New Haven County, CT

Community-driven relocation describes a situation where a community decides it will relocate,
in whole or in part, to reduce the risk faced by communities and individuals. This Community-Driven Relocation Subcommittee report provides background on community-driven relocation, an
overview of the current federal legal and programmatic landscape, and potential next steps that
Federal agencies can take, as part of a whole-of-government approach, to support communities
contemplating relocation.

The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) recently released a comprehensive report on understanding and addressing the occurrence of local flooding. Developed in collaboration with leading engineering firm Fuss & O’Neill, the study was motivated by the need to address the growing concerns surrounding flood risks across Connecticut. The report evaluates current flood management practices and outlines a series of strategic interventions actionable recommendations to enhance community resilience.

The Long Island Sound Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Team held our 2024 Annual Workshop virtually as three sessions over two days. Session topics focused on our assistance programs, new regional resilience resources and tools, and a discussion on planning for inundation and different considerations communities may face.

Session 3 – Planning for Inundation was held on Wednesday, December 11th from 10 AM-12 PM. Participants heard from communities and regional entities that are using or considering different aspects of planning for inundation, including buyout programs, land use policies, and community perspectives on retreat/relocation.

The Long Island Sound Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Team held our 2024 Annual Workshop virtually as three sessions over two days. Session topics focused on our assistance programs, new regional resilience resources and tools, and a discussion on planning for inundation and different considerations communities may face.

Session 2 – Resilience Tools was held on Tuesday, December 10th from 1:30-3:30 PM. Participants learned about new Resilience Tools being developed and used throughout coastal Long Island Sound.

The Long Island Sound Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Team held our 2024 Annual Workshop virtually as three sessions over two days. Session topics focused on our assistance programs, new regional resilience resources and tools, and a discussion on planning for inundation and different considerations communities may face.

Session 1 – SRC Resilience Assistance Programs was held on Tuesday, December 10th from 10-11:30 AM. Participants learned about our Sustainable and Resilient Communities resilience assistance programs and heard from communities who have successfully utilized them to advance resilience project plans, build capacity, and secure competitive grant funding!

Join us as we visit the newly constructed living shoreline at Edith Read Sanctuary in Rye, New York. Project leaders from the Westchester County Planning and Parks Departments will guide a tour of the site and share behind-the-scenes project details. Lunch will follow where you will have the opportunity to engage in discussions with local nonprofit and community leaders. This field trip is part of a Community Resilience Project Showcase leading up to our 2024 Annual Sustainable and Resilient Communities Workshop.

Join us as we visit the new bioretention/rain garden project in Hamden’s Town Center Park! Together with Save the Sound and the Town of Hamden, you will tour the site and learn behind-the-scenes project details. Then, you will attend presentations to consider more details and lessons learned, engage in discussions with community leader, and have the opportunity to workshop your own resilience project. This field trip is part of a Community Resilience Project Showcase leading up to our 2024 Annual Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Workshop.

The Connecticut Housing Data Hub provides users the ability to explore several categories of state- and town-wide housing data over time. Available data on the dashboard includes permitting, housing stock, rent burden, and housing programs.

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 Long Island Sound Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Team is excited to announce that for our 2024 Annual Workshop we are holding a series of virtual sessions over two days focused on our assistance programs, new regional resilience resources and tools, and a discussion on planning for inundation and different considerations communities may face.

Session 3 – Planning for Inundation 

Join us on Wednesday, December 11th from 10 AM-12 PM to hear from communities and regional entities that are considering different aspects of planning for inundation, including buyout programs, land use policies, and community perspectives on retreat/relocation.

The Long Island Sound Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Team is excited to announce that for our 2024 Annual Workshop we are holding a series of virtual sessions over two days focused on our assistance programs, new regional resilience resources and tools, and a discussion on planning for inundation and different considerations communities may face.

Session 2 – Resilience Tools

Join us on Tuesday, December 10th from 1:30-3:30 PM to learn about new Resilience Tools being developed and used throughout coastal Long Island Sound!

