2026 Great Lakes Regional Learning Exchange

Join us for our second Great Lakes Regional Learning Exchange, a free, day-long event designed to build the capacity of organizations working to protect and restore the Great Lakes. This gathering brings together community leaders, nonprofit professionals, and regional experts to foster collaboration, share knowledge, and strengthen the skills needed to access and manage federal funding successfully.  

Meals will be provided, and all sessions are free and open to those committed to advancing locally led environmental solutions across the Great Lakes region.  

Tentative Agenda:

8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | Registration & Coffee  

9:30 AM – 9:45 AM | Welcome & Opening Remarks 

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM | Opening Plenary 

Connecting Land, Water, and Community 

Tribal Nations have called the Great Lakes region home for generations. As the original stewards of these lands and waters, Indigenous communities hold generations of knowledge rooted in relationships with local waterways, ecosystems, wildlife, and cultural landscapes. 

This opening plenary will ground the Learning Exchange in Indigenous knowledge and local perspectives, exploring how knowledge, traditions, and lived experiences shape relationships with the Great Lakes and inform stewardship and restoration. By beginning with Indigenous voices and perspectives, the session will establish a foundation of place, relationship, respect, and shared responsibility for the Great Lakes Regional Learning Exchange. 

11:00 AM – 12:15 PM | Breakout Sessions

Session Option A

Implementing Workforce Development into Environmental Restoration 

Environmental restoration projects can create opportunities not only to improve ecosystems, but also to build skills, strengthen local economies, and create pathways into environmental careers. This session will explore practical approaches for integrating workforce development into restoration projects and programs. Participants will hear about strategies for creating meaningful training and employment opportunities, developing partnerships with workforce and educational organizations, and connecting community members to restoration-related career pathways. The session will also highlight lessons learned and considerations for organizations interested in incorporating workforce development into their current or future environmental restoration efforts. 

 Session Option B

Building Effective Grant Management Systems 

Strong grant management is built on well-designed organizational systems that support the day-to-day administration of grant-funded projects. This session will focus on the functional components of an effective grant management system. Participants of this session will explore practical approaches for organizing these functions using existing tools and processes, while identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce administrative burden. This session will help participants evaluate their current grant management practices and develop systems that support successful implementation of grant awards. 

12:15 PM – 1:30 PM | Lunch and Networking

1:30 PM – 2:45 PM | Breakout Sessions 

Session Option A

Fostering Authentic Relationships + Building Partnerships 

Strong environmental restoration efforts are built on relationships rooted in trust, shared goals, and meaningful community participation. This session will explore approaches for developing and sustaining authentic partnerships among community-based organizations, Tribal and Indigenous organizations, government agencies, nonprofits, funders, and other regional partners. Participants will discuss strategies for identifying potential partners, establishing shared expectations, navigating differences in organizational capacity and priorities, and moving relationships beyond transactional or grant-specific partnerships. The session will also highlight how intentional relationship-building can strengthen community engagement and expand organizational capacity while supporting sustainable environmental outcomes.  

Session Option B

Developing Effective Grant Budget Narratives: Aligning Costs with Project Goals 

A strong budget narrative is more than a financial requirement; it is a critical tool for demonstrating how project resources support proposed activities and expected outcomes. Participants will learn practical strategies for translating project work plans into realistic cost estimates, justifying personnel, contractual, equipment, travel, and other direct costs, and ensuring alignment between the budget, scope of work, and funding requirements. The session will also explore common budgeting challenges and techniques for building budgets that are both compliant and adaptable throughout the grant lifecycle. 

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Closing Plenary 

Community Conservation: Philanthropy and Government Funding 

This interactive closing plenary will center the experiences of community-based organizations advancing conservation and restoration across the Great Lakes region. Participating organizations will highlight one project from their work as a tangible example of how community priorities, partnerships, and funding come together to support on-the-ground restoration. Through these examples, panelists will explore how philanthropic and government funding supports community-driven conservation, including strategies for navigating different funding sources, challenges and gaps in accessing and sustaining resources, lessons learned, and opportunities to strengthen long-term investment in locally driven conservation and restoration efforts. 

4:00 PM – 4:15 PM | Closing Remarks & Adjournment

4:15 PM – 5:00 PM | Conclusion & Networking

Target Audience:

This event is designed for community-based organizations, nonprofit leaders, and program staff working to advance positive environmental outcomes in Great Lakes communities. Whether part of a small or emerging nonprofit new to federal funding, or an established organization looking to strengthen your grant management infrastructure, the Learning Exchange offers valuable training and peer learning opportunities. The event also welcomes tribal and Indigenous organizations, local government partners, technical assistance providers, and regional coalitions committed to building community capacity and driving restoration efforts across the Great Lakes region.  

Accommodations & Travel Stipends:

The Great Lakes Regional Learning Exchange will take place in Cleveland’s University Circle neighborhood. For your convenience, we recommend booking accommodations at the Courtyard by Marriott Cleveland University Circle, located just a six-minute walk from the venue. The hotel is situated near Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Cleveland Botanical Garden.

If you need hotel and/or travel accommodations, please contact Lisette Perez at lperez@estuaries.org  

A limited number of stipends are available. If you would like to request stipend support, please do so as soon as possible. Requests must be submitted by the end of the day on September 18.

·        Public Transportation – RTA Red Line: The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Red Line provides direct rail service from Cleveland Hopkins Airport to the CWRU/University Circle area. The RTA station is located on the lower level of the airport terminal. Take the Red Line eastbound toward Windermere. You can exit at Cedar–University or Little Italy–University Circle, depending on which is closest to your hotel. The trip is approximately 40 minutes, and no transfer at Downtown Cleveland/Tower City is required. From the station, attendees can walk, use a local shuttle, or take a short rideshare to their hotel.

·        Uber & Lyft: Rideshare services are available at Cleveland Hopkins and provide direct transportation to hotels in the CWRU/University Circle area. Follow airport signage to the designated rideshare pickup area after collecting your luggage.

·        Taxi: Taxi service is also available from Cleveland Hopkins. Taxis can provide direct transportation from the airport to your hotel or the CWRU/University Circle area.

·        Rental Cars: Several major rental car companies serve Cleveland Hopkins for those who prefer to have a vehicle during their stay. Keep in mind that parking availability and fees may vary depending on your hotel and destination.

We look forward to having you there!