Restoration Grants: seeks to increase public awareness and public involvement in a wide array of activities that work to restore and protect the Bay and its rivers with grants up to $50,000. The Restoration Grant Program was established to provide accessible funds to organizations and agencies for demonstration-scale, community-based, on-the-ground restoration projects.

All projects should have three goals:

a) Accomplish on-the-ground restoration projects that will result in improvements in watershed health, either through habitat enhancement or water quality improvement;

b) Provide a demonstration-scale restoration project that can be used to showcase potential of a restoration technique; and

c) Engage citizens in restoration activities and promote awareness of bay restoration either short-term (during the project period), though volunteer activities or events directly related to the project; or long-term (post-project period), through creating potential for workshops, training, and information education through interpretive signage.

As part of an effort to more fully engage underrepresented groups in its grant-making, the Trust is strongly encouraging projects that increase awareness and participation of communities of color and/or that improve watershed health in communities of color. Click here for more details.

Outreach And Community Awareness: seeks to increase public awareness and public involvement in the restoration and protection of the Bay and its rivers with grants of between $5,001-$20,000. The Outreach and Community Awareness Grant Program was established to provide accessible funds to organizations and agencies for projects that raise public awareness about watershed issues and challenges to and solutions for its restoration and protection.

In light of the Trust’s commitment to the advancement of diversity in its grant-making and environmental work, the Trust strongly encourages grant applications for projects that increase awareness and participation of communities of color in the restoration and protection of the watershed. Click here for more details.

For more information on all Bay Trust grant programs, including the mini-grant program where applications are accepted year round, visit the Chesapeake Bay Trust grants webpage.