The Foundation's Story
ACWA Foundation envisions a California
water industry that reflects, embraces and
represents the people it serves.
On September 23, 2022, the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) Board of Directors approved filing the necessary legal documents to form a 501(c)3 Corporation nonprofit ACWA Foundation to advance leadership and workforce development in the water industry.
As the water industry continues to experience retirements and recruitment challenges, there is a need to invest in more scholarships, training, and mentorships that will allow ACWA to support its member agencies’ leadership development needs and succession planning efforts.
The ACWA Foundation and its Board of Trustees operate separately and independently from ACWA and its Board of Directors. The inaugural, nine-member Foundation Board of Trustees was ratified on Nov. 18, 2022. The sitting ACWA President, Vice President and Executive Director serve as ex-officio, non-voting members.
The ACWA Foundation is not about the pipes or policies.
It is about the PEOPLE and water.
Those we serve
Those who lead, and
Those who keep the water flowing
Board Meeting Agendas and Minutes
2025
2024
ACWA Foundation Scholarships
The ACWA Foundation launched its scholarship program in fall 2023 by awarding scholarships to eight juniors attending various colleges in the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) systems.
The scholarship program was created to invest in future water leaders and cultivate a bright future for students who are dedicated to working in this industry. Students were selected based on financial need, academic excellence, career goals, interest in the water community and whose situation best advances the ACWA Foundation Mission.
Congratulations to the following students who received scholarships:
- Luis Huerta, a junior at Cal Poly Humboldt, who volunteered in restoration efforts and community gardens while growing up on the polluted coast of Tijuana. He is currently President of the American Water Resources Association Cal Poly Humboldt Chapter.
- Zahra Beatty James, a junior at CSU Sonoma, who is a single mom pursuing a degree in geology. A first-generation college student, she wants to “break the cycle of limited opportunities that many in her community face.”
- Ireland McCall, a junior at CSU Fresno, who interned six months with an irrigation company, learning about sustainable groundwater management, groundwater sustainability agencies, and how to better operate irrigation districts.
- Marlenne Ortega, a junior at CSU Monterey Bay, who has volunteered at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Orange County, the Habitat Stewardship Project and at various outreach events where she translates educational materials into Spanish
Congratulations to the following students who received scholarships:
- Arelly Ibarra, at CSU San Marcos
- Simon Maranguis, at San Jose State
- Nicole Nielsen, at UC Irvine
- Finn Schmelzer, at Sacramento State