Grants for Special district governments - Environment

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Indiana municipalities and nonprofit organizations for projects that protect, expand, and improve urban and community forests, enhancing environmental quality and community resilience.

This grant provides funding to qualified firms for creating guidance documents and resources that assist cities and counties in developing effective transit-oriented projects to promote housing growth and community resilience in Washington.

This funding opportunity is designed to support research and projects that improve the efficiency and environmental performance of existing coal power plants in the U.S., targeting energy companies and technology developers focused on enhancing grid reliability and reducing emissions.

This program provides financial support to rural and high-risk communities in Colorado for developing microgrids that enhance resilience against electric grid disruptions, prioritizing projects that serve essential community institutions and utilize non-fossil fuel energy sources.

The Outdoor Equity Fund aims to enhance safe, equitable access to outdoor spaces and nature-based learning for Wabanaki, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in Maine, unceded land of the Wabanaki. The fund addresses systemic barriers that BIPOC communities face in accessing outdoor spaces by supporting organizations working on land-based cultural preservation, land-back projects, leadership development, farming and gardening programs, outdoor accessibility, expeditions, learning, and therapeutic programs. It operates with a Community Advisory Committee guiding its efforts and employs a participatory grantmaking process. Selected organizations for the 2023 cohort will receive $30,000 over three years for general operating support, alongside opportunities for peer learning and capacity-building activities.

The Rural program is dedicated to enhancing surface transportation infrastructure within rural communities, with $780 million allocated for this purpose. It supports highway, bridge, and tunnel projects that improve freight, safety, and access to agricultural, commercial, energy, or transportation facilities critical to a rural area's economy. This program recognizes the unique challenges faced by smaller communities in accessing funding and aims to support projects that address these needs directly. The submission deadline is May 6, 2024.

The Ellensburg Community Grant Program offers a water quality-focused grant to support community-based projects aimed at improving or protecting surface water quality. Funded by the Stormwater Utility, this grant aligns with the broader mission of fostering a healthy environment where water quality sustains diverse organisms and safeguards public health. The program provides funding for community groups to engage in outreach, education, assessments, planning, implementation, prevention, and control initiatives specifically targeting the city's surface water. The grant targets eligible volunteer groups, including youth, seniors, non-profit organizations, and educational organizations. While business and governmental partners are encouraged to participate, they cannot be the primary applicants. The overarching impact goal is to improve stormwater quality within Ellensburg city limits. Projects are expected to demonstrate tangible improvements in surface water quality, educate a significant and diverse portion of Ellensburg's population about water quality and protective actions, and promote best practices to reduce or eliminate adverse impacts on water quality. The program prioritizes projects that demonstrably improve surface water quality, educate residents on water quality and actions to protect it, and teach best practices to minimize water quality impacts. Examples of eligible projects include public outreach and education, yard care initiatives, and litter pickup, all aimed at benefiting stormwater quality within the city. Projects must be situated within city limits, and if on publicly owned property, an agreement addressing various terms, including the use of minors as volunteers and hold harmless clauses, will be required. A total of $10,000 is available for this grant cycle. Expected outcomes include a more informed community regarding water quality issues, a reduction in pollutants impacting surface waters, and a greater adoption of environmentally sound practices. The program’s theory of change is that by empowering and funding community groups to engage in direct action and education, Ellensburg can achieve measurable improvements in its surface water quality, thereby enhancing ecological health and public well-being. Grant funds explicitly prohibit projects that involve or promote the use of alcohol.

The Illinois EPA is seeking proposals for projects aimed at addressing nonpoint source (NPS) pollution to enhance the quality of Illinois' surface and groundwater. Funded through the Clean Water Act's Section 319(h), this program supports the development and implementation of watershed-based planning projects. These projects may include creating new watershed-based plans, updating existing plans, providing technical assistance for NPS pollution control, and conducting environmental and social indicator monitoring. The goal is to prevent, eliminate, or reduce water quality impairments through strategic planning and community engagement. Grant renewed every year.

This grant provides funding to a wide range of organizations, including governments, nonprofits, and educational institutions, to promote recreational fishing and boating, enhance public engagement, and support conservation efforts across the United States.

This funding opportunity supports community projects in New England that aim to reduce environmental risks and improve public health, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and those in environmental justice areas.

