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 2022 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-scale 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 2022.
NFWF estimates awarding $7-10 million in grants through the INSR program in 2022, 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) U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
All prospective applicants are required to consult with NFWF prior to submitting an application and no later than November 15, 2021, with final proposals due by 11:59PM on Monday, November 29, 2021.The NFWF program staff will confirm the applicant’s eligibility and provide initial feedback on the proposed project’s alignment with the INSR program priorities. Prospective applicants should contact Jake Reilly at jake.reilly@nfwf.org to schedule project consultations.
An informational webinar has been scheduled for Wednesday, September 22nd to provide an overview of the INSR funding opportunity. Applicants are strongly encouraged to participate, and can register for the webinar at the following link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3620934100126852620
For more information or questions about this RFP, please contact Jake Reilly (jake.reilly@nfwf.org), Stephanie Heidbreder (stephanie.heidbreder@nfwf.org) or Nicole Thompson (nicole.thompson@nfwf.org) via e-mail or by phone at (202) 857-0166.
