Tribal Government/Organization

Learn methods and strategies to meaningfully engage your community. Organizers, Ruby Olisemeka and Adrian Huq will share their experience engaging environmental justice communities in New York and Connecticut. Panelists will share the importance of trust building and points to consider for ongoing community involvement. There will be an opportunity for participants to ask questions and share challenges to gain more insight.  The training is organized by Restore America’s Estuaries.

Established through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Discretionary Grant Program aims to help make surface transportation more resilient to natural hazards, including climate change, sea level rise, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters. Funding is available for planning activities, resilience improvements, community resilience and evacuation routes, and at-risk costal infrastructure. Projects selected under this program should be grounded in the best available scientific understanding of climate change risks, impacts, and vulnerabilities, and should utilize innovative and collaborative approaches to risk reduction, including the use of nature-based solutions.

The Rooting Resilience Program will provide funding and technical assistance to community-based projects that build resilience and enhance communities’ abilities to plan and carry out forestry projects. This opportunity is available for projects located in federally designated disadvantaged communities, including urban, suburban, and rural communities in the United States and its territories. Special priority will be given to community-led groups that are seeking federal funding for the first time.

This webinar will go into more depth than Webinar 1 and will provide guidance and examples of QAPPs for three types of activities: Primary Data Collection, Secondary Data Use and Model Development. The training will also provide QAPP templates and resources for each QAPP type. This training is offered by Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE) and the Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) through the Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund (LISCIF).

This webinar will focus on QAPP basics, including their purpose when QAPPs are required, and what they need to include. It will also provide guidance on how to develop scopes and budgets for projects that need a QAPP. This training is offered by Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE) and the Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) through the Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund (LISCIF).

The second round of grantmaking for the Environmental Justice Data Fund (EJDF) will be supported by a $4 million fund. The EJDF aims to help frontline communities historically underserved and disproportionately impacted by climate change and environmental injustice in the United States use data to address environmental hazards, with special attention to matters regarding air and water quality. The EJDF will support eligible organizations to unlock resources, increase their access to federal infrastructure funding, and advocate for new policies that empower communities to address past environmental harm and pave the way to a more sustainable, climate-resilient future.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program will award up to $7 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support the installation of proven marine debris interception technologies, throughout the coastal United States, Great Lakes, territories, and Freely Associated States. Projects will focus on the installation, monitoring, and maintenance of proven marine debris interception technologies that will capture marine debris at or close to known marine debris sources or pathways.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program will award up to $47 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support the removal of large marine debris throughout the coastal United States, Great Lakes, territories, and Freely Associated States. These removal projects should focus on large marine debris, including abandoned and derelict vessels, derelict fishing gear, and other debris that is generally unable to be collected by hand.

In collaboration with CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) requests grant proposals for projects that increase the capacity of vulnerable communities to mitigate, plan for, and respond to climate change impacts. This funding supports the recommendations of the Governor’s Council on Climate Change (GC3).

The Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, available through the Office of the Secretary of Transportation and US DOT, makes awards on a competitive basis for projects that reconnect communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity, including to mobility, access, or economic development.

The New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) is pleased to announce the availability of $60 million in grant funding through the inaugural round of the Green Resiliency Grant (GRG) program under the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022 (Bond Act). The new program will prioritize grants to flood-prone communities and help them undertake innovative green infrastructure projects such as green roofs, green streets, and permeable pavement.

Supports the development of urban agriculture and innovative production activities by funding Planning Projects and Implementation Projects led by nonprofit organizations, local or Tribal governments, and schools.

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides EPA with $3 billion to fund zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure as well as climate and air quality planning at U.S. ports. This new funding program will build on EPA’s Ports Initiative that helps our nation’s ports, a critical part of our infrastructure and supply chain, address public health and environmental impacts on surrounding communities. EPA has announced two separate Notices of Funding Opportunities to disburse the allocated $3 billion – the Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition AND the Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition.

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, is soliciting proposals under their Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program.

Using funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science will award up to $1,475,000 in grants to remove derelict fishing traps throughout coastal waterways of the United States while collecting data to prevent future gear loss.

The NCRF is a national program with the goal of enhancing protection for coastal communities from the impacts of storms, floods, and other natural coastal hazards and to improve habitats for fish and wildlife. This year, NFWF will award approximately $140 million in grants for the planning, design, and implementation of natural and nature-based solutions.

The Working Lands Climate Corps will provide technical training and career pathway opportunities for young people, helping them deliver economic benefits through climate-smart agriculture solutions for farmers and ranchers across the country, now and in the future. The Working Lands Climate Corps is part of the American Climate Corps, a workforce training and service initiative that is working to ensure more young people have access to the skills-based training needed for good paying careers in the clean energy and climate resilience economy.

