The Environment & Sustainability Department provides grant funding for community-based organizations to implement projects or programs focused on environment, sustainability, and/or resilience issues through its Miami Beach Rising Above Grant Program. Each fiscal year, the Department receives $20,000 from the Boucher Brothers contract and $25,000 from the waste haulers agreement to be used for environmental grants. In total, $45,000 is received each fiscal year for environmental grants. These funds are typically rolled over to accumulate a larger amount of funds available for a grant cycle, so the grant program is typically held every two years. The next grant cycle will be in FY 2024 and applications will open in summer 2023.
The Pelican Harbor Seabird Station has received funding through the Miami Beach Rising Above Grant Program in the 2017, 2019, and 2022 grant cycles. In the 2017 grant cycle, there were 14 applications received with a total of $312,317 requested. Six projects were funded for a total of $60,000 and Pelican Harbor Seabird Station received $15,000. In the 2019 grant cycle, there were 18 applications received with a total of $276,906 requested. Eight projects were funded for a total of $101,000 and Pelican Harbor Seabird Station received $25,000. In the 2022 grant cycle, there were 19 applications received with a total of $294,869 requested. 11 projects were funded for a total of $110,000 and Pelican Harbor Seabird Station (PHSS) received $18,000.
Pelican Harbor Seabird Station’s project highlights have included:
- Hundreds of patients picked up by wildlife ambulance or volunteers within the city limits of Miami Beach, and transferred to the hospital for treatment and release.
- Public bird releases held on Miami Beach, including the release of a Pelican, Yellowstone Osprey, and Downy Woodpecker.
- Operation Rescue trainings to instruct on how to safely handle injured wildlife.
- Community outreach and education at Miami Beach events.
- Miami Beach school presentations.