Dear Chesapeake Bay Community,

We understand how tough the COVID-19 situation is that you and your loved ones may be facing.  We understand that individuals, businesses, governments, and nonprofits are all hurting right now.  We understand that many of you have friends and family that may be suffering as a result of direct or indirect effect of COVID-19.  We also understand how difficult it has been for everyone who must attempt as much normalcy as possible while restricted to your homes.  We at the Chesapeake Bay Trust (Trust) are still working to keep our natural resources as healthy as possible during this period, and ensuring that when this is all over, we can resume our restoration efforts.  Even while we are facing these tough times, we can remind you that the Chesapeake and other natural resources will be there for you to enjoy once it is safe again to do so.

In the meantime, I would like to offer you a little glimmer of normalcy, and inform you that the Outreach and Restoration Grant Program, in partnership with the City of Baltimore Department of Public Works, Charles County, the City of Gaithersburg, Harford County, Howard County, and the City of Salisbury, is now available to fund projects that both improve communities and improve or create local natural resources like green spaces, parks, tree canopy, and more. This grant program funds projects in partner areas as well as throughout Maryland.

What the program funds:

This grant program encourages outreach and community engagement activities that increase stewardship ethic of natural resources and on-the-ground restoration activities that demonstrate restoration techniques and engage Maryland residents in the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers. Applicants can request funds from one of the following application tracks:

Track 1-Outreach:
up to $30,000 for projects focused on education and increased knowledge as project outcomes

up to $50,000 for behavior change projects.

Track 2-Restoration:
up to $50,000 for implementation projects

Track 3-Outreach and Restoration:
up to $75,000 for projects that combine restoration and outreach elements to measurably build knowledge within the community served.

The deadline for this program is Tuesday, August 4, 2020.

To view the Application Package/Request for Proposal, click here.

 

For technical assistance with:

  • outreach and behavior change projects, contact Bre’Anna Brooks at (410) 974-2941 x112 or bbrooks@cbtrust.org (also lead for Harford County and City of Baltimore projects)
  • small/medium-scale restoration projects, contact Nguyen Le at (410) 974-2941 x110 or nle@cbtrust.org (also lead for Charles County, City of Gaithersburg, and City of Salisbury projects)
  • medium/large-scale restoration projects, contact Sarah Koser at (410) 974-2941 x106 or skoser@cbtrust.org (also lead for Howard County projects)