Chesapeake Bay Program Office Fiscal Year 2018 Request for Proposals for Support for both the Small Watershed and the Innovative and Nutrient Sediment Reduction Grant Programs | EPA R3 CBP 18 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA R3 CBP 18 01

The Chesapeake Bay Program Office Fiscal Year 2018 Request for Proposals (Funding Opportunity Number EPA R3 CBP 18 01) is a discretionary EPA funding opportunity that uses a cooperative agreement as the award instrument. It is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through its Chesapeake Bay Program Office, and it supports work across the Chesapeake Bay watershed with a clear environmental focus under CFDA 66.466. The competition was announced on November 22, 2017, with an original closing date of January 15, 2018 (with final timing details referenced in the opportunity's Section IV).

This RFP bundles support for two related but distinct grant activities: the Small Watershed Grants (SWG) program and the Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction (INSR) grants program. The SWG program is centered on community-based action. Its purpose is to help local organizations, partners, and watershed communities develop and advance conservation strategies that protect and restore the Bay's natural resources and the broader watershed that drains into it. In practical terms, SWG is aimed at efforts that are rooted in local needs and local capacity, emphasizing on-the-ground engagement and approaches that help communities plan, coordinate, and implement conservation work that benefits streams, rivers, habitats, and water quality.

The INSR grants program is aimed at accelerating measurable reductions in nutrient and sediment pollution, with an emphasis on implementation at the sub-watershed and/or regional scale. The opportunity highlights innovation and looks for approaches that are sustainable and cost-effective, meaning applicants are expected to propose methods that can produce significant nutrient and sediment reduction outcomes while being practical to maintain over time and efficient in terms of cost per unit of pollution reduced. Compared with SWG's community strategy orientation, INSR is framed more explicitly around rapidly scaling or speeding up implementation that drives pollution reduction outcomes, particularly through new or improved techniques, financing, partnerships, or delivery models that can move beyond business-as-usual practices.

Applicants are allowed to apply to either program or to both. However, the solicitation is strict about application limits and submission structure: if an applicant wants to compete for both SWG and INSR, they must submit separate applications, one for each activity. In addition, an applicant cannot submit more than one application per activity, which prevents multiple proposals under SWG or multiple proposals under INSR from the same applicant in an attempt to increase chances.

The funding opportunity lists an award ceiling of up to $30,000,000 and anticipates making 2 awards. Because the instrument type is a cooperative agreement, recipients should generally expect substantial EPA involvement compared to a standard grant, such as coordination, technical input, or other collaboration during project implementation, consistent with cooperative agreement norms. Eligibility is summarized broadly as "Others" with further clarification referenced in the opportunity's additional eligibility language, indicating that interested entities need to check the detailed eligibility section to confirm their ability to apply under EPA's specific terms for these programs.

• The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Chesapeake Bay Program Office Fiscal Year 2018 Request for Proposals for Support for both the Small Watershed and the Innovative and Nutrient Sediment Reduction Grant Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.466.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 22, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 15, 2018 See Section IV of the funding opportunity for close date information.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $30,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for EPA R3 CBP 18 01

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