The Intelligent Use of Water Awards is an interactive grant program that awards funds to water conservation and environmental sustainability projects that promote green spaces. A global initiative, any Internet user can submit a project via the Intelligent Use of Water Awards web site at www.iuowawards.com and promote it within his or her own community.

All projects can be anonymously voted upon by visitors (one vote a day per project, per individual user), and the projects with the most votes will receive funding from Rain Bird according to their funding category. There are currently 81 projects seeking funding. See if there is one near you!

"Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and play consists of what a body is not obliged to do." -The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

For many communities, success in their America in Bloom efforts can be tied directly to the ability to recruit and keep their voluntary workforce. Indeed, one of our eight judging criteria is labeled Community Involvement, suggesting the importance of this effort. And we often get a lot of questions on how to best recruit the required volunteers. Probably a standard approach to getting the needed manpower is to cast a wide net.
Involving the municipal government, the business community, and a city's residents is important, especially since the judging evaluation for this, and all other criteria, awards points for each of these constituent groups. Yet, each of these groups ultimately needs to help recruit volunteers. So, the net that a city must ultimately cast needs to include every possible opportunity.

Read the full article on America in Bloom's blog.