STOW — The Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance is near its fundraising goal and hiring a new executive director.

On Thursday, the alliance held its monthly board meeting at the Stow Senior Center when it was announced that the organization that works in collaboration with lake and watershed-related organizations, municipalities and other stakeholders is close to its funding goal from local foundations for projects and naming a new leader.

Vince Horrigan, interim alliance executive director, said the alliance has so far received $500,000 from two foundations. He said the Sheldon Foundation granted $300,000 and the Lenna Foundation funded $200,000 toward the alliance. He added the alliance is still waiting to hear from one other foundation for funding support.

“I’m proud of where we are,” he said. “The future is very bright.”

Horrigan said in November the alliance announced its local foundation grant request of $600,000, which is double what the group asked for last year.

According to the minutes of the alliance’s November meeting, Horrigan gave a presentation that summarized the 15 member-led projects that were submitted as part of the 2020 alliance consolidated foundation funding grant request. The request incorporates high-quality watershed projects, several new initiatives to increase scientific data collection and unity of effort in lake maintenance. The projects or programs in the lake and watershed ranging in value from $4,000 to $257,000. The consolidated foundation grant request was approved at the alliance’s board in October.

In other alliance business, Pierre Chagnon, alliance board chairman, said the search for a new executive director continues. He said the alliance received five applicants, and all candidates have been interviewed. He added that several of the applicants are qualified to be the next executive director. Chagnon said the board will continue deliberations to hire the best candidate.

In September, Erin Brickley, former Alliance executive director, resigned with no reason given. Since the creation of the alliance in 2014, Brickley had served as the only executive director of the organization. Following the resignation, the board named Horrigan, former county executive, the interim executive director.