This site provides federally supported data visualizations coupled with explanations and science education to help communities prepare for challenges that will affect our coastal environments. By showing how sea levels are changing regionally, the site provides a foundation to inform decision-making related to coastal planning, resource management, and emergency operations.

This website is a collaborative effort from The Interagency Task Force on Sea Level Change (DOD, EPA, FEMA, NASA, NOAA, USACE, USAID, and USGS).

The Long Island Sound Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Team is excited to announce that for our 2024 Annual Workshop we are holding a series of virtual sessions over two days focused on our assistance programs, new regional resilience resources and tools, and a discussion on planning for inundation and different considerations communities may face.

Session 1 – SRC Resilience Assistance Programs

Join us on Tuesday, December 10th from 10-11:30 AM to learn about our Sustainable and Resilient Communities resilience assistance programs and hear from communities who have successfully utilized them to advance resilience project plans, build capacity, and/or secure competitive grant funding!

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.

The UConn Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) and Connecticut Sea Grant present this webinar about the Climate Corps program – where undergraduate students learn from extension professionals and apply that knowledge to climate adaptation projects with municipal or community partners throughout the region. We will hear from former students about their experience in the program, and a community partner from the Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed will speak about how working with the Climate Corps has benefitted their organization. Learn more about our program and how we could partner with your organization!

Hosted By: Owen Placido, CT Sea Grant; Renata Bertotti, UConn CLEAR

As extreme weather continues to impact the U.S., Rebuild by Design has launched the Atlas of Accountability, a mapping tool designed to help communities and policymakers understand their localized climate-fueled exposure to extreme weather disasters. Building on Rebuild by Design’s 2022 report, “Atlas of Disaster,” this tool analyzes county-level extreme weather disaster declarations and post-disaster federal assistance. The analysis highlights the urgency of bipartisan cooperation and the need to unite across the urban-rural divide.

Presenter: Judy Huynh, Rebuild by Design
Hosted By: Juliana Barrett, CT Sea Grant & UConn CLEAR

FEMA’s National Resilience Guidance document is intended to help all individuals, communities, and organizations understand our nation’s vision for resilience, the key principles that must be applied to strengthen resilience, and the players and systems that contribute to resilience. It also outlines how to strengthen resilience by organizing and engaging people, incorporating resilience concepts into planning efforts, creating change through policies, prioritizing projects and programs, financing resilience efforts, and measuring and evaluating resilience. Finally, the NRG includes a Resilience Maturity Model that illustrates stages in the evolution of a community’s approach to resilience.

This workbook made by Groundwork Bridgeport provides a thorough but accessible introduction to green stormwater infrastructure. The workbook explains the issues that green infrastructure can help solve, introduces several green infrastructure methods, and then provides definitions, explains why each is uses, and details how to build them.

Interactive map with county-level disaster declaration information and Congressional Districts for 2011-2023. Also includes a fact sheet and tables.

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.

EPA’s Creating Resilient Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative is offering no-cost climate change risk assessment technical assistance to drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities, as well as other water sector stakeholders. Through this technical assistance process, CRWU will assist approximately 75 water sector utilities / communities in identifying long-term climate change adaptation strategies, as well as potential funding options to implement adaptive measures.

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 Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development (OBRD) announced multiple funding availability notices under Round 20:

1. Municipal Grant Program – Remediation & Limited-Assessment (up to $4M)
2. Municipal Grant Program – Assessment-Only (up to $200K)
3. Targeted Brownfield Development Loan Program (up to $4M)

The total funding amount available for all Round 20 notices is $25 million.

To help Americans anticipate how changing climate conditions might affect their homes and businesses, the United States Global Change Research Program conducts a comprehensive review of scientific information on climate trends and impacts in our country every four years. The 5th National Climate Assessment — often referred to as NCA5 — was published in 2023.

This Interactive Atlas provides access to data compiled for NCA5. Browse the collection for your own investigations, or access the data for custom analysis and mapping.

