The National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with U.S. EPA and the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program partnership, is soliciting proposals through the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund Small Watershed Grants (SWG) Program to restore water quality and habitats of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams.

Proposals are due by April 3, 2024.

Through the Program, NFWF is soliciting proposals for projects within the Chesapeake Bay watershed that promote voluntary, community-based efforts to protect and restore the diverse and vital habitats of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams.

NFWF will award funding through two distinct funding opportunities:

-- SWG Implementation (SWG-I) grants of $150,000-$1,000,000 for projects that result in direct, on-the-ground actions to protect and restore water quality, species and habitats.

-- SWG Planning and Technical Assistance (SWG-PTA) grants up to $150,000 for projects that enhance local capacity to implement future on-the-ground actions, consistent with SWG Program priorities, through community-based assessment, planning, design and other technical assistance-oriented activities.

Including funds made available through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, NFWF estimates awarding $25-30 million in grants through the program in 2024, contingent on the availability of funding.

Major funding for the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program Office, with other important contributions Altria Group, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service and U.S. Forest Service.

Applicant Webinar

NFWF will host an optional applicant webinar on February 13 and registration is required. A recording of the webinar will be posted to NFWF’s website by February 15.

Click Here to register.

Proposal Coaching

Interested applicants can also schedule individual proposal consultations with NFWF staff and are encouraged to contact CBSF field liaisons to vet potential project ideas prior to contacting NFWF staff directly.

Visit the NFWF Small Watershed Grants (SWG) Program webpage for all the details.

Related Articles - Watersheds:

-- In Celebration Of The Many Contributions Of John Dawes To Protecting And Restoring PA’s Environment, Foundations Create The R. John Dawes Clean Water Fund  [PaEN]

-- PASA Sustainable Agriculture Honors 2024 Pasabilities Award Recipients  [PaEN]

-- State Conservation Commission Awards $3 Million In Conservation Excellence Grants To 4 Organizations  [PaEN]

-- National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Now Accepting Proposals For Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants Program  [PaEN]

-- Still Time To Register! Keystone Coldwater Conference Feb. 23-24 In State College  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Center For Ag Conservation Assistance Hires Engineering Firm To Help Develop Certification Program For Conservation Professionals; Spring Conference; Seeking New Faculty  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Chesapeake Bay Update Newsletter: Request For Engineering Services; PennVEST Funding Outreach Sessions; Much More!  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Awards $150,000+ Grants To Support 34 Local Watershed Projects  [PaEN] ​

-- The Nature Conservancy Receives $250,000 Investment In Freshwater Connectivity From Richard King Mellon Foundation  [PaEN]

-- Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition: 16th Annual Student Symposium On The Environment Draws Over 130  [PaEN]

-- PA Society Of Professional Engineers Host Feb. 22 Virtual DEP Update On MS4 Stormwater Program, NPDES Water Quality Permitting  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Feb. 28 Webinar On Green Stormwater Infrastructure [PaEN]

-- March 4 Penn State Extension Webinar On Monitoring Soil Moisture: A Climate Smart Ag Practice  [PaEN]

-- March 11 Streambank Stabilization And Stream Crossings On Farms Webinar  [PaEN]

-- Allegheny County Conservation District Unveils Insights Into County Development And Stormwater Infrastructure  [PaEN]

-- DEP Assesses $73,153 Penalty On 2 Contractors Building A Rutter's Store In Blair County For Water Quality Violations; Exactly The Kind Of Violations A Citizen Group Was Afraid Of   [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Contractor Permit To Construct Rutter’s Store In Huntingdon County; The Same Contractor Penalized $73,153 By DEP For Failing To Comply With Permit In Blair County  [PaEN]

-- Water At Risk: The History And Mystery Of Lawns, Try A Lower Maintenance, Natural Landscaping Instead - By Carol Hillestad for the Brodhead Watershed Association  [PaEN]

-- Protecting Clean Water Together: Explore The Brodhead Watershed In Monroe County - By Carol Hillestad for the Brodhead Watershed Association  [PaEN]

[Posted: February 3, 2024]

2/5/2024