ST. LAWRENCE EASTERN LAKE ONTARIO PARTNERSHIP FOR REGIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT
The St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (SLELO PRISM) is dedicated to fostering a collaborative and coordinated approach among a diverse network of organizations, stakeholders, and communities. By aligning efforts and sharing resources, data, and expertise, partners play a vital role in helping us achieve our core programming and ambitious goals surrounding invasive species management.
Partners can be any organization that has an interest in advancing our mission to protect the lands and waters of our region from the harmful impacts of invasive species and to restore ecological integrity. Activities and collaborations among the partnership should support invasive species management efforts with an emphasis on prevention, early detection, rapid response, management, outreach, and restoration. If you’re committed to protecting our environment and slowing the spread of invasive species, you belong here!
Who Can Join?
SLELO PRISM welcomes any organization involved with invasive species prevention, detection, management, restoration, research, or outreach.
Eligible partners include, but are not limited to:
Academic institutions
Government agencies and municipalities
Nonprofits and land trusts
Private preserves and parks
Lake associations and agricultural groups
Indigenous People’s organizations and environmental groups
Local businesses and community scientists
If you’re interested in becoming a partner of SLELO PRISM, click the button below and fill out our interest form. Upon completing the form, you will be added to our listserv and receive partner meeting invitations, our seasonal newsletter, and other correspondence.
For organizational purposes, our partnership has three levels.
Principal Partners are organizations with the greatest vested interests in our mission, providing consistent support to advance our 5-year strategic plan. Below are some examples of the activities in which Principal Partners may participate:
Strategic Partners are regional representatives and stakeholders that have the capacity to perform invasive species management activities that directly support our core programming: prevention, early detection/rapid response, management, restoration, and education/outreach. Participation and support are more long-term and consistent.
Cooperating Affiliates are any organization that takes an active interest in supporting our mission and goals through collaboration. Participation is based on capacity and may be limited.
To maintain a partnership with SLELO PRISM, representatives from each organization will be requested to commit to the following requirements.
*Note: these commitments are in draft form and will be finalized by January 2026.
The strength of a partnership lies in its collective action. Each partner’s individual contribution is amplified through active engagement in the network, unlocking greater capacity to prevent, monitor, respond to, and restore areas affected by invasive species. Together, we drive meaningful invasive species management efforts across the region. Below are some examples of partnership benefits:
Networking & Collaboration:
Partners have the opportunity to attend meetings and events where they can share their expertise, network, and learn from an expansive collection of invasive species management professionals.
Access to Expertise & Shared Resources:
SLELO PRISM staff and partners are leaders in regional invasive species research and management. By joining the partnership, members gain access to a robust pool of technical resources, data, and expertise.
Funding Opportunities:
SLELO PRISM allocates funding annually through Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and a contractual process led by our host organization, The Nature Conservancy. Funding is provided by the New York Environmental Protection Fund and administered by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. These resources enable partners to implement invasive species work aligned with SLELO PRISM’s Five-Year Strategic Plan.
Partner Recognition:
Partners are celebrated for their contributions through PRISM network communications, quarterly updates, and annual reports. This recognition helps highlight how each organization’s efforts contribute to the broader success of the partnership.
The Nature Conservancy and the SLELO-PRISM are accepting nominations for up to three partner projects that align with our Five-Year Strategic Plan (2024-2028) Goals and Objectives. The overall intent of this effort is to identify projects and contractors, including partner organizations, that can supplement the excellent work already being done by our partners and staff.
The deadline for project nominations is January 6th, 2026, at 11:59 PM. Project budgets are not to exceed $24,500 and should be no less than $10,000. Projects do not require any matching funds. Notice of contract awards will be announced by January 16th, 2026. Formal agreements will be subject to approval by TNC and the NYSDEC Invasive Species Coordination Section.
If you have any questions, please email the SLELO PRISM Director, Brittney Rogers,brittney.rogers@tnc.org.
Please review the 2026 Call for Special Project Nominations overview before submitting a nomination. Submit nominations as a PDF document using the templates provided below.
Partner meetings are held three times a year. Dates and locations are polled among participating partners.
If you host invasive species workshops or other events, please use the link below to have your event promoted or to report metrics for an event that you’ve already hosted. SLELO PRISM will share events on our social media channels and website.
