https://myemail.constantcontact.com/ACFHP-Extends-Application-Deadline-for-FY2026-Habitat-Conservation-Projects-Funding---Upcoming-Informational-Webinar.html?soid=1102200709156&aid=3kqg4Ng45Oc

The Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) has extended the deadline for the submission of project applications to restore and conserve habitat necessary to support coastal, estuarine-dependent, and diadromous fish species along the US Atlantic coast to February 14th and will conduct an informational webinar on January 14th to answer any questions regarding the application process. The details of the webinar are below.

Federal funding available through the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) program will be used to support the top ranked proposals. To ensure available funding is being directed most effectively, projects should be geared toward meeting ACFHP’s conservation objectives described in its Conservation Strategic Plan. 

America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act was passed by Congress and signed by the President on October 30, 2020. The legislation made significant changes to project eligibility requirements for this funding opportunity; these changes can be found in the funding instructions. The ACE Act places an emphasis on restoration efforts that will improve recreational fishing opportunities and public use of resources. Improvements in public access as a component of projects are also encouraged.

Available funding: A total of approximately $200,000 in funding is available to support 2-4 projects each year; however, exceptional projects may be funded for the full amount. This is a highly competitive process, with funding requests consistently exceeding available funds. As noted above, successful proposals should demonstrate a minimum 1:1 non-federal match. Once the requested NFHP grant funds are matched with non-federal funds/in-kind, an unlimited amount of federal and non-federal contributions to the project are allowed. ACFHP gives special consideration to projects with more than the minimum match.

Timeline: Applicants will be notified of their projects’ funding status as that information becomes available. Funding decisions will not be made until a federal budget is passed for FY2026. FY2026 starts on October 1, 2025. Applicants should not expect to hear anything until at least the last quarter of 2025.The total amount available to fund projects is unknown at this time.

For complete information and guidelines please review the funding instructions: FY26 ACFHP Project Funding Instructions

The following is required to apply:

1. Online application form

2. Photographs and Photograph Release Form

The following is suggested but not required:

• Copies of any permit letters received to date from authorizing agencies

• Letters of Support

An informational webinar will be held on January 14, 2025 (11:00am – 12:00pm EST). Please register HERE.

Applications must be received by 5:00 pm Eastern time on Friday, February 14, 2025. Any supplemental documents for the application that cannot be uploaded in the online form should be emailed to the ACFHP Director, Simen Kaalstad, at skaalstad@asmfc.org.

To view the criteria that will be used to evaluate project applications, please click here: FY26 Project Evaluation Criteria.

You can check out previously funded ACFHP projects here: On the Ground Projects – Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership or visit the National Fish Habitat Partnership Project Accomplishment Map to see other great projects from across the country!

https://neiwpcc.org/2025/01/02/funding-available-for-long-island-sound-eelgrass-restoration-program-2/

NEIWPCC, in cooperation with the Long Island Sound Study (LISS) National Estuary Program and its partners, is inviting proposals to develop and initiate a long-term and large-scale eelgrass seed dispersal restoration program. Eelgrass meadows are identified as a priority habitat for conservation and restoration in the LISS Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for their wide-ranging ecosystem benefits.

The purpose of this program is to advance the restoration of eelgrass meadow habitat in Long Island Sound by employing a long-term, large-scale, and evidence-based approach that is adaptable in the face of a changing climate. The program aims to increase eelgrass meadow extent and density by expanding acreage adjacent to well-established meadows as well as explore establishing new meadows where suitability is high. A priority of the project is to increase gene flow and genetic diversity by using seeds from multiple populations in the restoration areas. Proposals should also incorporate capacity building efforts for seed-based restoration work by forging collaborative partnerships in both New York and Connecticut.

There is approximately $1,500,000 available for this project and it is anticipated that one successful project will be chosen. Applicants must submit proposals no later than 12 p.m. EST (noon) on February 14, 2025.

View the full request for proposals here.

Submit your proposal online here.

For questions regarding submission of proposals, please contact Alex DuMont.

The Community Change Grants NOFO is NOW OPEN!  Deadline to apply is November 21, 2024.

EPA is accepting applications on a rolling basis for $2 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding available to support community-driven projects that build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate justice challenges, strengthen their climate resilience, and advance clean energy.

Read the announcement for the NOFO

This competition is being launched in order to meet the goals and objectives of two Executive Orders (EO 14008 and EO 13985) issued by the Biden Administration that demonstrate the EPA’s and Administration’s commitment to achieving environmental justice and embedding environmental justice into Agency programs. 

 The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act created the Environmental and Climate Justice grant program in section 138 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and provided EPA with $2.8 billion in grant funding for the program for projects to benefit communities with environmental justice concerns, and $200 million for technical assistance in direct response to feedback from communities and environmental justice leaders who have long called for capacity building support for communities and their partners as they work to access critical federal resources.

View the Community Change Grants Notice of Funding Opportunity (pdf) (1.6 MB)

Please note that the NOFO was modified on February 12, 2024.

