which pollute the region’s rivers and lakes. In total, the Foundation’s support for combined sewer overflow reduction efforts amounted to more than $20 million over the last decade. The Foundation recently commissioned a...