EPA Seeks Applications for Environmental Community Grants

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is making $2 million available in 2010 to reduce pollution at the local level through the Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program. CARE is a community-based program that works with county and local governments, tribes, non-profit organizations and universities to help the public understand and reduce toxic risks from numerous sources.

EPA will award CARE cooperative agreements in two levels. Level I awards range from $75,000 to $100,000 and will help establish community-based partnerships to develop local environmental priorities. Level II awards, ranging from $150,000 to $300,000 each, will support communities that have established broad-based partnerships, have identified the priority toxic risks in the community, and are prepared to measure results, implement risk-reduction activities and become self-sustaining.

In 2009, EPA’s CARE program distributed $2 million to nine communities. Examples of projects that received grants include addressing waste and storm water issues in Kennett, Mo.; reducing air and water pollution in Holyoke, Mass.; addressing water pollution from coal slurry in Wheeling, W.Va.; reducing radon and other indoor air pollutants in Pueblo, Colo.; and tackling the problem of hazardous waste materials and open dumping in Toksook Bay, Alaska. Since 2005, the grants have reached 68 communities in 34 states and territories. A recent evaluation by the National Association of Public Administrators (NAPA) recognized the CARE program as a solid tested framework for engaging communities and other stakeholders.

Applications for the CARE grants are due March 9, 2010. EPA will conduct three Webcasts to answer questions from prospective applicants about the application process on Feb. 2, 23, and 26 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

More information about the grants: http://www.epa.gov/care/

Disney Announces New Friends for Change Grants for Youth-Led Environmental Service Projects

Disney and Youth Service America have announced Disney's Friends for Change Grants designed to help kids working to make environmentally friendly changes in their communities.

The new program encourages kids everywhere to take steps together with their friends to help the planet. The Friends for Change Grants will fund kids' projects that help the environment and will look to engage children ages five to 18 as leaders in their communities. The program will award 150 grants of $500 each throughout 2010.

The grant program is open to schools, organizations, and individuals planning service projects. To be eligible, projects will need to be done any time during 2010 and should include one service or celebratory component on Global Youth Service Day, April 23-25, an annual campaign that mobilizes young people around the world to make a positive impact in their communities.

For more information about the Disney Friends for Change Grants, visit the YSA or Disney Web sites.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

WREN Grant Funding Available for 2010-2011 Watershed Education Projects

The Water Resources Education Network (WREN) is a project of the Citizen Education Fund of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (LWVPA-CEF). WREN is a nonpartisan informal collaboration among organizations and public officials working for the protection and management of Pennsylvania’s water resources, both surface and ground water, through grass-roots education and informed policy-making. WREN provides training and grants for local coalition building to promote community awareness and development of public policies necessary to protect Pennsylvania water resources. The WREN Program focuses on two initiatives: Watershed Education to prevent nonpoint source pollution, and Source Water Protection Promotion to raise awareness about the importance of protecting public drinking water sources. Since 1992, LWVPA-CEF has provided over $1.7 million in funding to over 265 community partnerships working to safeguard Pennsylvania water resources.

LWVPA-CEF invites partnerships of local or regional organizations, such as watershed associations, civic groups, community water systems, governmental entities (including municipal authorities), and other public interest organizations to carefully review the WREN Grant Application Guidelines and Application Form and to submit an application to LWVPA CEF. Applications are due by Friday, March 26, 2010. Successful applicants will be notified by May 14, 2009. Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded for projects to take place July 1, 2010-June 30, 2011.

Full details here.

Surface Water Improvement Fund (SWIF) Grants Program

STATEWIDE SWIF GRANTS: Ohio EPA is pleased to announce a new grants program designed to improve Ohio's rivers, streams and communities in general. Please find a Request for Proposals for the statewide 2010 Surface Water Improvement Fund (SWIF) Grants Program below. This is a potential funding source for projects such as stream restoration, nonpoint source pollution management and innovative storm water management projects.

CUYAHOGA COUNTY SPECIFIC SWIF RFP: Please find a 2010 Request for Proposals for CUYAHOGA COUNTY ONLY Surface Water Improvement Fund Grants below. Conditions placed on a second contribution to the SWIF fund restrict the use of those funds to Cuyahoga County. As a result, this separate RFP has been issued to potentially interested parties within Cuyahoga County.

The Requests for Proposals provide details about grant eligibility and other information that you will need to determine whether a SWIF grant is right for your project.

