The Montgomery County Government and the Chesapeake Bay Trust have announced a grant program to support watershed restoration and outreach projects throughout Montgomery County. This program aims to promote initiatives and projects which will improve water quality in Montgomery County’s local streams and waterways through public engagement, education, and on-the-ground restoration.
Donor Name Chesapeake Bay Trust
State: Maryland
County: Montgomery County (MD)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 12/02/2021
Size of the Grant: $100,000
Details:
The Montgomery County Watershed Restoration and Outreach Grant Program funds public outreach and stewardship projects, community-based restoration water quality implementation projects, and litter reduction projects in the Anacostia River Watershed. Projects should educate and engage residents in watershed improvement while achieving measurable impacts and sustainable behavior change. Creative and innovative proposals are encouraged. Together, these efforts will restore and protect the local rivers and streams of Montgomery County.
Program Goals
The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has the responsibility to meet regulatory watershed restoration and water quality improvement goals. The DEP will focus on funding projects that increase public engagement and advocate stewardship activities that reduce pollutants through community-based restoration and outreach projects that will ultimately change behaviors with intentional programming using social science best practices. Projects should be inclusive of the community and represent the diversity of Montgomery County. The Trust serves as the administrator for this grant program which is funded entirely through the Montgomery County Water Quality Protection Charge. This program seeks projects that will:
- Assist 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations such as watershed organizations, faith-based, or civic organizations to significantly engage residents in achieving water quality improvement through increased awareness and quantifiable behavior change;
- Demonstrate runoff reduction and local water quality improvement on property owned by non-profit organizations such as faith-based organizations, community associations, community pools, private schools, or other types of non-profit entities; and/or
- Reduce litter in the Anacostia River Watershed through litter reduction-focused stewardship programs.
The Trust is committed to the advancement of diversity and inclusion in its award-making and environmental work. As a result, the Trust strongly encourages applications directly from underrepresented groups, and for projects that increase awareness and participation of communities that are traditionally underrepresented, such as communities of color.
Request Amounts
- Public Outreach and Stewardship: up to $30,000 for public outreach and stewardship projects and up to $50,000 for behavior change projects.
- Community Based Restoration: up to $100,000 (larger with prior approval) for restoration projects.
- Litter Reduction in the Anacostia River Watershed: up to $50,000 to support litter reduction projects in the Anacostia River Watershed.
Eligible Project Locations
This program funds projects throughout Montgomery County, outside the municipalities of Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Takoma Park.
Eligible Applicants
Montgomery County and the Trust welcome requests from the following 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations:
- Watershed organizations
- Faith-based organizations
- Service, youth, and civic groups
- Community associations
- Private schools (public school sustainable efforts are supported through the School Energy and
Recycling Team Program)
For more information, visit Chesapeake Bay Trust.
