State Environment Grants

This funding opportunity is designed for non-profit organizations in Minnesota to implement lead hazard mitigation services, including education, blood lead testing, and environmental interventions, particularly in communities at high risk for lead exposure.

The Washington State Department of Ecology's Air Quality VW Electric Vehicle Charging Level 2: Charge Where You Are Funding aims to expand Level 2 EV charging access throughout Washington State. This initiative aligns with the state's broader mission to reduce emissions, particularly from diesel engines, and to fully mitigate excess NOx emissions from Volkswagen vehicles. The program supports the state's clean air and climate goals, including those outlined in the Washington Clean Air Act, Washington GHG emission reduction limits (70.235 RCW), and the Washington Climate Commitment Act, demonstrating a clear strategic priority on environmental protection and sustainable transportation. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are diverse, encompassing businesses, non-profit organizations, investor-owned and municipal utilities, multi-unit/multi-family residential buildings, and various state, local, and tribal government entities in Washington State. The program seeks to impact these groups by increasing the availability of EV charging infrastructure where drivers typically spend one to four hours, thereby encouraging electric vehicle adoption. The impact goals are directly tied to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality across the state, contributing to a healthier environment for all. The program's priorities are multifaceted, focusing on accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles, equipment, and vessels, promoting electrification technologies in public transportation fleets, and accelerating fleet turnover to cleaner vehicles. Other key priorities include achieving substantial additional emission reductions beyond what would naturally occur, ensuring cost-effectiveness in project implementation, and leveraging additional matching funds to maximize the program's reach and impact. These priorities reflect a strategic theory of change that by investing in accessible charging infrastructure and supporting electrification, the state can drive a significant shift towards cleaner transportation and achieve its environmental objectives. Expected outcomes and measurable results include a reduction in emissions from diesel engines, full mitigation of total, lifetime excess NOx emissions from specific Volkswagen vehicles, and a quantifiable increase in Level 2 EV charging access across the state. The program anticipates projects being completed within one year of grant execution. With a total of $3.52 million available, and projects eligible for up to $10,000 per plug at varying percentages based on project category, the grant aims to catalyze a significant expansion of charging infrastructure, contributing directly to the state’s objectives under the Washington State Clean Energy Fund and the Washington Clean Transportation and Healthy Air Goal.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for Ohio-based organizations to develop educational projects that raise awareness about critical environmental issues, targeting specific audiences such as students and the general public.

This grant provides funding to public agencies in California for the development and improvement of boat launching facilities to enhance recreational water access and support community development.

The Effectiveness Monitoring Committee (EMC), serving as an advisory body to the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, aims to fund scientific research that tests the effectiveness of the California Forest Practice Rules and associated regulations. This includes addressing natural resource issues such as watershed science, wildlife concerns, and wildfire hazard. Proposals are sought that focus on one or more of EMC's Research Themes and Critical Monitoring Questions, particularly those that contribute to understanding and enhancing wildfire resilience and response to climate change across California's forestlands. Projects must directly relate to management activities on private timberlands in the state, although those on public lands may qualify if they demonstrate relevance to non-federal timberland activities.

This funding opportunity supports landowners, watershed groups, and nonprofits in Montana to improve fish habitats and populations by restoring natural stream channels, enhancing fish passage, and protecting essential spawning areas.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for innovative energy storage technology development and demonstration projects in New York State, targeting organizations capable of advancing next-generation storage solutions.

The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) makes funds available to drinking water systems to pay for infrastructure improvements. This program is funded through federal and state money and subject to state laws and additional federal regulations. The program provides: Low-interest construction loans to publicly (municipal) and privately owned drinking water systems. These loans cover capital improvements that increase public health and compliance with drinking water regulations. Construction loan repayments can range from 20 to 30 years. In some cases, partial loan forgiveness is offered. Planning and engineering loans to cover preconstruction work and activities such as water system plans, engineering designs, and cultural reviews. Consolidation Feasibility Study grants allow larger Group A community water systems such as cities, town, counties, public utility districts, and water districts to determine feasibility and capital improvements needed to consolidate smaller or struggling water systems into their service area.

The Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) has established a grant program to fund research and development proposals addressing critical issues in wastewater, drinking water, water resource management, solid waste management, and energy resource development within Ohio. This program aligns with OWDA's mission to engage in research and development in these key areas, aiming to foster innovation and implement solutions that benefit the state. The grants are designed to support projects that fulfill a general need in Ohio and fall within the Authority's scope of powers. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are a range of public entities and academic institutions. Eligible participants include Local Government Agencies (Cities, Villages, and Counties), Water/Sewer Districts, Conservancy Districts, State agencies, and Institutions of higher learning that conduct research and/or development. The program seeks to achieve broad impact across the state by funding projects that address environmental and natural resource challenges, ultimately improving public health, water quality, and resource management for Ohio residents. Priority for grants will be given to projects that demonstrate statewide environmental and/or natural resource applications. OWDA has historically awarded grants in diverse areas such as surface water, wastewater, drinking water, solid waste, agriculture, and public health, indicating a comprehensive approach to environmental stewardship. The program focuses on fostering research and development that can lead to tangible and widespread benefits throughout Ohio, ensuring that the funded initiatives have a significant and positive impact on the state's natural resources and infrastructure. Expected outcomes include the successful completion of research and development projects that provide solutions to identified challenges in water, waste, and energy management. Grantees are required to submit a final report, which will serve as a measurable result of the program's effectiveness and the specific achievements of each funded project. While specific funding amounts can vary, the program typically offers between $100,000 to $500,000, with an allocated $200,000 dependent upon available funds, supporting eligible project costs such as start-up and research. Indirect/overhead costs are capped at 35% of the grant amount to ensure that the majority of funds are directed towards direct project activities.

This funding opportunity provides financial assistance to recognized Tree City USA, Tree Campus USA, and Tree Campus K-12 participants in Arizona to enhance urban forestry practices and improve community forest management.

This funding opportunity is designed for organizations to develop and maintain electric vehicle charging stations in Michigan, enhancing the state's infrastructure for electric vehicles along designated corridors.

The Hispanic Fund, an affiliate fund of the Community Foundation of Lorain County, is dedicated to improving and promoting socioeconomic and educational opportunities within the Hispanic community. This grant program is a direct reflection of the Community Foundation's broader mission to foster community well-being and addresses specific needs within the Hispanic population of Lorain County, Ohio. By focusing on areas such as citizen empowerment, neighborhood revitalization, public safety, and educational achievement, the program aligns with a comprehensive approach to community development and equity. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are non-profit organizations and community members whose projects directly impact the Hispanic community. The program aims to achieve significant positive impacts, including enhanced citizen empowerment, improved living environments through neighborhood revitalization, increased public safety and reduced crime, and a greater understanding and implementation of collaborative solutions to community problems. Ultimately, the goal is to address the root causes of social ills and elevate educational attainment within the Hispanic community. The Hispanic Fund's grant program prioritizes projects that provide or work to improve several key areas. These include initiatives that empower Hispanic citizens, address neighborhood revitalization or environmental issues, and promote public safety, education, and crime/violence prevention. Furthermore, the fund seeks projects that offer collaborative solutions or new approaches to existing problems, and those that directly tackle the root causes of social challenges within the Hispanic community. A significant focus is also placed on programs that positively influence Hispanic educational achievement in both public and higher education settings. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed, the focus areas inherently suggest expected outcomes. For instance, projects addressing citizen empowerment could lead to increased civic participation, while educational initiatives would aim for improved academic performance and higher rates of public or higher education enrollment. Neighborhood revitalization projects would likely target improvements in local infrastructure and living conditions, and public safety initiatives would work towards a reduction in crime rates. The fund's strategic priority is to support initiatives that create lasting, positive change, operating under the theory that empowering and educating the Hispanic community will lead to broader societal benefits and improved quality of life.

CWSRF funds water quality and wastewater treatment projects as well as storm water projects, including "green" projects. Principal forgiveness for qualifying small/disadvantaged/rural communities. The CWSRF program is a federal-state partnership that provides low-cost financing to communities for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects, including municipal wastewater facilities, nonpoint source pollution control, decentralized wastewater treatment systems, stormwater runoff mitigation, green infrastructure, estuary protection, and water reuse. CWSRF provides low-interest, infrastructure loans to cities, counties, utility districts, and stormwater authorities.

This funding opportunity is designed to support innovative projects that develop and demonstrate Direct Air Capture technologies in California, while also engaging and educating local communities about carbon removal efforts.

This funding opportunity supports universities, colleges, and technical schools in developing and implementing innovative structures to effectively remove phosphorus from runoff, thereby improving water quality.

