Outreach and Restoration Grant Program

The Outreach and Restoration Grant Program is a collaborative effort between the Chesapeake Bay Trust and various partners including BGE, Charles County, the City of Baltimore Department of Public Works, and others. This program is designed to foster community engagement, raise awareness, and facilitate on-the-ground restoration projects. Its core mission aligns with increasing knowledge, changing behaviors, and accelerating the stewardship of natural resources within Maryland. The Trust encourages projects that recognize the interconnectedness of environmental and human health, aiming for co-benefits such as improved air quality, access to green spaces, and reduced flooding, alongside direct natural resource improvements. The program targets a diverse range of organizations, encompassing both community-related and environmental-focused missions. Eligible applicants include 501(c)3 private nonprofits, faith-based organizations, community and homeowners associations, public agencies, and educational institutions. The overarching impact goals are to increase public understanding of environmental challenges and solutions, address community environmental health disparities, implement demonstration-scale community-inspired restoration projects, and expand the base of public support for the restoration and protection of Maryland's natural resources. Projects funded through this grant program must meet one or both of two primary goals: engaging specific audiences in community sustainability and environmental health issues through knowledge-building or behavior-change efforts, and accomplishing on-the-ground restoration that enhances the health of Maryland's natural resources, specifically through water quality improvement or habitat enhancement. These priorities are further broken down into four distinct funding tracks: Outreach/Knowledge Building (up to $50,000), Behavior Change (up to $75,000), Restoration (up to $100,000), and Outreach and Restoration (up to $125,000), allowing applicants to focus on their specific expertise and project scope. Expected outcomes and measurable results include increased knowledge and altered behaviors among community members regarding environmental stewardship. On-the-ground restoration projects are expected to yield tangible improvements in water quality and habitat health. The program seeks to demonstrate the effectiveness of community-led stewardship efforts and address local environmental health disparities. By engaging a broad spectrum of organizations and communities, the Chesapeake Bay Trust and its partners aim to build a stronger, more informed base of support for long-term environmental protection and restoration across the state of Maryland.