Alliance For The Great Lakes

TO CONSERVE AND RESTORE THE WORLD'S LARGEST FRESH WATER RESOURCE USING POLICY, EDUCATION AND LOCAL EFFORTS, ENSURING A HEALTHY GREAT LAKES AND CLEAN WATER FOR GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE.

COMMUNICATIONS & ENGAGEMENT: ENGAGEMENT OF PEOPLE IS HOW WE GROW A CREDIBLE AND LASTING VOICE FOR THE GREAT LAKES. WE ASPIRE TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE EACH PERSON'S CONNECTION TO THE GREAT LAKES IS REFLECTED AND RESPECTED IN THE GOALS OF POLICY AND IN THE ACTIONS WE TAKE. OUR VOLUNTEER EFFORTS, INCLUDING OUR RENOWNED ADOPT-A-BEACH PROGRAM AND OUR ALLIANCE AMBASSADORS, ARE BECOMING MORE RELEVANT TO MORE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES. THESE PROGRAMS REDUCE BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION TO ENGAGE VOLUNTEERS AND ADVOCATES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED FROM THE TRADITIONAL CONSERVATION MOVEMENT. OUR PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH ARE CONSISTENTLY REFLECTED IN THE MEDIA IN WAYS THAT INFORM DECISION MAKERS AND THE PUBLIC. THROUGH THIS WORK, WE PLAN TO MOTIVATE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EACH YEAR TO TAKE ACTION TO HELP THE LAKES. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021, THE ALLIANCE FACILITATED CLEANUPS ON ALL 5 GREAT LAKES, REMOVING MOSTLY PLASTIC DEBRIS FROM GREAT LAKES SHORELINES ALONG WITH COLLECTING AND SHARING DATA FROM THESE CLEANUPS WITH RESEARCHERS ACROSS THE GLOBE.

LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS: LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS BUILD MORE CAPACITY FOR GREAT LAKES WATER PROTECTION AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL. THESE ARE COMMITMENTS THE ALLIANCE CHOOSES WHERE WE SEE A NEED FOR LOCAL WATER IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY AND FUNDING, AND WHERE THE PARTNERS INVOLVED ARE MOTIVATED PRIMARILY BY ADDRESSING LOCAL ISSUES. THIS WORK USES OUR SKILLS, RESOURCES AND EXPERTISE IN SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY LEADERS AND NETWORKS. LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS ARE CORE TO HOW THE ALLIANCE BUILDS BRIDGES BETWEEN OUR EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE TO FRONT LINE ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO ARE SETTING LOCAL WATER AGENDAS. WE USE THESE PARTNERSHIPS TO COLLABORATE EFFECTIVELY BY PROVIDING CLEAR AND SPECIFIC RESOURCES SUCH AS RESEARCH, POLICY ADVOCACY, FUNDRAISING, COMMUNICATIONS AND ACCESS TO OUR NETWORKS. THE ALLIANCE IS MOBILIZING CLEAN WATER ADVOCATES TO ADVANCE EQUITY AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE IN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS AND POLICYMAKING BY CONVENING A NETWORK OF FRONTLINE, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND TRADITIONAL ENGOS THAT REFLECTS THE GREAT LAKES REGION.

WATER ADVOCACY: WATER ADVOCACY IS HOW THE ALLIANCE WORKS TO IMPROVE THE FEDERAL AND STATE PROGRAMS, POLICIES AND FUNDING NECESSARY TO PROTECT, CONSERVE AND RESTORE THE GREAT LAKES AND HEALTHY WATER. THIS MEANS PROTECTING SAFE, CLEAN AND AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER, REDUCING AGRICULTURAL POLLUTION, STOPPING INVASIVE SPECIES, RESTORING THE RESILIENCE OF THE GREAT LAKES AND OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, AND SAFEGUARDING HARD- FOUGHT PROTECTIONS ACHIEVED OVER OUR FIRST FIVE DECADES OF WORK. THIS WORK DEPENDS ON OUR HISTORIC STRENGTHS OF POLICY LEADERSHIP, NONPARTISAN COALITION BUILDING, CONVENING, RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION. IN 2021, THE ALLIANCE'S ADVOCACY HELPED BRING AN ADDITIONAL $1 BILLION OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS TO THE GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE, ALONG WITH $48.4 BILLION IN NEW FUNDING TO STATES AND CITIES FOR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.