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## *2004 Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants Program*

Thank you for your interest in the Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants
Program. The Small Watershed Grants Program provides grants to
organizations working on a local level to protect and improve watersheds
in the Chesapeake Bay basin, while building citizen-based resource
stewardship. The purpose of the grants program is to address the water
quality and living resource needs of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem*.* The
Small Watershed Grants Program has been designed to encourage the
development and sharing of innovative ideas among the many organizations
wishing to be involved in watershed protection activities.

The Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants Program seeks to:

-   support communities in developing and implementing watershed
    management plans;

-   encourage innovative, locally-based programs or projects that
    improve water quality and restore important habitats within the
    Chesapeake Bay basin;

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-   develop the capacity of local governments, citizens groups and other
    organizations to promote community based stewardship and enhance
    local watershed management;

-   encourage environmentally sensitive development, land conservation
    and sound land use planning;

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-   promote a greater understanding of the Chesapeake Bay and the
    interrelationship between the health of the Bay and the condition of
    local watersheds; and

-   strengthen the link between communities and the Chesapeake Bay
    Program.

Under last year's program, 75 projects from across the Bay watershed
(out of approximately 130 applications) received grants. Grants ranged
in size from \$5,000 to \$50,000, and also included five Community
Legacy Grants of \$100,000. The average grant award is between \$25,000
and \$35,000. Under the *2004 Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants
Program*, grants of up to \$50,000 will again be awarded on a
competitive basis to support projects which meet the following
guidelines.

The 2004 grants program will continue the *Community Legacy Grants*
initiative begun in 2002. This initiative is intended to encourage the
establishment of partnerships that will create a conservation legacy in
communities throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. As envisioned under
the *Chesapeake 2000 Agreement*, this legacy includes abundant, diverse
populations of fish, wildlife and plants, fed by healthy streams and
rivers, sustaining strong local and regional economies, and our unique
quality of life. Through the *Community Legacy Grants* initiative, a
maximum of five grants of up to \$100,000 will be awarded to truly
innovative projects that either restore vital fish and wildlife
habitats, develop locally-supported watershed management plans, or
promote environmentally-sensitive development. Additional guidelines for
the *Community Legacy Grants* follow.

The Small Watershed Grants Program is administered by the National Fish
and Wildlife Foundation (Foundation), in cooperation with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Chesapeake Bay Program. Additional
funding for the program is provided by NOAA Fisheries, USDA Forest
Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Office of Surface
Mining, and other sponsors. Authorization for the program comes from the
Chesapeake Bay Restoration Act of 2000 which authorizes the Chesapeake
Bay Program to *"*offer technical assistance and assistance grants \...
to local governments and nonprofit organizations and individuals in the
Chesapeake Bay region to implement i) cooperative tributary basin
strategies that address the water quality and living resource needs in
the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem; and ii) locally based protection and
restoration programs or projects within a watershed that complement the
tributary basin strategies, including the creation, restoration,
protection, or enhancement of habitat associated with the Chesapeake Bay
ecosystem."

**[Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants Application
Process]{.underline}**

**Applicant Eligibility**:

Eligible applicants are either non-profit 501 (c) organizations or local
governments (i.e., counties, townships, cities, boroughs, conservation
districts, planning districts, utility districts, or other units of
local government) from the Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, District of
Columbia, New York, West Virginia, and Delaware portions of the
Chesapeake Bay watershed. Individuals, state and federal government
agencies, and private for-profit firms are not eligible for grants under
this program.

**Eligible projects**:

To be eligible for consideration, a project must 1) support the
development or implementation of local watershed management plans that
address the water quality and living resource needs in the Chesapeake
Bay ecosystem or 2) promote locally based protection and restoration
efforts that complement watershed management strategies. In addition,
projects must also directly address [at least one]{.underline} of the
priority goals of the *Chesapeake 2000 Agreement*.

-   Restore, enhance, and protect the finfish, shellfish, and other
    living resources, their habitats, and ecological relationships to
    sustain all fisheries and provide for a balanced ecosystem.

-   Preserve, protect, and restore those habitats and natural areas that
    are vital to the survival and diversity of the living resources of
    the Bay and its rivers.

-   Achieve and maintain the water quality necessary to support the
    aquatic living resources of the Bay and its tributaries and to
    protect human health.

-   Develop, promote, and achieve sound land use practices which protect
    and restore watershed resources and water quality, maintain reduced
    pollutant loadings for the Bay and its tributaries, and restore and
    preserve aquatic living resources.

-   Promote individual stewardship and assist individuals,
    community-based organizations, businesses, local governments, and
    schools to undertake initiatives to achieve the goals and
    commitments of the agreement.

Applicants are encouraged to review the *Chesapeake 2000 Agreement*
([www.chesapeakebay.net/c2k.htm]{.underline}) for additional information
on the Chesapeake Bay Program's priority goals and commitments. Projects
that seek funding for land or easement acquisition, political advocacy,
lobbying or litigation are not eligible.

