Watershed Alliance of Southwest Washington may lose funding from the city of Vancouver in January.
The Vancouver nonprofit that promotes environmental stewardship has received $150,000 in annual funding from the city since 2008. The contract has previously been renewed every five years. But with the city of Vancouver facing a $43 million deficit for the 2025-26 budget year, it has proposed to let its contract with Watershed Alliance lapse at the end of 2024, the nonprofit said Monday in a news release.
Watershed Alliance Executive Director Sunrise O’Mahoney said the loss of this funding would create significant challenges in providing key programs and serving the Vancouver community.
The organization may have to close its doors entirely, she said.
“I really am very grateful … but it’s hard to see the funding stop now, with little notice,” O’Mahoney said. “There’s a lot of climate work to be done. My question is: How is this work going to get done now?”
Over the years, the city of Vancouver and Watershed Alliance have worked together on many of the nonprofit’s programs, including tree plantings, beach cleanups, a film series and a neighborhood grant program.
O’Mahoney said she learned about the budget deficit in July, but city officials did not inform her that Watershed Alliance was among one of the organizations facing cuts until she reached out.
Watershed Alliance has additional sources of funding through contracts with other cities, but the city of Vancouver remains its largest funder.
Vancouver’s budget is developed biennially, or every two years. This is the first time in a decade the city of Vancouver will have to make budget cuts due to inflation and slowing growth.
City spokeswoman Laura Shepard did not say whether other nonprofits in Vancouver would also lose funding.
The city manager’s proposed budget will be published online Oct. 1, followed by an operating budget workshop Oct. 14. The city will hold a public hearing on the 2025-26 biennial budget Nov. 18.
“At that time, you’ll be able to see all the proposed budget details,” Shepard said in an email. “After that, the city council will consider it in workshops and hearings before they adopt it.”
The potential loss of funding would also result in the loss of land the city provides for Watershed Alliance’s volunteer events and plantings.
O’Mahoney said the city would allow Watershed Alliance to continue using the land if it took over the maintenance and preparation, which would require even more money, volunteers and time.
In the meantime, O’Mahoney said the organization is exploring new contracts, seeking new sites for planting and applying for grants to make up for the potential loss.
“While we look ahead at what this means for our ability to continue operating and working to serve the county, know that we are looking to secure new opportunities that will enable us to continue our mission,” O’Mahoney said. “If we have to pull out of Vancouver, that’s a hole that will be sorely missed.”
Anyone with ideas for sites or projects that might benefit from volunteer restoration events, reach out to sunrise@thewatershedalliance.org.
Editor’s note: this story has been updated to reflect the correct year funding began.
