When the band is on tour the official WaterWheel staff consists of two paid employees and four or five primary volunteers. The paid staff members have extensive experience in touring and non-profit fund raising, and were involved with WaterWheel as volunteers before being chosen for paid positions.

Many volunteers also help out at the WaterWheel tables. We welcome assistance at the tables but the core staff will not be expanded during a tour. We try to keep WaterWheel expenses minimal so that as much money as possible goes to the non-profit groups showcased each night. If you are interested in volunteering you can email us at waterwheel@phish.com or stop by the WaterWheel tables at a show and talk to one of the staff members.

WaterWheel is not a chapter or member-based organization. Its primary function is to channel money to deserving non-profit groups, either on tour or in Vermont. WaterWheel does not allow individuals or other groups to use the WaterWheel Foundation name or its logos without our permission. You are of course welcome and encouraged to use the idea to start your own independent foundation and host non-profit groups at school events.

Phish Dry Goods sells WaterWheel merchandise at this very web site. Net proceeds from the sale of merchandise via Dry Goods are donated to a Vermont-based group, currently the Green Mountain Club. (http://www.greenmountainclub.org)

There are two ways that non-profits can receive funding from WaterWheel. One is to be selected as the hosted organization for a show and receive the net proceeds from that night's fan donations. Hosted groups are chosen after a tour is announced, so if there is an upcoming show in your area and you know of a non-profit that would like to table, send us the information listed below and they will be considered.

The second way to get funding is to receive a direct grant from WaterWheel. These are made only to groups working to improve the environmental well being of Lake Champlain via our royalties from the ice cream, Phish Food. There is no formal application process for these grants and there are no pre-set limits to the size of grants awarded. If you think your organization is eligible for a direct grant send us the information listed below.

Name, Address, Telephone and Fax numbers, email, URL, and Contact name, Proof of 501 (c)3 status. Describe the work that the group does (include its mission statement). Groups wishing to table at a show should explain what they would do with the money raised. Groups seeking direct funding from WaterWheel should send a more detailed proposal including the size of the grant desired and its purpose. Any additional materials such as brochures, photos, flyers, et cetera are welcome.

Information should be mailed to The WaterWheel Foundation, PO Box 4120, Burlington VT 05406 or to waterwheel@phish.com

One way to make a donation to WaterWheel is to go to a show and make a donation at the table. Another way to support WaterWheel however is to buy Phish Food ice cream: 100% of the royalties due Phish from the sale of Phish Food go to WaterWheel, where they are subsequently donated to organizations working on the environmental well-being of Lake Champlain. Another possibility is to make a donation directly to one of the nonprofits that WaterWheel supports. Lists and contact information (where available) for these groups are provided in the main WaterWheel section of the site. You may also send a dontation to The WaterWheel Foundation by mail to The WaterWheel Foundation, PO Box 4120, Burlington VT 05406.

Generally Phish does not play benefit concerts. Rather, the band prefers to make direct grants to good causes through WaterWheel.