National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Now Accepting Applications For Chesapeake Bay Watershed Innovative Nutrient & Sediment Reduction Grants; Webinar Jan. 8

On December 11, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program partnership, announced it 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.

Proposals are due February 21.

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.

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 from Altria Group, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service and U.S. Forest Service.

Jan. 8 Webinar 

On January 8 at 2:00 p.m. NFWF will host an optional applicant webinar on the proposal process.  Click Here to register.

For those who cannot participate, a recording of the webinar will be posted to NFWF’s website by January 11th.

Required Consultation

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. 

Applicant Assistance

Prospective applicants are also encouraged to contact CBSF field liaisons to vet potential project ideas prior to contacting NFWF staff directly.

NFWF-contracted field liaisons are available to assist partners including prospective applicants to--

-- Explore local project needs and opportunities for connections with NFWF programs;

-- Enhance project alignment with NFWF, EPA, and the Chesapeake Bay Program priorities;

-- Identify and develop appropriate and right-sized project and landscape-level partnerships;

-- Survey and explore technical and financial resources to leverage potential grant funding; and

-- Transfer insights and lessons learned from legacy NFWF projects to maximize project outcomes.

For all the details, visit the NFWF Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction (INSR) Grants Program webpage.

[Posted: December 11, 2023]  PA Environment Digest