To apply for this opportunity, view the NOFO on Grants.gov.  Applications packages must be submitted on or before November 21, 2024 at 11:59 PM (Eastern Time).

For more information, please contact CCGP@epa.gov.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR)program, aims to promote scientific progress towards the understanding of coastal ecosystem resilience by seeking applications proposing research to 1) characterize, quantify, and define indicators or metrics of resilience for various types of coastal ecosystems, especially those ecosystems that have climate mitigation and adaptation and/or blue (ocean-stored) carbon sequestration potential; and 2) develop methods and approaches to advance economic valuation of resilience benefits provided by coastal ecosystems.

Closing Date: May 1, 2024: 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time.

Link to RFA: https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/coastal-ecosystems-climate-resilience-funding-opportunity

The National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF) makes grants for planning, design, and implementation of natural and nature-based solutions for coastal climate resilience. All projects must show benefits to both the resilience of coastal communities to natural weather events and to habitats through activities that create and/or restore natural systems. The NCRF seeks projects in discrete stages of the project cycle (e.g., planning / preliminary design / final design and permitting / restoration implementation) and prioritizes projects awarded funding for an earlier stage and applying for funding to meet the next stage of the project cycle.

Closing Date: Pre-proposals are due April 10, 2024.

Link to RFP: https://www.nfwf.org/programs/national-coastal-resilience-fund/national-coastal-resilience-fund-2024-request-proposals

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership, is soliciting proposals through the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund to restore water quality and habitats of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams.

NFWF is soliciting proposals under the Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction (INSR) Grants program to accelerate the rate and scale of water quality improvements through the voluntary implementation of best management practices that cost-effectively reduce nutrient and sediment pollution to local rivers and streams and the Chesapeake Bay. For 2024, this includes both INSR Partnership Grants supporting the coordinated and collaborative efforts of sustainable, regional-scale partnerships implementing proven water quality improvement practices more cost-effectively, as well as INSR Infrastructure Grants for projects working to implement critical natural and nature-based watershed restoration infrastructure at scale.

All proposals must be submitted no later than February 21, 2024. NFWF will host an optional applicant webinar at 2:00PM on Monday, January 8th. Interested parties must register for the webinar here. For those who cannot participate, a recording of the webinar will be posted to NFWF’s website by Thursday, January 11th.

Including funds made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, NFWF estimates awarding $25-30 million in grants through the INSR program in 2024, contingent on the availability of funding. Major funding for the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program Office, with other important contributions Altria Group, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service and U.S. Forest Service.

NFWF is requiring all prospective INSR applicants to consult with NFWF program staff no later than January 24, 2024 to ensure eligibility and competitiveness and to allow for NFWF program staff to provide constructive feedback to strengthen proposed projects, consistent with program priorities. Prospective applicants should schedule project consultations using this link. Prospective applicants are also encouraged to contact CBSF field liaisons (cc’ed here) to vet potential project ideas prior to contacting NFWF staff directly.

We encourage you to forward this announcement to your partner networks.

A Competitive Funding Opportunity

Approximately $575 million is available for projects that build the resilience of coastal communities to extreme weather (e.g., hurricanes and storm surge) and other impacts of climate change, including sea level rise and drought.

Funding was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, a historic, federal government-wide investment that is advancing NOAA’s efforts to build Climate-Ready Coasts. This page is focused on the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge, which is administered by NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management. (For information on NOAA’s other Inflation Reduction Act investments, visit this webpage.)

• The focus of this grant program is on collaborative approaches to achieving resilience in coastal regions. Proposed projects should address risk reduction, regional collaboration, and equity, and build enduring capacity for adaptation. Use this information resource, and view the video below, to learn more.

• The First Step: Outline your proposed project and submit a letter of intent. NOAA will invite selected applicants to submit a full application. Details regarding the letter of intent and the application are provided within the funding announcement.

  • Due Dates: For the letter of intent: Monday, August 21, 2023. For the full application: Tuesday, Feb 13, 2024.

  • Eligible Applicants: Coastal states, territories, counties, cities, tribes, and tribal organizations; public or private nonprofit organizations; and institutions of higher education.

  • Matching Funds: There is no matching requirement for this funding.

Link: https://coast.noaa.gov/funding/ira/resilience-challenge/

Deadline: Thursday, August 3, 2023 at 4pm EDT

Link: https://cbtrust.org/grants/outreach-and-restoration/

June 15th - Full Grant Proposals Due to AFWA Portal (no Federal Forms)

Link: https://www.fishwildlife.org/afwa-informs/multi-state-conservation-grants-program

Full Proposals due by Wednesday, June 7, 2023 at 5:00 PM, EDT

Link: https://seagrant.psu.edu/research/proposal-request

Full proposals due June 1, 2023 at 5:00 PM EST via eSeaGrant

Link: https://www.mdsg.umd.edu/2024-biennial-research-competition

Application due dates:

• First application period due: June 1, 2023, 4:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Saving Time

• Second application period due: January 24, 2024, 4:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time

Link: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=346822