The Flood Mitigation Assistance grant program is a competitive program that provides funding to states, federally recognized Tribal governments, U.S. territories, and local governments. Since the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 was signed into law, funds are used for projects that reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured by the National Flood Insurance Program.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program will support states, local communities, tribes and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. The BRIC program’s guiding principles are to support communities through capability and capacity building, encourage and enable innovation; promote partnerships, enable large projects, maintain flexibility, and provide consistency.

New York Sea Grant and Connecticut Sea Grant are providing grant preparation and writing capacity to New York and Connecticut communities that are pursuing funding for sustainability and resilience-focused projects. This technical assistance program helps municipalities and community organizations develop successful grant proposals and develop capacity for navigating the funding landscape. 

EPA is accepting applications on a rolling basis for $2 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding available to support community-driven projects that build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate justice challenges, strengthen their climate resilience, and advance clean energy.

The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) provides financial assistance for drinking water projects. Examples include, but are not limited to treatment plants, distribution mains and storage facilities. EFC provides both short and long-term financings to accommodate communities of all population sizes with varying financial needs. Interest-free financing and grants may be available to qualifying communities with demonstrated financial hardship. The DWSRF is administered jointly by EFC with the State Department of Health. EFC administers the financial aspects of the DWSRF.
When communities repay their financings, it allows EFC to finance new projects and the funds “revolve” over time.

The BRIDGE NY Program provides enhanced assistance for local governments to rehabilitate and replace bridges and culverts on public highways/roadways. Particular emphasis will be provided for projects that address poor structural conditions; mitigate weight restrictions or detours; facilitate economic development or increase competitiveness; improve resiliency and/or reduce the risk of flooding. Priority consideration may also be given to projects that provide benefits to Environmental Justice Communities.

The Water Infrastructure Improvement (WIIA) program provides competitive grants to help municipalities fund critical wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects. The program demonstrates New York State’s nation-leading commitment to upgrading water and sewer systems, reducing water pollution, and safeguarding vital drinking water supplies from emerging contaminants and toxic chemicals.

The Intermunicipal Grants (IMG) program is available for both drinking water and wastewater projects that serve multiple municipalities, such as a shared water quality infrastructure project or the interconnection of multiple municipal water systems.

The NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) Clean Water State Revolving Fund provides interest-free or low-interest rate financing for wastewater and sewer infrastructure projects to municipalities throughout New York State. A variety of projects are eligible for financing, including construction or restoration of sewers and wastewater treatment facilities, stormwater management, landfill closures, as well as habitat restoration and protection projects. There are several different types of financing available to clean water project applicants. EFC provides both short and long-term financing, interest-free or low interest to accommodate municipalities of all population sizes with varying financial needs. When communities repay their financings, it allows EFC to finance new projects and the funds “revolve” over time.

The Healthy Communities Grant Program is EPA New England’s main competitive grant program to work directly with communities to reduce environmental risks to protect and improve human health and the quality of life. he Healthy Communities Grant Program will achieve this through identifying and funding projects that:
– Target resources to benefit communities at risk.
– Assess, understand, and reduce environmental and human health risks.
– Increase collaboration through partnerships and community-based projects.
– Build institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems.
– Achieve measurable environmental and human health benefits.

NOAA’s Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program is an environmental education program that promotes place-based experiential learning for K–12 students and related professional development for teachers.This funding opportunity focuses on projects combining long-term, classroom-integrated “Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences” and capacity building for K-12 Environmental Literacy at the state and local level.

The Green Fund seeks innovative proposals from committed organizations and individuals for activities that advance our mission which is to promote environmental quality, public health and equity in our community by providing grants and other incentives that contribute to a more environmentally sustainable future and reduce air, water and land pollution.

The Connecticut Society for Women Environmental Professionals Grant Program provides funding for local projects in Connecticut that benefit the environment. Grants of up to $2,000 will be awarded. Any application meeting the grant guidelines that is not successful in one cycle may reapply during any following cycle. The applications will be judged based on the environmental benefits of each project, in comparison to others. “Environmental benefits” can vary widely and successful applications have ranged from property clean-ups to environmental education.

This year, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)’s Recreational Trails Program will make $10 million available to improve Connecticut’s trail infrastructure, which has seen significant usage increases since the onset of the pandemic. This grant program aims to help support communities managing the trail usage increases that have endured as more residents and visitors become familiar with the more than 2,500 miles of multi-use trails and greenways that crisscross the state.

Through the Inflation Reduction Act, historic funding is available to municipalities, nonprofits, and other eligible organizations to increase equitable access to trees and the benefits they provide in disadvantaged communities throughout Connecticut.

