River Voices: May 2026
Welcome to the May 2026 edition of River Voices. This month we’re highlighting the 2025-2026 Flow Fund Funders and Recipients. Also, read our new blog post reflecting on the Water Access and Affordability Act.
The fifth cycle of the Flow Fund includes four Funders and 14 Recipients, many of whom will be at River Rally next week! The River Network Flow Fund’s focus on trust-based philanthropy allows the funds to be both awarded by and to the people who are most familiar with the community.
This blog post covers the 2026 Water Access and Affordability Act, what it entails, and what it would mean for water affordability nationwide.
Rooting Resilience Grantee One Truckee River works with residents in recovery to improve and expand Reno’s urban tree canopy. They provide jobs, training in tree care and maintenance, and certifications including Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper. Hear from Joe Roybal, crew member of One Truckee River Workforce Program, as he shares how this experience has built his skills and confidence to re-enter the workforce while also improving the Truckee riverbank in Nevada.
Watch the audio clip and learn more about Joe and the workforce program.
We’d like to extend our thanks to Nancy Smart, who interned with River Network this spring and developed three fantastic fact sheets on private wells, capital improvement plans, and drinking water & climate resilience.
What We’re Reading
- 🤝 The Spectrum of Community Engagement to Ownership (Facilitating Power)
- 🔧 The Fight for Progress: America’s Push for Lead Replacement (Wisconsin Conservation Voters) View the full film
- 📱 It’s Time to Stop Chasing Virality on Social Media (Community-Centric Fundraising)
- 💧 For 35 Years, This Black Town in Illinois Has Been Told Its Sewage Crisis Isn’t Real (Capital B News)
- 🏭 This is the First American City that Will Run Out of Water (More Perfect Union)
- 🌱 Holy Ground: On Activism, Environmental Justice and Finding Hope by Catherine Coleman Flowers
- 🎸 Earth Day 2026 Sierra Sessions Concert (Sierra Club)
- 🌎 See Your Name Spelled out in Landsat Imagery of Earth (NASA)
