Piscataqua Region Environmental Planning Assessment (PREPA) Grant Program

The Piscataqua Region Environmental Planning Assessment (PREPA) Grant Program is a regional funding initiative coordinated by the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP), part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Estuary Program. PREP is housed within the University of New Hampshire’s School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering and supported in part by an EPA matching grant. Established in 2015, the PREPA Grant Program is designed to support environmental planning and implementation projects that improve water quality, protect natural resources, and bolster climate resilience throughout the 52 cities and towns of the Piscataqua Region Watershed, which spans parts of Maine and New Hampshire. The PREPA program funds projects that advance resource protection goals, particularly those tied to recommendations identified in the region’s environmental assessment. Eligible project types include shoreland protection, wetland conservation, stormwater management, erosion control, climate adaptation, and other watershed-improving actions such as fertilizer regulation or vegetative buffer expansion. Both planning and regulatory projects are eligible for funding. Applicants are encouraged to use their community-specific PREPA assessment data as a foundation for proposal development. Applicants may include municipal governments within the watershed, as well as nonprofit or watershed organizations partnering with one or more eligible municipalities. While alignment with town-specific recommendations is encouraged, it is not a requirement for funding. The grant process is intentionally streamlined with a five-page application and available technical assistance for first-time applicants. Applicants may also review past funded projects and example proposals to help scope their submissions. The most recent funding cycle closed on March 31, 2025. Despite broader concerns over a federal funding freeze, the 2025–2026 cycle is expected to proceed without disruption. The next round of applications is anticipated for March 2026, with timelines and additional guidance to be announced via PREP’s newsletter and website. Projects selected for funding will typically be notified following a review period, with work commencing in alignment with the program schedule. There is no formal pre-application requirement such as a letter of intent. However, applicants are encouraged to consult with program staff to ensure proposal alignment and completeness. The PREPA team, including Community Engagement Manager Abigail Lyon, is available to answer questions and offer feedback at any stage of the process. Applications are evaluated for their potential to advance water quality protections, improve regulatory or non-regulatory practices, and build climate resilience within the watershed. To date, the program has awarded over $430,000 in funding and leveraged more than $120,000 in matching contributions across 32 local projects. These initiatives have included land conservation plans, wetland and stream buffer protections, climate vulnerability assessments, and stormwater management ordinances. PREP will also launch a new Great Bay 2030 grant program in late 2025, which may offer additional funding opportunities for eligible communities and organizations.

Use town-level PREPA data to inform your proposal; contact PREP staff early for guidance; alignment with watershed goals strengthens application.