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 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 Grants (INSR) program to accelerate the rate and scale of water quality improvements specifically through the coordinated and collaborative efforts of sustainable, regional-scale1 partnerships in implementing proven water quality improvement practices more cost-effectively. Projects proposing to implement water quality improvement projects or practices at the pilot or demonstration scale, through ad-hoc project-scale partnerships, or via small-scale applications of new or innovative technologies are encouraged to apply for funding through the separate Small Watershed Grants (SWG) Program Request for Proposals anticipated for release in early 2021.
NFWF estimates awarding $7-10 million in grants through the INSR program in 2021, contingent on the availability of funding. Major funding comes from the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office, with other important contributions by Altria Group, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
This year, NFWF is requiring all prospective INSR applicants to submit a Letter of Interest (LOI) outlining their project concept in advance of being invited to submit a full proposal. The deadline for submitting an LOI is Friday, January 15, 2021. All LOIs should be emailed directly to Stephanie Heidbreder via email at stephanie.heidbreder@nfwf.org. Invited full proposals must be submitted through NFWF’s Easygrants system by Monday, March 1. For more information on the required LOI elements, process, and timelines, please the “HOW TO APPLY” section in the RFP.
An informational webinar has been scheduled for Tuesday, December 15th to provide an overview of each funding opportunity. Applicants are strongly encouraged to participate, and can register for the webinar at the following link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2416454290080065551
For more information or questions about this RFP, please contact Jake Reilly (jake.reilly@nfwf.org), Stephanie Heidbreder (stephanie.heidbreder@nfwf.org) or Sydney Godbey (Sydney.godbey@nfwf.org) via e-mail or by phone at (202) 857-0166.