This program provides financial support to Colorado school districts and charter schools for transitioning to electric school buses and charging infrastructure, with a focus on benefiting communities most affected by air pollution.

Grant Opportunity: Parcel Assessment and Strategy Development for Permanent Preservation in the South Branch Flint River - Description: This grant opportunity supports a deeper analysis of two parcels totaling 1200 acres in the upper Flint River Basin. The analysis includes on-the-ground ecosystem assessment, habitat delineation, mapping, valuation/appraisal, title search, and overall environmental evaluation. The goal is to prepare for making an offer and potential campaign to acquire the properties or a conservation easement. - Eligibility: Open to organizations of all types across the USA seeking grant opportunities. Grant Opportunity: Shiatown Park Improvement Readiness - Description: This grant opportunity supports various improvements at Shiatown Park along the Shiawassee River. Funding will be used for wetlands determination and assessment, installation of park boundary and trail markers, historic interpretive signage, floodplain determination, and enhancing community resilience. - Eligibility: Open to organizations of all types across the USA seeking grant opportunities. Grant Opportunity: Gladwin City Park FAA Site Invasive Species Eradication and Habitat Restoration - Description: This grant opportunity supports the restoration and revitalization of a 1.3 acre section of land near Gladwin City Park. Funding will be used for invasive species eradication, habitat restoration, benches, plantings along the trail, interpretive signage, and educational components. - Eligibility: Open to organizations of all types across the USA seeking grant opportunities. (Note: The breakdowns for other grant opportunities are not included due to character limitations.)

This funding opportunity is designed to establish a center that will coordinate and advance research on whole person health by integrating diverse biomedical knowledge and fostering collaboration among researchers.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to communities and organizations in Nebraska for projects that reduce flood risks and mitigate damage to properties insured under the National Flood Insurance Program.

The Energy Code Adoption & Enforcement Grant Program is designed to assist local governments in Colorado with the adoption, implementation, and enforcement of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or an equivalent code, the state's model electric ready and solar ready code, and the model low energy and carbon code to be developed, or an equivalent code. Authorized by House Bill 22-1362, the Colorado Energy Office aims to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to support local governments in adopting new minimum energy codes and training local governments and the building industry on compliance with these codes. The total funding amount available under this program will not exceed $2 million. The program does not have a statutory termination date and will remain open for quarterly funding rounds until all funding is expended. Eligible applicants include local governments or partnerships of local governments, as well as councils of governments or non-profit organizations applying on behalf of local governments. The grant program encourages the adoption and enforcement of energy codes that meet or exceed the State of Colorado’s requirements, aiming for energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The application deadline for the third round is March 1, 2024, with future rounds to be announced.

This funding opportunity is designed to support citizen science projects that enhance federal fisheries stock assessments and improve understanding of climate change impacts on fish stocks and fishing communities.

The 2024 Environmental Stewardship Pillar - Innovation Grant aims to support innovative projects that address environmental challenges in Appalachian Ohio. The grant focuses on enhancing community engagement across energy, economics, environment, and health sectors, promoting the circular economy, and expanding local organizations' capacity to access larger funding pools. Projects should involve schools, nonprofits, businesses, and other community groups in sustainable initiatives that drive forward-thinking solutions for cleaner air, water, green energy adoption, and diesel emission reduction. At least $16,000 is available for awards. Eligible applicants include public and nonprofit organizations, as well as individuals or groups working with a fiscal sponsor. Applications must be submitted online by August 2, 2024, and additional required documents must be emailed to info@ffao.org by the same deadline. Grant decisions will be announced no later than September 30, 2024. For inquiries, applicants may contact Kelly Morman at kmorman@ffao.org or call 740-753-1111.

This funding opportunity supports projects aimed at reducing nonpoint source pollution in Pennsylvania's watersheds, particularly in Environmental Justice Areas, by improving water quality through initiatives like agricultural runoff control and urban stormwater management.

This program provides financial assistance to eligible Texas communities for the replacement of lead service lines to ensure access to clean and safe drinking water.

Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Funding Opportunity Title: Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFA) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2024 Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPPAFA-24-NOFO0001355 Assistance Listing: 10.932, Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Due Date: NRCS must receive proposals by 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 12, 2024. Note: The RCPP AFA and Classic FY 2024 notices of funding opportunity (NFO) will run concurrently. For information on Classic proposals please see USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-24-NOFO0001354. The RCPP promotes the coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer valueadded contributions to expand our ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through the RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that provide solutions to conservation challenges thereby measurably improving the resource concerns they seek to address. RCPP promotes collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and various communities, which is paramount to achieving equity in NRCS programs and services. Using guidance contained in this notice, partners propose projects that generate conservation benefits by addressing specific natural resource concerns in a state or multistate area or by addressing one or more priority resource concerns within an NRCS-designated critical conservation area (CCA). NRCS and partners collaborate to design, promote, and implement RCPP projects on agricultural and nonindustrial private forest land. Through RCPP, NRCS may provide both financial assistance (FA) and technical assistance (TA) funds to project partners and agricultural producers for implementing projects. RCPP proposals are evaluated through a competitive proposal process based on three criteria: impact, partner contributions, and partnership and management. Up to $1.5 billion is available for RCPP projects through this announcement and the FY 2024 Classic announcement, which includes $300 million of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) funding and $1.2 billion of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding. Proposals will be accepted from all 50 States, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and U.S. territories in the Pacific Island Areas (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). NRCS will prioritize using IRA funds for projects that will implement climate-smart agriculture and forestry conservation activities as described in section F.3.a. of this announcement. Up to $100 million is being made available specifically for NRCS to enter into programmatic partnership agreements with Indian tribes. This set aside will be shared by this announcement and the FY 2024 Classic announcement. Any unused funds may be available for other partnership agreements. RCPP AFAs are intended to support project structures and approaches that cannot be carried out as effectively through the RCPP Classic NFO. RCPP AFA applicants must describe the innovative nature of the conservation approach they are proposing to justify potential funding through an RCPP AFA NFO rather than an RCPP Classic NFO. Moreover, applicants should consider the additional administrative and technical assistance responsibilities that accompany receipt of an RCPP AFA award. The 2018 Farm Bill provides the following examples of project types that might be implemented through RCPP AFA: projects that use innovative approaches to leverage the Federal investment in conservation; projects that deploy a pay-for-performance conservation approach; and projects that seek large-scale infrastructure investments that generate conservation benefits for agricultural producers and nonindustrial private forest owners. Although RCPP AFA provides flexibilities to partners, these projects share the overarching focus of RCPP, which is to engage with producers and landowners to implement conservation practices, systems, and approaches on (or for the benefit of) agricultural and nonindustrial private forest lands. NRCS can make up to 15 awards through this funding opportunity through Farm Bill funding. This limit does not apply to projects funded through the Inflation Reduction Act. Submissions: Proposals must be submitted through the RCPP portal. See section E of this announcement for information on using the RCPP portal to submit proposals. Access to the RCPP portal requires a level 2 eAuthentication credential or a Login.gov credential. Obtaining a new Login.gov credential involves multiple steps and can take several days to complete. Instructions are posted on the How to Apply to RCPP web page listed below. For More Information: Applicants are expected to contact the appropriate state conservationists and state RCPP coordinators prior to submitting a proposal. NRCS will use a state conservation questionnaire to record the results of these conversations. Proposals without a completed questionnaire may have their score and ranking reduced. A list of state RCPP coordinators (as of the date of this announcements posting) is on the NRCS How to Apply to RCPP web page. Applicants can also email the RCPP inbox (rcpp@usda.gov) with any questions about the announcement. The NRCS RCPP website is also a great source of current information about the program. Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in one or more of the webinars below to learn about the program and how to apply. 2024 RCPP NFO Applicant Outreach Webinar This webinar will provide general information for applicants submitting proposals for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The same material will be covered at both webinars followed by a question-and-answer section. Please refer to the RCPP website for more information. Regional Conservation Partnership Program Natural Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov) April 23, 2024, RCPP Applicant Outreach Webinar Registration Link 2pm to 4pm EDT - https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/e2f45f75-7ea4-410b-b1c9-567537cd2454@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697 May 30, 2024, RCPP Applicant Outreach Webinar Registration Link 2pm to 4pm EDT - https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/226dcb51-0b57-43b1-b340-95e535238713@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697 NRCS will schedule additional webinars on RCPP easements and providing outreach to tribal applicants. Information on all webinars will be posted to the RCPP how to apply page.