Click here for full description.

4th Annual Conference of the West Virginina Environmental Education

The 2010 Conference Committee wants everyone to participate! If you’d like to present a session, e-mail a proposal abstract no later than December 31, 2009. Tell us your name, title, affiliation, program name, presenter contact information (mailing address, phone, cell phone, email), and a brief description of what you’d like to present. Abstracts should be 150 words maximum.

Additional information regarding conference facilities, agenda, registration, travel, and local attractions will be available soon on the WVEEA website at www.wveea.org. Presenters are responsible for their conference registration, accommodations at the conference, and travel. Some limited scholarship funding may be available through an application process. Conference registration includes a one year membership to WVEEA.

Environmental Groups in Targeted Regions Supported

ESC provides capacity-building services to environmental justice groups and their allies nationwide, working with them to develop customized assistance plans that will benefit them over the longer term. ESC works with groups to assess their needs, set evaluation benchmarks, and develop a customized assistance plan. This may include small grants for technical assistance from culturally competent local consultants, or for training opportunities.
Service we provide are:

• Short-term intensive training and organizational assistance to help groups individually or in coalition;

• Longer-term assistance over an eight-month to two-year period to groups ready for major organizational breakthroughs.

This support offers maximum flexibility, addressing a wide variety of organizational issues with assistance from ESC-approved consultants and management support providers. Organizations requesting support for technology or fundraising support should see the information for the Technology Resources or Fundraising for Sustainable Organizations programs.
For more details click here.

Technical Assistance and Support for Improved Ground Water Protection

Current Closing Date for Applications: Dec 18, 2009

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications from eligible applicants for technical assistance and support that will enhance communication and coordination between EPA and the states to protect ground water. The technical assistance and support are related to activities that will develop and expand the capability of state Underground Injection Control (UIC) programs (Class I-V and proposed Class VI), tribes with UIC primary enforcement authority (primacy), and source water protection (with an emphasis on ground water protection) programs. The successful applicant will provide leadership and support in assisting states and tribes with UIC primacy in highlighting UIC and source water protection issues, prioritizing these issues, and formulating potential strategies for solutions and recommendations to states. The applicant will work with state agency officials who are responsible for implementing ground water protection programs to identify strategies that address solutions. The successful applicant will monitor, coordinate, represent, and advance state environmental interests among states and to EPA. Click here for full description.

2010 FOCUS WV Brownfields Program Application

Foundation for Overcoming Challenges and Utilizing Strengths

The FOCUS West Virginia Brownfields Program provides up to $5,000 plus site redevelopment support to spur the completion of community-based brownfields projects throughout West Virginia.

Eligibility

•Do you have an underutilized or abandoned site in your community with real or perceived environmental barriers to redevelopment?
•Are you a unit of local government or non profit organization?
Examples of Eligible Uses for the Grant:

•Researching property ownership and environmental concerns
•Community workshops to create a vision and facilitate site reuse
•Developing site-specific business plans
•Events to encourage private and public investment

Applications due December 18, 2009

Click here.

Environmental Education Grants -- Solicitation Notice for 2010

This document solicits grant proposals to support environmental education projects that promote environmental stewardship and help develop knowledgeable and responsible students, teachers, and citizens. This grant program provides financial support for innovative projects that design, demonstrate, or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques as described in this notice.

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-EE-10-02
Opportunity Category: Discretionary
Posted Date: Oct 29, 2009
Creation Date: Oct 29, 2009
Original Closing Date for Applications: Dec 15, 2009 Please refer to the full announcement, including Section IV, for additional information on submission methods and due dates.
Current Closing Date for Applications: Dec 15, 2009 Please refer to the full announcement, including Section IV, for additional information on submission methods and due dates.
Archive Date: Jan 14, 2010
Funding Instrument Type: Grant

Category of Funding Activity: Environment

Category Explanation:
Expected Number of Awards: 95
Estimated Total Program Funding: $3,000,000
Award Ceiling:
Award Floor:
CFDA Number(s): 66.951 -- Environmental Education Grants
Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: Yes

For more details, click here.