Sustainable CT’s Community Match Fund is an innovative program that provides fast, flexible funding and support for engaging your community on wide-ranging sustainability projects. Eligible projects receive dollar-for-dollar matching funds from Sustainable CT.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is launching a pilot program to fully fund small water resources projects for economically disadvantaged communities (based on the federal definition of disadvantaged communities (PDF)). This program was directed by Section 165 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020. : Project proposals under this pilot program are for projects under the Continuing Authorities Program (CAP). Under CAP, the Corps can plan, design, and implement certain types of water resources projects without additional project specific congressional authorization. The purpose of the CAP is to plan and implement projects of limited size, cost, scope, and complexity. While CAP projects typically require a costshare with a non-Federal sponsor, this pilot program will fully fund the selected projects.

CIG On-Farm Trials projects feature collaboration between NRCS and partners to implement on-the-ground conservation activities and then evaluate their impact. Incentive payments are provided to producers to offset the risk of implementing innovative approaches.  The Soil Health Demonstration (SHD) Trial component of On-Farm Trials focuses exclusively on the implementation of conservation practices and systems that improve soil health.   A critical element of each On-Farm Trials project is the project evaluation. Partners must propose robust scientific approaches to their On-Farm Trials, resulting in data and analyses of the environmental, financial, and to the extent possible, social impacts of the trials.  

Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) is a competitive program that supports the development of new tools, approaches, practices, and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands. Through creative problem solving and innovation, CIG partners work to address our nation’s water quality, air quality, soil health and wildlife habitat challenges, all while improving agricultural operations.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program will award up to $24 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support the removal of large marine debris throughout the coastal United States, Great Lakes, territories, and Freely Associated States. These removal projects should focus on large marine debris, including abandoned and derelict vessels, derelict fishing gear, and other debris that is generally unable to be collected by hand.

The U.S. Small Grants Program is a competitive, matching grants program that supports public-private partnerships carrying out projects in the United States that further the goals of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). These projects must involve long-term protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of wetlands and associated uplands habitats for the benefit of all wetlands-associated migratory birds.

Each year, The Conservation Alliance awards four grants to groups led by Asian, Black, Brown, Hispanic, Indigenous, Latin American, or additional communities who identify as People of Color working to protect a natural place.

The Marine Debris Foundation is focused on strengthening, enhancing, and improving domestic and international efforts that address the adverse impacts of marine debris on the economy, environment, and/or maritime safety. The Marine Debris Foundation awards annual grants to augment the efforts and impact of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program.

The Saltonstall-Kennedy Program is a yearly grant competition that aims to promote U.S. fisheries by assisting the fishing community to address marketing and research needs. Approximately 40 projects worth $10 million are funded annually.

The Northeast Forests and Rivers Fund (formerly known as the New England Forests and Rivers Fund) provides grants to restore and sustain healthy rivers, forests, and grasslands that provide habitat for diverse fish and wildlife populations.

The grant provide technical assistance to businesses (e.g., information, training, expert advice) on source reduction, also known as pollution prevention (P2). Grantees must demonstrate that the project will improve human health and the environment in disadvantaged communities by implementing P2 approaches. P2 approaches can help businesses reduce the use and release of hazardous substances that can harm human health and the environment while also saving money by reducing their resource use, expenditures, waste and liability costs.

Tribes and Nations are eligible to receive Clean Water Act (CWA) Section (§)319 grant funding to implement EPA-approved NPS programs. As required under the CWA, Tribes must be approved for treatment in a similar manner as a state and have an EPA-approved NPS assessment report and NPS management program to receive §319 funds. Each year, a §319-eligible Tribe may apply for a base §319 grant that support their NPS management program, and they are eligible to compete nationally for additional §319 funds (competitive §319 grants) to implement on-the-ground projects to restore and protect their waters.

WPDGs assist state, tribal, local government agencies and interstate/intertribal entities in building programs to protect, manage and restore wetlands. WPDGs provide applicants an opportunity to develop and refine comprehensive state/tribal/local government wetland programs.

NFWF will award up to $140 million in grants to create and restore natural systems in order to increase protection for communities from coastal hazards, such as storms, sea- and lake-level changes, inundation, and coastal erosion, while improving habitats for fish and wildlife species. NFWF prioritizes projects that are community led or incorporate direct community engagement and benefit underserved communities facing disproportionate harm from climate impacts.

The grant provides P2 technical assistance to business to improve human health and the environment in disadvantaged communities by increasing the supply, demand and/or use of safer and more sustainable products, such as those that are certified by EPA’s Safer Choice label, or those that conform to EPA’s Recommendations for Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing.