The Pennsylvania Shooting Range Improvement Grant Program (SRIP), managed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), aims to provide financial support for the state's aging shooting range infrastructure. The program's core mission aligns with the PGC's pride in Pennsylvania's hunting and shooting heritage, seeking to ensure a bright future for the next generation of hunters and shooters by revitalizing existing facilities and creating opportunities for increased access. This initiative is a strategic move to foster community engagement and support for shooting sports. The target beneficiaries of the SRIP grant are existing shooting ranges, shooting clubs, recreational shooting organizations, archery clubs, and education groups that can demonstrate public use of their facilities. Retail ranges are explicitly excluded. The program's impact goals include increasing public access to private and club-type facilities, enhancing the availability and quality of shooting ranges for the public, improving public safety and environmental stewardship, and bolstering facilities for the Pennsylvania Hunter-Trapper Education Program. A key priority is also to provide funding to facilities that have not previously received grants, thereby broadening the reach of support. The program focuses on bringing life into aging infrastructure and creating opportunities for new members. This is achieved through a tiered funding structure (Tier One, Tier Two, and Tier Three) based on grant amount and project useful life, with each tier having specific deliverables. These deliverables include PGC signage of program funding, a certain number of youth field days or hunter/shooter education classes, and a specified number of public days per calendar year for matches, tournaments, sight-in days, or open house events. Eligible projects include rifle, handgun, shotgun, skeet, trap, and archery ranges, which should be designed to established industry standards or mirror PGC state game land ranges. Expected outcomes and measurable results are directly tied to the program's goals and deliverables. For example, increased public days directly measure enhanced public access, while the number of youth field days and hunter/shooter education classes demonstrate an enhancement of educational opportunities. The program anticipates increased use of state lands, decreased firearms-related vandalism, local citizen support and appreciation, increased generated funds for ranges, and enhanced user support of hunting and shooting sports. These outcomes collectively contribute to the PGC's strategic priority of preserving and promoting the state's outdoor heritage through accessible and well-maintained facilities.

This grant provides funding to local governments in Colorado to develop plans for electric vehicle infrastructure, promoting climate action and clean transportation initiatives.

Recreational boating facility projects. Past projects have included ramps and service docks to gain access to the water, purchase of aquatic weed harvesting equipment, navigation aids and dredging waterway channels. These grants may be used by counties, towns, cities, villages, tribes, sanitary districts, public inland lake protection and rehabilitation districts and qualified lake associations for recreational boating facility projects. FOR GRANT REQUESTS IN EXCESS OF $250,000: Applications for RBF grants exceeding $250,000 are encouraged to be submitted to your regional DNR grants specialists in time for the June 1st, or September 1st, application deadlines. These larger grant requests take extra processing time and therefore are highly recommended for earlier evaluation, in the first two quarters of the fiscal year. Contact your regional DNR grants specialist as soon as possible, if you have a larger project and you are planning to apply for a RBF grant. DNR grants specialists can help with scheduling and grant processing.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Recycling Unit is offering grants to support recycling infrastructure projects. EGLE's mission is to protect Michigan’s environment and public health by managing air, water, land, and energy resources, with a focus on addressing climate change, diversity, equity, and inclusion. This grant program aligns with EGLE's broader mission by directly contributing to environmental protection through improved waste management and resource recovery, thereby supporting a healthier and more sustainable Michigan. The target beneficiaries for these grants include a wide range of Michigan-based entities, such as non-profit organizations, tribal governments, school districts, universities/colleges, local health departments, regional planning agencies, cities, villages, townships, charter townships, counties, municipal solid waste authorities, and resource recovery authorities. The impact goals are to increase access to recycling services and grow the statewide recycling rate, ultimately contributing to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s climate priorities. This program aims to achieve measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and benefit environmental justice communities or underserved and vulnerable populations. The program priorities include supporting initiatives with the largest projected increases in processing or collection capacity volume, access, and participation. Preference is given to programs with sustainable funding mechanisms, robust and continuing education programs, and applicants demonstrating strong collaboration and partnerships with other groups and organizations. Additionally, projects that leverage concurrent funding from other sources, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or various foundations and businesses, are highly valued. Projects that directly support Governor Whitmer’s climate change priorities through measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are also a key focus. Expected outcomes include a higher statewide recycling rate, increased access to recycling services across Michigan, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The measurable results will be evaluated by the projected increases in processing or collection capacity volume, participation rates, and the quantifiable environmental benefits, especially in environmental justice communities. The maximum funding request is $1 million, with a minimum of $5,000, for eligible projects such as the transition to recycling carts, public space recycling containers, new or improved processing infrastructure, school and multifamily recycling projects, and collection vehicles. Ineligible projects include organics/food waste, household hazardous waste, electronic waste, scrap tire recycling, and one-day collection events, which further refines the program's strategic priorities.

The surface water grant program provides cost sharing grants for surface water protection and restoration. Funding is available for education, ecological assessments, planning, implementation, and aquatic invasive species prevention and control. With many different projects eligible for grant funding, you can support surface water management at any stage: from organization capacity development to project implementation.