Grants Promote Hiking Trail Projects

The National Trails Fund, sponsored by American Hiking Society, provides funding to grassroots nonprofit organizations throughout the country working toward establishing, protecting, and maintaining foot trails in America. The Fund’s grants help give local groups the resources they need to secure access, volunteers, tools and materials to protect America's public trails. The following types of grants will be considered for the 2010 program: projects that have hikers as the primary constituency; projects that secure trail lands, including acquisition of trails and trail corridors and the costs associated with acquiring conservation easements; projects that will result in substantial ease of access, improved hiker safety, or avoidance of environmental damage; and projects that promote the trails constituency. The application deadline is December 15, 2009. Visit the American Hiking Society website to download the grant guidelines and submit an online application.

Details here.

Freshwater Future. Technology and Insight Grants Available!

Deadline: 12/8/09

Freshwater Future’s grants program provides support to activities that strengthen the role of individuals and community groups working to protect and restore shorelines, inland lakes, rivers and wetlands.

Insight Grants:
Assistance from Freshwater Future to build capacity of grassroots organizations, which could include board development, membership expansion, fundraising, and strategic planning.

Technology Grants:
Funding for technology consulting, equipment and/or software.

For more information and to view the Request for Proposals, go to www.freshwaterfuture.org

Need help deciding how to best spend technology dollars and time to meet your goals?
Sign up for a free one-hour webinar on Nov. 18th at 12:00 EST to help you strategically develop your proposal. We will be reviewing web-based tools such as marketing with websites, Internet newsletters, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, other social media outlets, blogging, online discussion boards, viral messages and spreading the word, and how to host your own content management website with tips and tactics. Register by November 16th by emailing Cheryl@freshwaterfuture.org.

BROWNFIELDS JOB TRAINING GRANTS

The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act (“Brownfields Law”, P.L. 107-118) requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish guidance to assist applicants in preparing proposals for grants. This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals from eligible entities, including non-profit organizations to deliver environmental job training. Applicants must propose to serve a community that currently receives, or has received, financial assistance from EPA for a brownfields assessment, revolving loan fund, or cleanup grant, a targeted brownfield assessment, and/or site-specific brownfields work carried out under a state or tribal response program.

Proposals sent through the U.S. Postal Service or sent via a commercial delivery service must be postmarked by December 1, 2009. Proposals sent via e-mail must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 1, 2009.

Click here for full description.

Support for Environmental Programs in Maryland

The Town Creek Foundation primarily provides grants to nonprofit organizations that work to promote ecological sustainability in Maryland. The Foundation focuses on statewide environmental advocacy and programs that encourage ecologically sustainable policies and practices on the Eastern Shore, with emphasis on organizations helping to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, the Foundation supports a limited number of organizations nationally that are working to reduce the pressure on forests from the paper products industry, with emphasis on the Southern Appalachian region. The Foundation reviews letters of inquiry twice each year; the upcoming deadline is November 20, 2009. Online letter of inquiry guidelines are available on the Foundation’s website.

Children, Youth and Families At Risk Sustainable Community Projects

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) requests applications for the Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Sustainable Community Projects (SCP) for fiscal year (FY) 2010 to marshal resources of the Land-Grant and Cooperative Extension Systems so that, in collaboration with other organizations, they can develop and deliver educational programs that equip youth who are at risk for not meeting basic human needs with the skills they need to lead positive, productive, contributing lives. The amount available for support of new projects funded under this solicitation in FY 2010 is approximately $800,000. More information here.

Brownfields and Land Revitalization Grants

Cleanup Grants

Cleanup grants provide funding for a grant recipient to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites. An eligible entity may apply for up to $200,000 per site. Due to budget limitations, no entity should apply for funding cleanup activities at more than five sites. These funds may be used to address sites contaminated by petroleum and hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum). Cleanup grants require a 20 percent cost share, which may be in the form of a contribution of money, labor, material, or services, and must be for eligible and allowable costs (the match must equal 20 percent of the amount of funding provided by EPA and cannot include administrative costs). A cleanup grant applicant may request a waiver of the 20 percent cost share requirement based on hardship. An applicant must own the site for which it is requesting funding at time of application or demonstrate the ability to acquire title. The performance period for these grants is two years.

National Service Agency Announces 2010 AmeriCorps Grant Opportunity

Up to $363 Million May Be Available

The Corporation for National and Community Service has released the funding notice for its 2010 AmeriCorps grant competition, taking a key first step to implement the new direction for AmeriCorps envisioned by the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.

