Federal:

Federal funding, a primary source of grant funding for schools and child care facilities, is allocated through state agencies (e.g., education) to provide funds for a wide range of programs, including health and education-related activities.

•The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 increases funding for a wide range of federal programs and may provide funds for schools to improve water-related infrastructure (e.g., plumbing or fixtures that contain lead, dysfunctional drinking fountains).72

State:

State legislatures provide some degree of fiscal support for school and child care facilities, but state funding systems tend to rely on local tax revenue (e.g., local bonds). State agencies (e.g., education, health) also offer financial support to schools and child care facilities through grants and special funds.

•The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and Department of Education have assisted public schools with the purchase and installation of water jets.17

States can impose a sugar-sweetened beverage excise tax (generally charged to a business selling a product) and earmark the proceeds for programs to prevent and treat obesity.

•West Virginia uses its sugar-sweetened beverage excise tax to fund state medical schools, and Arkansas uses its excise tax on soda syrup to partially support Medicaid.73,74

State/local:

Municipal and state bonds are issued by states, cities, and local governments or agencies. Such bonds can provide a source of revenue to finance construction or renovation of buildings or other infrastructure.

•At the state level, Tennessee passed the Qualified School Construction Bond program, which provides low-interest loans for new construction and rehabilitation of public school facilities, land acquisition for qualified school construction projects, and equipment used in connection with qualified projects.75 At a more local level, the Los Angeles Unified School District received funds through the Safe, Healthy Neighborhood Schools Measure to repair plumbing in schools.76

Local:

Local governments may also provide a source of funds for schools and child care facilities interested in developing drinking water programs.

•In Oakland, one parent's successful fundraising efforts targeted toward local city council members and community organizations helped fund a hydration station at his children's school.17

•School districts, schools, and child care facilities can allocate funding from existing budgets to water-related programs. Such funding provides a more tangible source of support for improving drinking water access at the school district, school, child care facility, or classroom level.

•In the Oakland Unified School District, the food service director used food service funds to provide free bottled water as a part of the school meal.77 California teachers and child care staff report using personal funds to purchase water filtration systems, bottled water, and large water coolers.17

•A Los Angeles County child care center used funds from its food budget to provide Arrowhead water in each of its facility classrooms.78

Private:

Schools and child care facilities can also look to the private sector to obtain support for programs to increase drinking water access and intake among students. Examples of organizations within the private sector that may be able to provide resources include companies that bottle water or manufacture dispensers or water coolers, reusable water bottles, or filters.

•In Los Angeles, researchers have obtained donations of reusable water bottles from CamelBak for an obesity prevention trial in the Los Angeles Unified School District.79

•Utah public schools have obtained free filters for at least 18 000 drinking fountains by working with a filter manufacturer.80

•A foundation, nonprofit organization, or other nongovernmental entity can make grants to organizations, individuals, or institutions such as schools and child care facilities to improve drinking water access and intake.

•The Environmental Protection Agency maintains a listing of funding sources related to improving drinking water quality in schools and child care facilities (http://www.epa.gov/safewater/schools/pdfs/lead/funding_schools_fundingsources.pdf).81