The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (“MassDEP”) is seeking grant proposals from Eligible Entities for the purpose of supporting ongoing or new monitoring and data collection efforts to increase the amount of external data MassDEP uses for water quality assessments.
Donor Name: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)
State: Massachusetts
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/15/2023
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Through the Water Quality Monitoring Grant (WQMG) program, MassDEP seeks to support both new and ongoing water quality monitoring initiatives conducted by federally-recognized tribal nations located in the Commonwealth, community water quality monitoring groups, and other non-profit organizations (referred to collectively as “organizations”). Such initiatives, include: (1) direct monitoring of rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and estuaries (surface waters) through field and laboratory work; (2) associated capacity-building actions (including, but not limited to, training and outreach) that improve the organization’s ability to monitor surface waters through field and laboratory work; and (3) developing regional and long-term monitoring programs and networks.
MassDEP is committed to advancing equity, diversity, and environmental justice (“EJ”)1 through its public investments. The Agency seeks to prioritize the direction of these resources to benefit EJ communities and to address environmental inequities. To that end, MassDEP grant and funding programs include criteria and evaluation parameters that emphasize equity, diversity, and environmental justice, consistent with each program’s statutory authority and source of funding.
Funding Information
MassDEP currently anticipates that up to $200,000 in total grant funding may be available for the WQMG program in SFY2024, which ends on June 30, 2024. MassDEP reserves the right not to award the total funding currently available for this grant program, and all awards are subject to the availability of appropriations and/or other funding sources. Grant awards may range from $20,000 (minimum) to $75,000 (maximum) per application as an individual organization or coalition, although the Grant Review Team for the WQMG program reserves the right, in its discretion, to: (1) grant smaller awards to proposals of exceptional merit; and (2) grant awards smaller than requested by grant applicant(s) based on the availability of funds. MassDEP currently anticipates that three (3) to eight (8) grants will be awarded through this program.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible Entities for this Grant Opportunity are limited to: (1) federally recognized Tribal Nations within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and (2) nonprofit organizations that can include watershed groups, lake and pond associations, and other non-profit organizations with the ability to conduct monitoring activities during the project period using technically-sound, approvable methodologies. While coalitions are not required for this grant application, collaborative projects that effectively leverage partnerships to create synergies (i.e., interactions among coalition partners that create combined project outcomes greater than outcomes anticipated if coalition partners worked individually) will be given priority for funding. Academic institutions and towns and municipalities are not eligible for this SFY2024 grant program.
Eligible Entities must describe in their proposals how the grant funding will support one or more of the following or similar activities aligned with the scope of the grant program.
- Direct monitoring of surface waters through field and laboratory work, including:
- Purchase of monitoring equipment and supplies for field or in-house laboratory use (e.g., enzyme-substrate analytical systems, incubators, reagents, sample containers, Secchi disk, temperature, or conductivity data loggers, etc.).
- Fees for external laboratory analysis of samples during the grant contract period.
- Fees for services that (a) provide direct monitoring by a consultant; (b) develop data management tools that lead to submission of data to MassDEP by a consultant; and (c) calibrate and repair instruments used during the contract period for the proposed project. Eligible Entities must demonstrate that work performed by a consultant or other vendor cannot be performed by staff and/or volunteers and that the Eligible Entity can perform effective oversight of the consultant’s work. Additionally, Eligible Entities must demonstrate that the organization or coalition is the principal contributor to the overall project being proposed when the budget includes fees for services by a consultant. Proposals where the organization or coalition are not the principal contributor to the proposed work are not eligible for funding
- Salary for staff overseeing or conducting monitoring activities specific to, this project including, but not limited to field work, laboratory work, QAPP development, and project planning and management.
- If submitting as a coalition, salary for a coalition coordinator’s organization and oversight of activities and work specific to the Eligible Project.
- Actions that increase the organization’s or coalition’s capacity to perform monitoring of surface waters through field and laboratory work, including:
- Training of volunteers or organization personnel to conduct monitoring activities.
- Training on Quality Assurance (QA) activities such as probe calibration or laboratory best practices.
- Training on data management and review.
- Outreach to the community to increase volunteer participation in organization monitoring activities (including communication of regional monitoring data and analyses).
- Data management activities needed to improve data sharing with MassDEP.
- Salary for staff overseeing or conducting actions that increase the organization’s or coalition’s capacity to perform monitoring of surface waters specific to the Eligible Project including, but not limited to training and outreach planning, preparation, and implementation.
- Actions to develop regional and long-term monitoring programs or networks, including:
- Purchase of monitoring equipment specifically intended for regional and longterm monitoring.
- Training of organization personnel to perform actions specific to developing regional and long-term monitoring programs.
- Salary for staff developing, or overseeing the development of, regional and longterm monitoring programs and networks specific to the Eligible Project including, but not limited to QAPP development, planning, preparation, and implementation of training, and project planning and management.
For more information, visit MassDEP.
