The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications to improve water quality and restore wetlands in San Francisco Bay and its watersheds.
Donor Name: Environmental Protection Agency
State: California
County: Selected Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/02/2023
Size of the Grant: $1,000,000 – $3,000,000
Grant Duration: 4 years
Details:
Program Elements
Given the historic loss of over ninety percent of San Francisco’s baylands and the significant number of waterbodies in the San Francisco Bay region with water quality impairments, the SFBWQIF aims to support a broad array of project types that will protect and restore those wetlands and waters. This year, in addition to long-standing funding priorities such as wetlands restoration, improving stormwater quality, and remediating contaminated shorelines, this solicitation seeks applications that address climate change impacts and environmental justice concerns, as well as those that advance landscape-scale watershed restoration. Examples of eligible and priority project types include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Multi-benefit shoreline projects that restore habitat, provide flood protection and/or reduce pollutants
- Restoration projects that incorporate and implement indigenous knowledge
- Watershed and urban infrastructure improvements in frontline communities
- Beneficial reuse of dredged material
- Solutions that reduce water quality impacts associated with people and communities experiencing homelessness
- Reductions in levels of trash and microplastics in Bay waters
- Restoration of subtidal habitat through sediment remediation and/or debris removal
- Installation of green stormwater infrastructure features to treat stormwater
- Projects to reduce nutrient inputsinto San Francisco Bay, (e.g. new or novel wastewater treatment plant technologies, agricultural land BMPs, etc.)
Outcomes
- The term “outcome” means an environmental result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out project activities and/or completing outputs related to an environmental goal. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature, but must be quantitative. Proposals must include a description of project outcomes even if the outcome to be achieved is beyond the assistance agreement funding period.
- For projects that are implementing activities called for in a plan such as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) or a restoration plan with an extended timeframe (e.g., 20 years), applicants should explain the degree to which the activities move towards the stated long-term goal or outcome. Outcomes expected as a result of the awards under this announcement may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Acres of wetlands/other aquatic habitat restored
- Acres restored using indigenous knowledge
- Pollutant load reductions, attainment of water quality objectives, or other numeric indicators of water quality improvement
- Percentage of land area where Low Impact Development has been or will be implemented to achieve water quality improvements and/or other habitat enhancements.
Funding Information
The total amount anticipated to be awarded under this announcement is approximately $30 million of fiscal year 2023 funds under the authority of Section 320 of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1330. Awards will range from approximately $1,000,000 to $3,000,000 to be budgeted over a typical project period of four years. EPA anticipates awarding 20 to 25 grants or cooperative agreements under this solicitation.
Geographical Areas
Projects must occur entirely within one or more of the nine Bay Area counties (Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Francisco) that drain to San Francisco Bay.
Eligibility Criteria
The following entities are eligible to apply for funding under this announcement: State, local government agencies, districts, and councils; regional water pollution control agencies and entities; State coastal zone management agencies; Federally and non-federally recognized tribes; public and private universities and colleges, public or private non-governmental, non-profit institutions are eligible to apply, unless restricted by the authorizing statutes.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
