Funding Opportunities for Late December

EPA Targeted Watershed Grant Project, Phoenix Lode No 2 RCP Extension, Clear Creek Watershed Foundation, Trail Creek, Clear Creek County, CO

EPA Targeted Watershed Grant Project, Phoenix Lode No 2 RCP Extension, Clear Creek Watershed Foundation, Trail Creek, Clear Creek County, CO

The Environmental Protection Agency Fiscal Year 2017 Environmental Justice Small Grants solicitation is now open. Under this RFP, EPA will award grants that support activities designed to empower and educate affected communities to understand environmental and public health issues and to identify ways to address these issues at the local level. Approximately 40 one-year projects will be awarded at $30,000 each. Applications are due on January 31, 2017 by 11:59 PM (ET). EPA requires applications for Environmental Justicegrants to be submitted electronically through the Grants.gov website. Hardcopy mailed or delivered applications are only accepted if the applicant has a waiver on file. For more information, see: Grants.gov. View the opportunity directly on Grants.gov: www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=289829.

The United States Bureau of Reclamation has announced three funding opportunities. for fiscal year 2017. The Bureau of Reclamation will begin to provide funding for the Cooperative Watershed Management Program (CWMP) Phase II watershed management projects in fiscal year (FY) 2017, to support local watershed groups in implementing collaborative solutions to water management issues. All funding will be awarded through a competitive process, using established criteria. The FY 2017 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for CWMP Phase II projects will be posted to grants.gov in January 2017. For information on FY 2017 funding opportunities for the CWMP, please see Reclamation’s website at www.usbr.gov.

CLICK HERE for Drought Resiliency Projects, Funding Opportunity Announcement No. BOR-DO-17-F010, WaterSMART Drought Response Program:  Drought Resiliency Projects for Fiscal Year 2017,
CLICK HERE for Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects, Funding Opportunity Announcement No. BOR-DO-17-F011, WaterSMART Grants:  Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects for Fiscal Year 2017,
CLICK HERE for Water and Energy Efficiency Grants, Funding Opportunity Announcement No. BOR-DO-17-F012, WaterSMART Grants: Water and Energy Efficiency Grants for Fiscal Year 2017.

The Temper of the Times Foundation promotes the use of standard marketing concepts to increase awareness about environmental issues. To that end, the foundation awards grants of up to $15,000 to nonprofit organizations to help underwrite the costs of advertising designed to promote the conservation and restoration of native wildlife, plants, and ecosystems in the United States. The funds may be used to fund the production of print, radio, or television ads; to pay for advertising space or airtime; or to produce or distribute pamphlets, books, videos, or press packets. To be eligible, applicants must be recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. See the TTF website for complete program guidelines and application instructions.

Request For Proposals, City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Funded Research Program. The Open Space and Mountain Parks Department (OSMP) of the City of Boulder has funding available through its funded research program for scientific inquiry on OSMP lands. Proposal deadline is January 13, 2017. Full details are available HERE.

Nonpoint Source 2017 Funding Announcement, CDPHE Water Quality Control Division. CDPHE is looking for watershed implementation projects that construct best management practices identified in EPA Nine Elements Watershed Plans in order to restore waterbodies impaired by nonpoint sources of selenium, pathogens and/or nutrients. Application deadline January 17, 2017, 5:00 p.m. MST. Questions deadline December 27, 2016, 5:00 p.m. MST.

The USDA Forest Service is now accepting applications for the Community Forest Program. Local governments, qualified nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes are eligible to apply for grants to establish community forests through fee simple acquisition of private forest land from a willing seller. Applications must be received by January 13, 2017. Information about how to apply is found in the Federal Register Notice and on the Community Forest Program website.

National Forest Foundation: Matching Awards Program is offering Matching Grants for Conservation Projects Impacting National Forests. The National Forest Foundation was established by Congress to support the USDA Forest Service in its management of America’s National Forests and Grasslands. Funded projects must address one of the following focus areas: The Outdoor Experiences category supports projects that improve the quality, condition, and care of outdoor experiences in National Forests. The Forest Health category supports citizen-involved projects that maintain or restore forest resiliency. The Foundation also encourages projects that cohesively integrate the Outdoor Experiences and Forest Health program areas. All grants require at least a one-to-one cash match through non-federal donations. MAP also requires projects to show a strong commitment to civic engagement and community involvement through the direct involvement of the public. The proposal deadlines for 2017 are January 17 and June 26. Visit the Foundation’s website to learn more about each MAP focus area and to submit the required eligibility questionnaire.

The United States Forest Service has a Wood Innovations funding opportunityApplications are due January 23, 2017.  Expansion of (1) wood-energy markets and (2) expansion of wood products markets are the two application categories.  Under a cooperative agreement with Region 2, CoWood is providing outreach assistance for this announcement along with technical assistance in supporting applicants across Region 2 (Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming) in developing and preparing successful proposals.  CoWood staff is available to provide guidance on project/proposal development, competitiveness, eligibility, and compliance with application requirements and instructions. Complete program information, eligibility criteria and application instructions is available at http://www.na.fs.fed.us/werc/wip/2017-rfp.shtm and/or by contacting Tim Reader with the Colorado State Forest Service at Tim.Reader@ColoState.Edu.

The Colorado River District is inviting constituents, within its 15-county region, to apply for a funding opportunity for projects that protect, enhance or develop water resources. Proposals must seek to achieve one or more of the following objectives, (with a preference for projects that utilized senior water rights that were in use before 1929); develop a new water supply, improve an existing water supply system, improve instream water quality, increase water use efficiency, reduce sediment loading and implement watershed and riparian management actions. Each project will be ranked based upon its own merits in accordance with ranking criteria. Criteria may be viewed on their website. Application deadline: January 31, 2017, 5pm. To access the application, guidelines and policies visit www.ColoradoRiverDistrict.org/grant-program.

The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration grant program seeks to develop community capacity to sustain local natural resources for future generations by providing modest financial assistance to diverse local partnerships focused on improving water quality, watersheds and the species and habitats they support. Projects include a variety of ecological improvements including: wetland, riparian, forest and coastal habitat restoration; wildlife conservation; community tree canopy enhancement; and/or water quality monitoring and stormwater management; along with targeted community outreach, education and stewardship. Priority will be given to projects that advance water quality goals in environmental justice communities special consideration will be given to project proposals that advance the priorities in the 19 Urban Waters Federal Partnership designated locations. Grants Due by Jan 31, 2017. Details Here.

The mission of the Captain Planet Foundation is to give the next generation of environmental stewards an active understanding and love for the natural world in which they live. The Captain Planet Foundation primarily makes grants to U.S.-based schools and organizations with an annual operating budget of less than $3 million. Grants are intended to: provide hands-on environmental stewardship opportunities for youth; serve as a catalyst to getting environment-based education in schools; and inspire youth and communities to participate in community service through environmental stewardship activities. Grants Due by Jan 31, 2017. Details Here.

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, Inc. released the 2017 Request for Proposals for the Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant Program. Additional grant funds are available in 2017-2018 through a new partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)--up to $2 million is available for the 2017 grant cycle.  The program’s focus is to accelerate the strategic protection of healthy freshwater ecosystems and their watersheds across the country. The deadline for proposals is February 1, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. For more information see the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, Healthy Watersheds Consortium website.