Give to the Max for Minnesota’s waters!

💧 Your gift helps inspire and empower people to value and protect water. 💧

Early giving is open! Gifts made November 1–19 count toward Give to the Max and may help Freshwater qualify for additional prize grants.

Water connects every community, ecosystem, and economy. Yet safe drinking water, sustainable groundwater, resilient infrastructure, and a skilled water workforce cannot be taken for granted.

For nearly 60 years, Freshwater has helped people understand, value, and protect water. We bring together applied science, community knowledge, public policy, innovation, arts, and culture to help people connect with water and turn complex challenges into practical action.

When you give to Freshwater, you help build a future where clean, accessible, and sustainable water supports healthy ecosystems, communities, and economies. Your gift strengthens the people, partnerships, and shared knowledge needed to respond to emerging water challenges and turn promising solutions into action across Minnesota.

Your gift helps Freshwater:

💧 Advance safe drinking water and public health

Your support helps people better understand drinking water risks and take informed action to protect their health. Our Rural Health and Drinking Water program provides education, testing, and support for thousands of private well owners in rural communities. Freshwater also advocates for policies and infrastructure investments that advance clean, safe, and accessible drinking water in rural, Tribal, and urban communities.

💧 Protect groundwater for the future

Your gift supports the research, partnerships, and responsible planning needed to protect Minnesota’s groundwater. Groundwater supplies approximately three-quarters of Minnesota’s drinking water and also sustains agriculture, businesses, lakes, streams, and ecosystems. Freshwater advances research and cross-sector collaboration to support the conservation, reuse, recharge, governance, and long-term planning needed to ensure this essential resource remains available for generations.

💧 Build community leadership and connection

Your support gives people more ways to understand, value, and act for water. Through programs including Minnesota Water Stewards, residents and local leaders gain the knowledge, skills, relationships, and support needed to advance practical solutions in their communities. Freshwater also uses arts, culture, and storytelling, from the annual Weatherguide calendar to Art for Water experiences, to deepen people’s connection to water and invite broader participation in protecting it.

Did you know? Since 2013, Freshwater has certified over 575 Minnesota Water Stewards, who've contributed over 23,000 volunteer hours and engaged more than 77,000 Minnesotans!

💧 Advance water innovation and prepare the future workforce

Your gift helps turn promising ideas into practical water solutions while preparing more people for meaningful careers protecting and managing water. Freshwater connects researchers, businesses, utilities, communities, educators, students, and public leaders to strengthen Minnesota’s water-innovation ecosystem. Through Water Workforce Pathways, we also increase awareness of water careers, strengthen pathways into the field, and help address critical workforce needs.

💧 Move science and community priorities into policy

Your support helps bring reliable science and community experience into the decisions that shape Minnesota’s water future. As a non-partisan, science-based organization, Freshwater works with elected officials, public agencies, Tribal Nations, businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders to advance durable solutions. Freshwater's current legislative priorities include clean and accessible drinking water, responsible planning for high-volume water users, and improved rural water quality.

Give today for Minnesota’s water future

Together, we can help more people understand, value, and protect water while moving practical solutions forward across Minnesota.

Learn more about our work at freshwater.org.

Thank you for your support and for giving to the max!