In 1983 the Massachusetts Division of Water Pollution Control began administering a program of matching grants to municipalities for lake studies and cleanup/restoration activities. Municipalities proposed various projects on 40 lakes and ponds and 35 were able to generate the local match. In some cases lake associations assisted in the process. No correlations were found to exist between cities/towns, their population or economic characteristics and the presence or absence of an association, the size or trophic status of a water body. Apparently lake associations are individual or small group efforts but are not particularly a response to identifiable, repetitive stimuli. It is likely they result from personal, social, and historical factors that are hard to quantify.