Intended to streamline grant funding opportunities for new conservation and restoration projects around the U.S., the America the Beautiful Challenge consolidates funding from multiple federal agencies and the private sector to enable applicants to conceive and develop large-scale projects that address shared funder priorities and span public and private lands.

The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program will provide grants to states, local governments, tribes, and territories to develop and implement plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution. Section 60114 of the Inflation Reduction Act provides an investment of $5 billion to support efforts by states, municipalities, air pollution control agencies, tribes, and groups thereof to develop and implement strong, local greenhouse gas reduction strategies. This two-staged grant program (Phase 1: Plan & Phase 2: Implement) provides funding of $250 million for noncompetitive planning grants, and $4.6 billion for competitive implementation grants.

Acres for America is the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) premier land conservation program and was established to provide urgently needed funding for projects that conserve important large-scale habitats for fish, wildlife, and plants through voluntary land acquisitions and perpetual conservation easements.

The NEP Coastal Watersheds Grant Program is a nationally competitive grants program designed to support projects that address urgent and challenging issues threatening the well-being of coastal and estuarine areas within determined estuaries of national significance.

Under the Inflation Reduction Act, the Forest Service received a historic $1.5 billion to its Urban and Community Forestry program to support tree-planting, urban forest planning and management, and related activities, particularly in disadvantaged communities. In April 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity for competitive grants for proposals that provide equitable access to trees and nature, and the benefits they provide, especially in disadvantaged urban communities.

The U.S. Standard Grants Program is a competitive, matching grants program that supports public-private partnerships carrying out projects in the United States that further the goals of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). These projects must involve long-term protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of wetlands and associated uplands habitats for the benefit of all wetlands-associated migratory birds.

The Cultural and Community Resilience program supports community-based efforts to mitigate climate change and COVID-19 pandemic impacts, safeguard cultural resources, and foster cultural resilience through identifying, documenting, and/or collecting cultural heritage and community experience. The program prioritizes projects from disadvantaged communities in the United States or its jurisdictions, and NEH encourages applications that employ inclusive methodologies.

The Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF) will be seeking proposals to restore the health and living resources of Long Island Sound (Sound) with approximately $12 million in funding in 2024. The program is managed by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Long Island Sound Study (LISS). Major funding is from EPA through the LISS with additional funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Avangrid Foundation.

The goals of this funding opportunity are to enhance collaboration with recreational, subsistence, cultural, and non-commercial fishing communities, and to protect and restore habitat. Healthy habitat leads to more fishing opportunities and increased climate resilience, and there are numerous opportunities to advance habitat conservation by working together.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program will support states, local communities, tribes and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. The BRIC program’s guiding principles are to support communities through capability and capacity building, encourage and enable innovation; promote partnerships, enable large projects, maintain flexibility, and provide consistency.

The Flood Mitigation Assistance grant program is a competitive program that provides funding to states, federally recognized Tribal governments, U.S. territories, and local governments. Since the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 was signed into law, funds are used for projects that reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured by the National Flood Insurance Program.

The Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) is requesting project applications to restore and conserve habitat necessary to support coastal, estuarine-dependent, and diadromous fish species along the U.S. Atlantic Coast. Federal funding available through the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) program will be used to support the top ranked proposals. To ensure available funding is being directed most effectively, projects should be geared toward meeting ACFHP’s conservation objectives described in its Conservation Strategic Plan.

$45 million in funding is available for projects that will advance the coastal habitat restoration and climate resilience priorities of tribes and underserved communities under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. Through this funding, NOAA will help support community-driven habitat restoration and build the capacity of tribes and underserved communities to more fully participate in restoration activities.

EPA Long Island Sound Study announced the second round of this Environmental Justice program focused on the Long Island Sound watershed area within New York and Connecticut. The purpose of the Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund (LISCIF) is to provide technical and financial assistance to communities with environmental justice concerns to address environmental issues and improve the quality and accessibility of the Long Island Sound. Technical assistance will be provided through LISCIF and is available to communities/organizations even if one does not submit a funding proposal.  

Sea Grant and the NOAA Climate Program Office, with support from the NOAA Office for Coastal Management, seek to establish programs aimed at placing people across the country into good jobs that advance climate resilience and assisting employers in developing a 21st century workforce that is climate literate, informed by climate resilience, and skilled at addressing consequent challenges. NOAA will assist communities in coastal and Great Lakes states and territories so they may form partnerships that train workers and place them into jobs that enhance climate resilience.

Nearly $85 million in funding is available for fish passage and tribal capacity building under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. This funding will support U.S. federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and tribal organizations in implementing fish passage work and building tribal organizational capacity.