A community team talks through program goals at an Enduring Lake Superior Communities Program workshop. (Photo by Natalie Chin / ASC)

Recent weather impacts in northern Wisconsin have increased the challenges coastal communities face like erosion, flooding, and shoreline damage. A program from Wisconsin Sea Grant and the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve offers local officials a chance to tackle those challenges together. 

The Enduring Lake Superior Communities Program provides a yearlong opportunity for municipal teams to work on a goal of their choosing to address community resilience. Now accepting applications for its third year, the program is open to teams of two to four people from the four Lake Superior coastal counties — Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland, or Iron — and may include representatives from multiple jurisdictions. 

The program offers up to $2,000 in funding support, tailored guidance from natural resource professionals, and connections with other Lake Superior communities facing similar challenges.

In 2025, participating teams included staff from the Bayfield County Health Department and community members from the town of Marengo. The health department team examined potential extreme weather impacts on local public water and sewer systems through a survey of utilities operators and a detailed analysis of water infrastructure needs. The Town of Marengo team hosted their first annual town picnic, conducted a survey of their residents’ extreme weather preparedness needs, and developed a comprehensive emergency preparedness and action plan.

Feedback from a 2025 participant shows the value of the program: “Community preparedness has proven to be essential in northern rural regions. From floods to fires to public water failures, not being prepared has led to devastation in poor, aging rural communities in the past and present day.” 

2026 Program Applications due April 10

Teams who want to participate in this year’s Enduring Lake Superior Communities Program can now apply at https://go.wisc.edu/3apv86. The deadline to submit applications is April 10, 2026. Teams will be selected and notified in May, with the program starting in June.

Applicants are encouraged to seek support for a new coastal resilience effort or an ongoing effort. This could include developing a new resource or tool, conducting an assessment, bringing people together in dialogue, or developing a specific community resilience plan. Program facilitators are happy to meet with prospective applicants to answer any questions and talk through project ideas.

For more information, visit Enduring Lake Superior Communities. 

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The University of Wisconsin Aquatic Sciences Center administers Wisconsin Sea Grant, the Wisconsin Water Resources Institute, and Water@UW. The center supports multidisciplinary research, education, and outreach for the protection and sustainable use of Wisconsin’s water resources. Wisconsin Sea Grant is one of 34 Sea Grant programs supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in coastal and Great Lakes states that encourage the wise stewardship of marine resources through research, education, outreach, and technology transfer.