**Grant Guidelines**:

The following guidelines will be used by an advisory team of experts
from the Chesapeake Bay region to evaluate proposals requesting support
under the Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants Program. [Projects will
be evaluated on how well they support the goals and commitments of the
*Chesapeake 2000 Agreement* and match the following
guidelines]{.underline}. In making award decisions, the Foundation seeks
to represent the geographic diversity and the variety of communities and
organizations in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

-   Grants range between \$5,000 and \$50,000; the average award is
    between \$25,000 and \$35,000 with larger amounts awarded to
    projects that directly address commitments of the *Chesapeake 2000
    Agreement* (e.g., wetlands and stream corridor restoration, local
    watershed planning, environmentally sensitive development practices
    or planning) or that otherwise demonstrate innovative approaches
    towards improving the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.

-   **Matching funds are not required for this program. However,
    preference will be given to projects that leverage the grant award
    with contributions of funds, goods or services from project
    partners.** See application form for additional details.

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-   Projects should demonstrate broad partnerships, in particular
    demonstrating strong community and/or local government support;
    letters documenting the support/contributions of project partners
    (including local, state and federal agency partners) are strongly
    encouraged.

-   Projects must be ready to complete within approximately one year
    upon receipt of grant award; however, projects may be a discrete
    part of a multi-year planning, habitat restoration or water quality
    improvement project so long as there are definable outcomes for the
    proposed phase of the overall effort. The project narrative should
    include a clear timetable or schedule for project completion.

-   Projects must be technically sound and feasible and carried out by
    qualified organizations. Documentation of technical assistance
    received or review by appropriate state and federal agencies is
    encouraged.

-   Preference will be given to projects that 1) support the development
    or implementation of watershed management plans that are consistent
    with state guidelines; 2) demonstrate measurable ecological or
    environmental benefits resulting from completion of the project, 3)
    include specific provisions for long-term management and protection,
    as appropriate, and 4) include education, training and public
    outreach components to enhance the benefits of the project. Projects
    that only seek funding for citizen monitoring activities are less
    competitive than projects combining citizen monitoring with other
    priority activities under the *Chesapeake 2000 Agreement*. All
    citizen monitoring activities must follow protocols established by
    the Chesapeake Bay Program and must submit data to the Chesapeake
    Bay Program's database at the completion of the project.

-   Organizations or projects that have received funding under this
    program are eligible to reapply; however, preference will be given
    to new projects and those organizations that have not previously
    received support. Preference will also be given to multi-year
    projects (e.g., 2-3 year timeframe) where demonstrable results from
    the previous year's award can be documented and substantial progress
    towards the completion of the overall project has been achieved.

**Additional Guidelines for the *Community Legacy Grants***:

Through the *Community Legacy Grants* initiative, a maximum of five
grants of up to \$100,000 will be awarded to support truly outstanding
and innovative projects that will serve as models to inspire others to
undertake similar activities that protect and restore vital habitat and
improve local water quality. In addition to the criteria above, projects
seeking larger grant amounts must meet the following guidelines:

-   Eligibility is limited to projects that 1) protect and restore vital
    fish and wildlife habitat, including wetlands, stream corridors and
    riparian forested buffers, oyster beds and submerged aquatic
    vegetation beds; 2) develop locally-supported watershed management
    plans that address resource issues described in the *Chesapeake 2000
    Agreement* and that otherwise meet any additional criteria
    established by the respective state agency; or 3) demonstrate
    environmentally-sensitive design planning or practices which protect
    and restore watershed resources and water quality, maintain reduced
    pollutant loadings for the Bay and its tributaries, and restore and
    preserve aquatic living resources.

-   Projects must be able to clearly demonstrate measurable and
    sustainable changes in living resources and/or water quality
    resulting from completion of the project, and include a detailed
    plan for monitoring and evaluating whether the desired outcomes have
    been achieved.

-   Contributions from partners that match the funds requested are
    expected.

-   Applicants are encouraged to work closely with state and federal
    agencies and, as appropriate, local governments to ensure the
    project is supportive of regional resource protection strategies.
    Letters of support from partnering agencies are strongly encouraged.

Applications seeking larger grant amounts through the *Community Legacy
Grants* initiative will be considered concurrent with other requests for
funding through the Small Watershed Grants Program. Those that do not
receive the larger amount requested will be considered for lesser
amounts; therefore, the narrative should describe how a change in the
level of funding requested would affect the scope of work. Projects that
have previously received *Community Legacy Grants* are not eligible.

