Strong public support for the environmental license plates has generated a pool of funds that the Trust awards to support environmental protection and education projects statewide. Motorists' contributions to the environmental license plate series have enabled the Trust to annually distribute approximately $1 million in grants to nearly 40 environmental protection and education projects statewide.

What We Fund
The Trust's water-focused mandate can be interpreted broadly. In general, projects must promote:

	Water's Role in Ecosystem Health: The Trust seeks to protect, restore and improve the Commonwealth's water resources as a strategic conduit for overall ecosystem health.
	Human Health and the Environment: Supports the work of communities in identifying, understanding and addressing the public health issues associated with high levels of water pollution, with a focus on environmental inequities in low-income communities.

The Trust prefers to fund:

	cooperative efforts between local organizations, businesses, philanthropies, government entities and/or citizen groups
	collaborations that leverage additional funds/resources
	innovative, pro-active undertakings that serve as models for other efforts
	projects with a wide distribution of results and measurable outcome
	projects that create long-term benefits and stimulate activities of a continuing nature
	projects that address the unmet environmental needs of communities

No portion of any grant funds provided by the Trust shall be used for: any lobbying activity; any political committee, contribution, expenditure or campaign activity; or commencing or otherwise funding litigation, appeal or service related to an administrative hearing.

Who is Eligible
The Trust supports the activities of nonprofit organizations, community associations, other philanthropies, civic groups, schools and institutions of higher education, municipalities, state-appropriated groups and, on occasion, tribal, state and government organizations and for-profit organizations. The Trust is committed to serving all segments of the Commonwealth's population and encourages proposals from veteran, women and minority-owned organizations. Additional consideration is given to projects located in an area identified as an "Environmental Justice Population" in accordance with the policy of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. These are generally low-income communities that bear a disproportionate share of environmental problems. The Trust does not fund individuals but will consider proposals made through a tax-exempt fiscal agent who accepts legal responsibility. Funds may be only be used for the public purposes outlined to meet MET goals. Non-public entities should consult 815 CMR 2.00 (state regulations governing grant funding to non-public entities at http://www.mass.gov/osc/Regs/Regs.html.)