The Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund (LISSF) is a competitive grant program seeking proposals to restore and protect the health and living resources of Long Island Sound.
Donor Name: Long Island Community Foundation
State: New York and Connecticut
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/03/2023
Size of the Grant: $15,000 to $200,000
Grant Duration: 24 months
Details:
The Fund is interested in empowering communities of all kinds (including communities typically underrepresented in environmental programs and projects) to access, improve and benefit from Long Island Sound, its waterways, and surrounding lands.
The LISSF aims to:
- Support nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working on issues and projects that address the strategies and Implementation Actions of the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). Your proposal should be related to the CCMP and its Implementation Actions. The CCMP also identifies three cross-cutting principles that are important to consider in taking any specific action: resilience to climate change, long-term sustainability, and environmental justice. You may address these principles in your proposal where relevant.
- Help build stronger NGOs working in the Long Island Sound watershed in Connecticut and New York (Capacity Building).
- Foster new collaboration and innovation (New Collaboration).
- Accelerate the “next best step” for tools and strategies (Piloting Tools and Strategies).
- Complete small projects that can serve as an example in a community or region (Small Projects Big Impacts).
- Support communities and organizations in advancing environmental justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Program Priorities
- Capacity Building
- To increase the effectiveness of organizations that focus on restoration and protection of the health and living resources of Long Island Sound. Capacity-building can occur in every part of an organization, including programs, management, operations, technology, governance, fundraising and communications.
- New Collaboration
- To foster organizations working together for the first time, or in new ways to accomplish a common goal and to achieve greater impact focused on improving the health and living resources of Long Island Sound.
- Piloting Tools & Strategies
- To increase environmental and natural resource impact, or to foster the “next best step” for applicability or scalability across the Sound. Activities may include scoping and design to set the stage for large, multi-year projects.
- Small Projects with Big Impacts
- To clean waters, restore habitat, sustain wildlife, and engage the public in restoration and protection of the health and living resources of Long Island Sound. Big impact includes activities with the promise to accelerate local water quality improvements, natural resource restoration, and community outreach and engagement.
Funding Information
The LISSF has two different size limits on grants:
- For the Capacity Building, New Collaboration, and Piloting Tools & Strategies Priorities, grants are expected to range from $15,000 to $200,000. Please note that few, if any, grants will be made at the maximum award level of $200,000. This is the most competitive category of funding. Proposals requesting grants in excess of $50,000 should demonstrate regional value and scope, significant and robust partnerships, and dramatic impact to the Long Island Sound and the communities and constituencies served.
- For Small Projects with Big Impacts Priority, grants are expected to range from $5,000 to $15,000.
- Projects under $100,000 must start within three (3) months and be completed within fifteen (15) months after notification of grant award projected to be April 2023. Projects requesting the maximum award amount must start within three (3) months and be completed within twenty-four (24) months.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants include non-profit 501(c) (3) organizations and educational institutions.
For more information, visit Long Island Community Foundation.