**Dedicated Funding Sources**:

Funds provided by **NOAA Fisheries** through the *Chesapeake Bay Coastal
Resources Conservation Initiative* will be directed towards
on-the-ground projects that restore coastal and anadromous fish habitats
(e.g., tidal marshes, seagrass beds, oyster reefs, "living shorelines"
and riparian habitat along rivers, streams and creeks used or formerly
used by anadromous fish). Please visit the Foundation's website
([www.nfwf.org/chesapeake/noaa](http://www.nfwf.org/chesapeake/noaa))
for additional information on NOAA priorities and contact information.

Funds provided by the **USDA-Forest Service** through the *Chesapeake
Forest Conservation Iniative* will be directed towards projects that
demonstrate approaches for enhancing watershed health through the
conservation, restoration and stewardship of trees and forests (e.g.,
riparian forest buffers, forest conservation). Please visit the
Foundation's website
([www.nfwf.org/chesapeake/fs](http://www.nfwf.org/chesapeake/)) for
additional information on USDA-Forest Service priorities and contact
information.

Funds provide by the **USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS)** through the *Working Lands Conservation Initiative* are
available to projects addressing conservation needs on private working
agricultural lands. Please visit the Foundation's website
([www.nfwf.org/chesapeake/nrcs](http://www.nfwf.org/chesapeake/nrcs))
for additional information on NRCS priorities and contact information.

Funds provided by the **Office of Surface Mining (OSM)** through the
*Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative* will be directed towards projects
dealing with abandoned mine lands and impacts from acid mine drainage.
Please visit the Foundation's website
([www.nfwf.org/chesapeake/osm](http://www.nfwf.org/chesapeake/osm)) for
additional information on OSM priorities and contact information.

*Please note that projects receiving NOAA, Forest Service, NRCS, or OSM
funds may require a minimum 1:1 non-federal match. Accordingly,
applicants are encouraged to document [all]{.underline} anticipated
non-federal contributions from project partners.*

**Technical Assistance**

To ensure local projects are designed to maximize their environmental
benefits, the Foundation and Chesapeake Bay Program partners have
identified individuals who can provide technical assistance in the
preparation of proposals. See the Foundation's website
(www.nfwf.org/chesapeake) for potential contacts for your project.

**Submission:**

A complete application package should include the following:

-   A completed and signed original application form;

-   A proposal narrative not to exceed 7 pages (see application for
    details);

-   A map indicating the location of the project (e.g., USGS quadrangle
    map);

-   Letters documenting partner contributions; and

-   Additional materials as appropriate (e.g., letters of support,
    figures, photos).

Please include **[two copies]{.underline}** of the application and
proposal narrative along with the original application package.
**Applications must be postmarked no later than February 2, 2004** and
should be sent to:

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Attn: Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants Program

1120 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 900

Washington, DC 20036

**Timeline:**

Applications must be postmarked: February 2, 2004

Anticipated announcement of awards: June 15, 2004\*

\* *Please do not contact the Foundation regarding the status of your
proposal until after the award announcement date.*

**General procedures for grantees**:

After project selection, Foundation staff will prepare grant agreements
and other necessary paperwork. Additional information about the
grantee's organization and its finances will be solicited during this
time. Please note that preparation of grant agreements will take
approximately 6-8 weeks after receipt of the additional information by
the Foundation. However, the Foundation will work with grant recipients
on a case-by-case basis to expedite grant awards as necessary. Funds
will be advanced to qualified grantees based on immediate cash needs of
the project; some awards may be made on a reimbursable basis. Grantees
will be expected to submit interim and final financial and programmatic
reports. Grantees must also include 35mm slides or digital images that
depict the accomplishments of the project made under this grant.
Additional information on the grant process will be provided to
successful applicants after project selection.

**[What is the Chesapeake Bay Program?]{.underline}**

The Chesapeake Bay Program is a partnership among Virginia, Maryland,
Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay Commission,
and the federal government. It was formed in 1983 as a result of the
first Chesapeake Bay Agreement. The partnership has set a number of Bay
protection and restoration goals, and it works to mobilize the resources
of government and the private sector to achieve the goals. The
Chesapeake Bay Program operates as a voluntary, collaborative resource
management program. It has set goals related to fisheries, submerged
grasses, wetlands, toxins, sustainable development, nutrient reduction,
and public participation. Further information can be obtained on the Bay
Program's website: [www.chesapeakebay.net]{.underline}

**[What is the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation?]{.underline}**

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is a private, non‑profit,
501(c)(3) tax‑exempt organization, established by Congress in 1984 and
dedicated to the conservation of fish, wildlife, and plants, and the
habitat on which they depend. Its goals are environmental education,
natural resource management, habitat protection and restoration, and
conservation policy development. The Foundation meets these goals by
creating partnerships between the public and private sectors and
strategically investing in conservation projects and programs. Further
information on the Foundation and its challenge grants programs can be
accessed at the Foundation's web site: [www.nfwf.org.]{.underline}

***For additional information, please contact Jonathan Mawdsley at (202)
857-0166***

***or jonathan.mawdsley@nfwf.org***