The Fifth National Climate Assessment is the US Government’s preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks, and responses. It is a congressionally mandated interagency effort that provides the scientific foundation to support informed decision-making across the United States.

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 Connecticut Land Conservation Council’s Transaction Assistance Grant (TAG) Program seeks to accelerate the pace of land conservation by providing financial assistance to land trusts for transaction-related project costs. TAG responds to immediate conservation needs and is designed to get funding on the ground efficiently and effectively. Applications for TAG grants are accepted monthly, with applications due on the last day of a given month as long as funds are available.

This program provides funding for a variety of transportation projects such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities; construction of turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas; community improvements such as historic preservation and vegetation management; environmental mitigation related to stormwater and habitat connectivity; recreational trails; safe routes to school projects; and vulnerable road user safety assessments.

This fact sheet for Conservation Commissions in Connecticut reviews the role of these commissions for enhancing the climate resilience of their communities. The resource was developed by CIRCA and covers the authority and duties of conservation commissions as well as detailing specific strategies and approaches.

WEST COG developed this riparian zoning publication that is primarily focused on water quality, but also is highly relevant to climate mitigation.

Awards small grants in support of grassroots efforts and community-based environmental work in New England. The Grassroots Fund utilizes participatory grantmaking to move resources to New England grassroots groups working at the intersections of Environmental Justice. The program is geared toward groups who have some experience implementing a project in their community. Grants support groups to deepen their work by further developing a community vision, lowering barriers to participation, identifying new stakeholders, and working to bring more voices and lived experiences into core decision-making processes.

Continued changes to the climate around the world and in Connecticut are inevitable – the consequences of these changes, or climate impacts, are being experienced by Connecticut residents today and will continue to evolve in the coming decades. While it is not possible to say for certain what it will be like to live here in the future, this webinar by UConn CLEAR and CT Sea Grant will detail what we do know about expected changes to precipitation patterns, temperatures, and coastlines, along with how the challenges of climate change may be experienced differently by different communities. A new tool from the Long Island Sound Study, the Long Island Sound Resilience Resource Hub website, will also be highlighted. This website can help communities in NY and CT learn, plan, and implement climate resilient strategies by providing information, case studies, and funding opportunities.

The Climate Smart Land Stewardship Grants is a new fund for land trusts offered by the Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) with support from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture. This program will award $500,000 over multiple years for both planning and implementation grants. In 2024, grants will be awarded quarterly.

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 Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program was established in 2014 and is funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. ORLP is a nationally competitive, dollar-for-dollar matching grant program. It was created to aid disadvantaged, urban communities that lack access to close-by outdoor recreation. Funds can be used for the acquisition and/or development of, or substantial renovation of, public parks and other outdoor recreation spaces.

Projects may include any or all manner of outdoor recreation activities such as hiking, camping, unstructured play, picnicking, cycling, field and court sports, fishing, bird watching, swimming pools, paddling, and skating, as well as for outdoor recreation facilities and some supporting facilities and infrastructure like restrooms/bathhouses, or parking areas, when part of an overall recreation project.

This resource outlines six different federal mitigation funding programs. It provides an overview of available options and links to learn more information and apply.

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.

Congressionally Directed Spending requests, also known as Community Project Funding or Earmarks, are funding requests for high-impact, Connecticut-based projects that can be completed with assistance from the federal government. The project must meet the eligibility requirements for at least one of the accounts listed.

The primary goal of the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant (NCWCG) Program is the long‐term conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems. The program is designed to acquire, restore, and enhance wetlands in coastal areas through competitive matching grants to eligible State agencies.

The Small Grants Program provides funding for land conservation projects that provide protection of rare or uncommon native plant species or natural communities, or areas of high native diversity. We will also consider habitat improvement projects, protection of open space in low-income and urban communities, and assistance with fund-raising for projects that meet the above criteria.

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.

This study by Seth et al. provides up-to-date information on observed trends and projections of temperature and precipitation in Connecticut.

The Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) team held this Regional Funding Workshop for Western Connecticut at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, CT. Attendees learned about resilience planning steps and resources, heard from state and local funding organizations, learned about environmental justice considerations, discussed questions with a panel of recent awardees, and had the opportunity to participate in roundtables to strategize improving their applications. 

The CTDEEP document provides information about the many ways individuals, property owners, and communities can help protect Connecticut’s tidal wetlands.  

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. 

The Climate Smart Land Stewardship Grants is a new fund for land trusts offered by the Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) with support from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture. This program will award $500,000 over multiple years for both planning and implementation grants. In 2024, grants will be awarded quarterly.

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.

Guidance and training modules for Connecticut Zoning changes to address climate vulnerabilities. On the website there are examples of zoning policies municipalities could modify and/or adopt to enhance local climate resilience. Where applicable, model ordinances and examples of where the policies have been adopted are included.

Connecticut EJ Screening Tool is an interactive resource that combines both community and data-driven approach that incorporates environmental burdens and demographic indicators. This map allows users to explore the environmental health and the conditions (socioeconomic and or other distinguishing community characteristics) within a specific region, town, city, and or entire state.

The data included in this map finalize into a score that allows users to understand the relationship between the community and environmental justice. Through the presentation of this information, citizens and policymakers alike can understand what communities are experiencing and form policies that reshape these matters.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA’s) Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Framework, 3^rd Edition, is a guide and collection of resources for use in analyzing the impacts of climate change and extreme weather on transportation infrastructure. Its purpose is to identify key considerations, questions, and resources that can be used to design and implement a climate change vulnerability assessment. The processes, lessons learned, and resources outlined in the framework are geared toward state departments of transportation (DOTs), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and other agencies involved in planning, building, or maintaining the transportation system. It includes suggestions and examples applicable to a wide range of applications, from small qualitative studies to large, detailed, data-intensive analyses. The resources included in the framework will be added to and updated over time.

Keep Forests Healthy: A Tool to Assess Resilience, Health & Productivity was developed by Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, and The Nature Conservancy Central and Western New York Chapter to enable landowners to assess how their forest may be affected by changing climate conditions. This tool can help landowners identify potential risks to forests and highlight forest management options that may increase the ability of a forest to cope with the pressure of changing conditions. The document identifies 16 characteristics that may increase or decrease the risk of harm to a forest in a changing climate, which can then be discussed with a professional to plan forest management activities.

The Long Island Sound Watershed Land Cover Viewer contains all dates of land cover as well as Change To, Change From, Riparian Area Land Cover, and Impervious Surface Estimate layers. It also has many layers where HUC 12 watersheds are colored based on a single land cover. 

Connecticut Environmental Conditions Online (CT ECO) is the collaborative work of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)  and the University of Connecticut Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) to share environmental and natural resource information with the general public. CT ECO’s mission is to encourage, support, and promote informed land use and development decisions in Connecticut by providing local, state and federal agencies, and the general public with convenient access to the most up-to-date and complete natural resource information available statewide.

CT ECO includes a variety of online maps and tools for viewing Connecticut’s environmental and natural resources as well as high resolution aerial imagery, elevation data, and land cover. The Advanced Map Viewer provides flexibility to turn on and off layers of the map.

To better understand how Connecticut’s coastal area marshes and roads may respond to sea level rise (SLR), Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) was applied to Connecticut’s shoreline by Warren Pinnacle Consulting, Inc. This viewer displays the model’s results for Connecticut’s 21 largest marshes and all coastal area roads. For marshes, SLAMM was run two hundred times using alternative model inputs for key model parameters, including various SLR scenarios, to produce probability based results of likely future marsh conditions. For roads, the model uses a single SLR scenario of about 4.2 feet by 2100 from the base year of 2002. The Sea Level Rise Effects on Roads and Marshes projects is a project between CT DEEP and UConn CLEAR.

The Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group website has information on events, invasive plant information for Connecticut, and control information. The mission of the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group is to gather and convey information on the presence, distribution, ecological impacts, and management of invasive species; to promote uses of native or non-invasive ornamental alternatives throughout Connecticut; and to work cooperatively with researchers, conservation organizations, government agencies, green industries, and the general public to identify and manage invasive species pro-actively and effectively. Organized in 1997 as an ad-hoc group, the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG) meets 1 to 2 times per year to collaborate and share information about invasive plant issues affecting Connecticut and the region. The group includes federal, state, and town agency staff, researchers, nursery growers, educators, master gardeners, community members, and interested citizens.

The Equitable Resilience Builder (ERB) is an application that supports communities in resilience planning with a focus on equity. It engages users in a guided process to inclusively assess local hazards, equity, and the resilience of built, natural, and social environment systems. Results can be used to collaboratively prioritize actions to build community resilience in an equitable way.

Discover funding opportunities for your project that elevate the sustainability and resilience of Long Island Sound communities.

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.

Through the Clean Water Fund, CT DEEP is able to provide grants and low-interest loans for infrastructure projects to meet clean water needs such as addressing combined sewer overflows, nutrient pollution, wastewater collection infrastructure needs, and projects using green infrastructure and addressing resiliency. See the Priority List Memo and Project Request Form for updates.

The EPOC Grant Program provides non-profit and not-for-profit environmental advocacy groups, community based groups and environmental education organizations funding for local projects that benefit the environment.

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.

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.

The State Urban Forest Resilience Grant Program supports efforts to restore and improve urban forests lost due to catastrophic losses from Emerald Ash Borer and other pests and diseases while building resiliency through tree diversity and the protection of existing trees. Funds can be used for management and reforestation including tree planting and tree removals.

The Community Investment Fund 2030 (CIF) will foster economic development in historically underserved communities across Connecticut. CIF will provide a total of up to $875 million to eligible municipalities as well as not-for-profit organizations and community development corporations that operate within them.

Awards small grants in support of grassroots efforts and community-based environmental work in New England. The Grassroots Fund utilizes participatory grantmaking to move resources to New England grassroots groups working at the intersections of Environmental Justice. The program is geared toward groups who have some experience implementing a project in their community. Grants support groups to deepen their work by further developing a community vision, lowering barriers to participation, identifying new stakeholders, and working to bring more voices and lived experiences into core decision-making processes.

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.

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.

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 Community Investment Fund 2030 (CIF) will foster economic development in historically underserved communities across the state. CIF will provide a total of up to $875 million to eligible municipalities as well as not-for-profit organizations and community development corporations that operate within them.

The Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition (OSWA) Grant Program provides financial assistance to municipalities and nonprofit land conservation organizations to acquire land for open space, and to water companies to acquire land to be classified as Class I or Class II water supply property.

The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development (OBRD) announced funding availability under Round 18. The purpose of the Municipal Grant Program as per C.G.S Section 32-763, is to provide grants for brownfield remediation and redevelopment. OBRD has also simultaneously announced the availability of funding under the Targeted Brownfield Development Loan and the Assessment-only Grant Program.

DEEP was awarded this funding from the EPA under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to administer to brownfield sites in Connecticut to perform environmental assessment and cleanup activities.

The National Audubon Society, Inc., through its state office, Audubon Connecticut, is the “sponsor” of a Connecticut “In Lieu Fee” (ILF) program. The program allows permittees to pay a fee in lieu of taking on mitigation themselves. Instead, local organizations like land trusts, and other environmental nonprofits, are given the opportunity to apply for and receive grant funding for the preservation, restoration, and enhancement of wetland and watercourse resources and associated upland buffers in the State of Connecticut.

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. 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.

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.

EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research Program funds small businesses to develop and commercialize innovative environmental technologies in broad focus areas which include clean and safe water, air quality and climate, land revitalization, homeland security, sustainable materials management/circular economy, safer chemicals, and risk assessment. Proposals should be responsive to the annual topics under these broad areas.