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Northern Michigan Startup Week is partnering with The Watershed Center of Grand Traverse Bay and hosting a Virtual Silent Auction that will run during Startup Week May 5-11th with all proceeds going to The Watershed Center to support the import work they do in keeping our waters as fresh as our ideas.

Protect The Water You Love

The Grand Traverse Bay watershed encompasses approximately 976 square miles of land and water across northwest Michigan. This covers major portions of Antrim, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau counties.

Check out all the great items available in our Virtual Silent Auction. 

Silent Auction Site

Check out all the great items available in our Virtual Silent Auction. All proceeds go to helping support The Watershed Center of Grand Traverse Bay.

Auction Site

About The Watershed Center

Our small, but mighty group of scientists and policy experts are dedicated to the enduring health of the bay, continuously on the look-out for threats to our waters. Guided by research and data, we are leading the discussion on water protection and restoration in our region. We chart intentional steps to protect our watershed and monitor progress toward a healthy, clean Grand Traverse Bay. By getting our hands dirty with on-the-ground projects and engaging partners and volunteers to expand our reach, we are making a difference. Learn More

About the Silent Auction

The NMSW will run until 4pm on the final day of Startup Week, Thursday May 11th. With the winners be announced at the Blue Tech Summit and notified via email. All proceeds go to The Watershed Center.  

How to Donate

To donate items for the auction, please message info@nmsw.co

Financial donations can be made via the auction site.

Other Ways to Help the Watershed Center

VOLUNTEER

Help The Watershed Center make a difference by giving your time or talents. For more information or to discuss how you can be involved, contact Grand Traverse Baykeeper® Heather Smith at hsmith@gtbay.org.

  • Adopt-A-Stream: Assemble a team of volunteers — families, schools, neighborhood, office teams — to monitor water quality within the watershed twice a year. Stream sponsorships are also available.
  • Beach Clean-Ups: Help remove trash and debris along our beaches, shorelines, and streambanks.
  • Watershed Warrior: Become a citizen advocate by speaking up to oppose threats to water quality in your community and to support local decisions and efforts that protect water quality.
  • General office tasks: Put your computer/office skills to use while helping our team with tasks such as data entry, mailing preparations, or simple organizing.

EVENTS

Connect with our waters and our mission through our events.

  • Beach Clean Up – Saturday, April 22, 2023: Join us this Earth Day for another Great Lakes CleanUp event and see our autonomous beach cleaning robot in action.
  • Advocacy Academy Boot Camp – Saturday, April 15, 2023: Led by experienced advocates, this one-day boot camp will teach you how to engage and represent on the local level.
  • Fly Rod Raffle – drawing Wednesday, August 9, 2023: We’ve teamed up with three talented, local artists to offer a unique opportunity to protect our watershed and have a chance to win one of three hand-crafted prizes.
  • Freshwater Summit – Friday, October 29, 2023: Join environmental professionals, citizens, and businesses to discuss the latest research, projects, and initiatives that impacts the Great Lakes and Grand Traverse Bay regions.

Protect

We protect the water you love.

As scientists, we understand how to protect our waters and proudly lead long-term planning and advocacy efforts by researching, monitoring, educating, and collaborating with others along the way.

Restore

We restore the waterways that lead to Grand Traverse Bay.
We are dedicated to being the eyes, ears, and voice of the bay, continuously on the look-out for threats to our waters. By getting our hands dirty with on-the-ground projects that repair and improve our waters, we are making a difference.

Connect

We connect people to what makes our region special—clean water.
We work to strengthen our region’s unique bond with the waters of Grand Traverse Bay, engaging people with water in ways that increase knowledge, enjoyment, pride, and informed decision-making around water.