The total funding available for these grants will be set by Congress through the appropriations process now underway. If the President’s fiscal year 2010 budget request is fully funded, the agency anticipates approximately $363 million to be available for new, recompeting, and continuation grants in all of the AmeriCorps State and National grant categories. Applications to the Corporation are due January 26, 2010, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and successful applicants will be notified in early June 2010.

Priority will be given to applicants that address compelling unmet needs in these areas:
Education
Healthy Futures
Clean Energy/Environment
Veterans
Economic Opportunity

Coldwater Conservation Grants Program

The Coldwater Heritage Partnership (CHP)

Coldwater Conservation Plans are useful in building local awareness and support for the long-term stewardship of coldwater streams and their surrounding watersheds. The plans are meant to identify potential problems and opportunities for stream conservation, and may often also lead to more detailed watershed studies or projects, ultimately improving the health of coldwater ecosystems. Grants of approximately $6,000 will be awarded for the creation of a Coldwater Conservation plan that will ultimately conserve and protect the coldwater streams of Pennsylvania. Applications will be accepted through December 18, 2009 via mail or electronically.

This grant is meant to:
-Gather existing data about the coldwater ecosystem;

-Identify potential impacts, threats, problems and opportunities to our coldwater streams;

-Formulate a plan of action for proposed conservation and protection strategies; and

-Build community awareness and support for the conservation of our coldwater streams.

Funds for Community-Based Organizations in Maryland and Pennsylvania

Baltimore Life Companies Grants Program
The Baltimore Life Companies Grants Program supports a wide range of nonprofit organizations that benefit the communities in Maryland and Pennsylvania where the company has offices. Special consideration is given to projects that assist distressed families, enhance public safety and the community, and combat community deterioration. In addition, grants may be awarded to organizations affiliated with governmental agencies, such as public libraries, senior centers, homeless shelters, or other organizations under the direction of governmental agencies. This program, which provides grants of $500, funds ambitious, community-based organizations for which smaller-scale philanthropic support has a significant impact. Requests must be submitted by October 19, 2009 to local Baltimore Life agencies. Application guidelines and forms are available on the Baltimore Life website.

Freshwater Future Fall 2009 Grants Available

Helping You Protect the Great Lakes
Freshwater Future Fall 2009 Grants Available

Our lakes, rivers, wetlands and Great Lakes have never needed citizen and community involvement more. Fortunately, more and more citizens are getting involved to help protect and restore the waters in their community, watch-dog the enforcement of environmental laws, and create change through civic engagement. Realizing the importance of grassroots involvement, Freshwater Future provides financial assistance through our grants program to grassroots projects working to protect inland lakes, rivers, and wetlands. Organizations must be a member of Freshwater Future to be eligible for our grants program.

NEW!!!! Insight Services Grants: Growing Success
This program is a competitive program to receive financial assistance for Freshwater Future’s professional organizational development and technical assistance. The Insight Services Grants: Growing Success Program provides grant awards be used for assistance from Freshwater Future to build capacity of grassroots organizations, which could include training, board development, membership expansion, fundraising, and strategic planning. Grant funds will be used for Freshwater Future staff time to provide professional assistance to your project or organization, no monetary award will be made to your organization. A 25% match by your organization is required for this program.

Our priority funding areas include:
• Program and Technical Assistance Grants Priority Funding Areas Include:
• Projects to protect and restore wetlands
• Restoration activities
• Land use planning and zoning
• Development, implementation and enforcement of local, state, provincial and federal habitat protection regulations.

• NEW--Insight Grants Funding Areas Include:
• Financial management
• Board Development
• Fundraising planning
• Membership tracking


Deadline: September 30, 2009. Go to www.freshwaterfuture.org/grants for more information and to apply.

GrantStation Special for Nonprofits

Special Offer for Nonprofits throughout the U.S.

A GrantStation membership provides access via the Internet to a comprehensive set of grant research tools that link nonprofits to current sources of grant money and teach organizations how to secure available funding. You do not need to download or install special software to use these tools.

Each GrantStation membership lasts one year and gives organizations access to national, regional, and local grantmakers — both private and government. You will also receive the GrantStation Insider, a weekly email bulletin with the latest information on new funding programs, upcoming deadlines, conferences, and more.

GrantStation and TechSoup are pleased to present a special offer to the nonprofit community beginning September 16 at 8 a.m. Pacific Time and ending September 17 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. During this limited-time offer, specially discounted GrantStation Memberships will be available to eligible nonprofits for only $99. Learn more about this special offer.