The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program partnership, is soliciting proposals to restore water quality and habitats of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams in Pennsylvania.
Donor Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)
State: Pennsylvania
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 04/28/2022
Grants Size: $450,000
Grant Duration: 24 months
Details:
NFWF is soliciting proposals under the Pennsylvania Most Effective Basins (PA-MEB) grants program for projects that accelerate implementation of cost-effective agricultural best management practices (“practices”) in selected basins of the Chesapeake Bay watershed of Pennsylvania.
Program Priorities
The primary purpose of the PA-MEB program is to maximize cost-effective reductions of agricultural nitrogen loads through the implementation of eligible agricultural conservation practices in Pennsylvania’s most effective basins, consistent with the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and Pennsylvania’s Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP). In addition, NFWF will prioritize funding for proposals that can yield rapid implementation outcomes (with consideration for design, engineering, and construction needs) and those that provide additional conservation and farm management co-benefits beyond water quality improvement.
Funding Information
- NFWF will award up to $12 million in grants through the PA-MEB program in 2022 through awards of up to $1,000,000.
- However, total technical assistance and implementation funding will be capped at $450,000 per landowner/operator. Given program priorities for rapid implementation outcomes, NFWF generally expects awarded projects to be completed within 18-24 months.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible Applicants for the PA-MEB program are limited to conservation districts, technical service providers certified by the Pennsylvania office of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, countywide action planning coordinators identified through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Phase III WIP planning process. Non-profit 501(c) organizations and local and municipal governments are also eligible, but must demonstrate partnership and coordination with appropriate conservation districts, technical service providers, and/or countywide action planning coordinators by providing associated letters of support.
- For-profit applicants: Please note that this is a request for grant proposals, not a procurement of goods and services.
- Eligible Landowners/Operators are limited to individuals and entities with ownership or management control of an agricultural operation, as defined by applicable Pennsylvania statutes, and located within identified most effective basins. Awardees must also obtain signed agreements with all proposed landowners/operators prior to executing grant contracts with NFWF. In addition, landowners/operators must be able to document compliance with all applicable agricultural erosion and sediment control, manure, and/or nutrient management plan requirements prior to project completion.
For more information, visit National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
