The proof is in our projects

The Long Island Sound Funders Collaborative is a group of funders with missions that include the protection and restoration Long Island Sound.

No one funder is solely focused on this goal. That is why we aim to build our effectiveness through collaboration.
The projects described below are evidence of the power of consolidated willpower, intelligence, and resources.

The Long Island Sound Report Card
  • The Long Island Sound Report Card provides baseline information about the state of the Sound at distinct points.
  • It also identifies positive steps that all people can take to improve water quality in watersheds, bays, rivers, harbors, and the Sound itself.
  • The Long Island Sound Report Card was initially made possible by the LISFC: we helped our NGO partners design, pilot, and roll-out the project.
  • Now the Long Island Sound Report Card is a core part of the communications strategy about the Sound across the region.
  • You can see the Report Cards here.
The Unified Water Study
  • LISFC funded the initial design, development, piloting, and expanded roll out of the Unified Water Study (UWS).
  • The UWS fosters the collection of comparable, high quality data to study the environmental health of the Sound’s many inlets, harbors and bays.
  • Data-collection groups are provided with monitoring equipment, training, Standard Operating Procedures, a custom study design for their monitoring locations, a Quality Assurance Project Plan, and other resources they need to successfully collect water quality data.
  • Managed by Save the Sound, this groundbreaking collaborative water-testing program has dramatically increased available data about the long-term health of the Sound. Its findings also support the Long Island Sound Report Card.
  • The UWS now provides support to 23 groups to monitor 37 bays and harbors from New York City out to eastern Long Island and in Connecticut.
  • Funding for the UWS is now provided to Save the Sound through the EPA Long Island Sound Office.
The Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund
  • While aligned grantmaking continues to be a tool for our members, we’ve also launched a pooled funding mechanism, The Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund (LISSF). The LISSF pools our investments and expands our grant-making.
  • This competitive grant program supports projects that pursue for a healthy, productive, and resilient Sound.
  • Up to $400,000 is generally available for grants annually.
  • The LISSF supports nongovernmental organizations working on issues and projects related to the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan.
  • The LISSF also helps build stronger nongovernmental organizations, fosters collaboration and innovation around conservation, and accelerates the “next best step” for proven tools and strategies.
  • The LISSF is administered by the Long Island Community Foundation (LICF).
  • More information about participating foundations may be found at Who We Are.