Maryland Natural Resources Grants

This program provides funding to community organizations in urban areas for tree planting projects that restore tree canopy lost due to transportation construction, with a focus on environmental justice and urban heat mitigation.

This grant provides financial assistance to public and private marinas in Maryland for the purchase and installation of facilities that properly dispose of sewage from boats, promoting cleaner waterways.

This funding opportunity supports conservation projects in the Appalachian region that protect wildlife habitats and enhance ecological connectivity, targeting community organizations, municipalities, and tribal nations.

This program provides funding to publicly owned wastewater treatment plants to upgrade their systems for better nitrogen removal, improving water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to state and local governments, tribal organizations, and nonprofits for projects aimed at managing and controlling invasive and noxious plant species on public lands across the U.S.

This grant provides funding for non-federal partners to model oyster larval transport and hydrodynamics in Herring Bay, Maryland, to support ecological restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay.

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.

The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Grant Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) in partnership with the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, offers approximately $500,000 in federal funds from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). This program is designed to provide comprehensive, collaborative, and community-based approaches to reducing violent crime by employing a full range of appropriate violent crime reduction strategies. As the State Administrative Agency, DCJS is responsible for managing the coordination and distribution of these funds to support and improve Virginia's overall criminal justice system. The overarching goal of this initiative is to reduce violent crime and promote safe communities across the Eastern District of Virginia. This is primarily achieved through the reduction of gun violence and gang activity, with a specific focus on areas that have experienced increased rates of violent crime and gang-related incidents. The program targets local and state law enforcement agencies, local and state governmental entities, educational institutions, and 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations located in or serving the Eastern District of Virginia. Funding preference will be given to three regions most impacted by violent crime: Richmond, Newport News, and Norfolk, though other cities in the Eastern District with high violent crime rates will also be considered. The program prioritizes several key funding areas. These include Group Violence Intervention (GVI) strategies, which promote prevention and intervention through partnerships between law enforcement, local government, and the community. GVI involves community members delivering moral messages against violence, law enforcement issuing warnings about consequences, and support providers offering help. Another priority is Gun and Gang Crime Investigation/Suppression, focusing on programs and task forces that target perpetrators of gun and gang-related crimes, including illegal firearm possession, illegal gun sales, and gang-benefitting crimes, with an emphasis on multiagency cooperation. Additional funding priorities encompass Firearms Analysis programs, which aim to enhance and support state and local law enforcement agencies in analyzing firearms and ballistic evidence, including NIBIN analysis and firearm tracing. Lastly, Prevention and Reentry Programs are crucial, dedicated to violent crime prevention, identifying high-risk individuals through educational, faith-based, community-oriented, and outreach efforts, and supporting the successful reentry of offenders through housing, educational, and vocational partnerships. While these priorities guide funding decisions, innovative, evidence-based projects outside these specific areas that are aimed at reducing firearm and gang violence will also be considered. Grants are typically awarded for a 12-month period, with a possibility of a 24-month period depending on the specified need in the application.

The Healthy Environment, Healthy Communities Grant Program is a funding initiative by the Chesapeake Bay Trust that supports projects by various organizations to address environmental and public health issues through education, small-scale greening, and large-scale restoration in specific areas affected by wastewater treatment plants and energy companies.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Chesapeake & Coastal Service (CCS) offers grants to support the sustainable development and use of Maryland waterways. Funded by the Waterway Improvement Fund (WIF), the program supports projects that improve and promote the recreational and commercial capabilities, conditions, and safety of Maryland’s waterways. Eligible applicants, including county, town, or city governments and state or federal agencies, can apply for projects such as constructing or maintaining public boating facilities, dredging channels, and purchasing fire/rescue vessels. Applications are due by September 18, 2024, with funding available starting July 1, 2025.

This funding opportunity supports conservation projects that provide employment and training for young adults and veterans, helping them gain experience in environmental stewardship and resource management on public lands.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that develop innovative resources and services to help adults in the middle or late stages of their careers with reskilling, upskilling, and career navigation, particularly those who are unemployed or underemployed.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to state and local governments in Maryland for outdoor recreation projects, including land acquisition and the development or renovation of recreational facilities.

The Anne Arundel County Government and Chesapeake Bay Trust have partnered to fund forestry projects and land protection in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. This grant program, with a deadline of August 1, 2024, offers grants ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 for a duration of two years. The overarching goal is to implement cost-effective reforestation and greening initiatives while increasing protected forested land. This aligns with the Chesapeake Bay Trust's mission of restoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay, as increasing tree cover and green areas directly contribute to improved water and soil quality, reduced erosion, and filtered airborne pollutants, all of which benefit the health of the Bay watershed. The program targets areas within Anne Arundel County, excluding the City of Annapolis. The primary beneficiaries are the residents and the natural environment of Anne Arundel County, as the projects aim to improve air and water quality, mitigate erosion, reduce summer temperatures and ozone pollution, and ensure valuable ecological services like habitat, water quality, and flood control for the future. The desired impact is a healthier, more sustainable environment through increased tree cover and protected forested lands. The program prioritizes reforestation/afforestation of protected lands, permanent protection of forested lands, and reforestation/afforestation and protection of uneased and unforested lands. Track 1 focuses on projects providing ecological benefits through riparian buffers, contiguous forest tracts, and wildlife habitat. Track 2 supports acquiring, executing, recording, and monitoring permanent conservation easements to protect existing tree canopy, particularly ecologically valuable sites. Track 3 allows for reforestation/afforestation on unprotected land, contingent on placing a permanent conservation easement, deed restriction, or long-term protective agreement. Expected outcomes include a measurable increase in acres of reforested and protected forested land within Anne Arundel County. By expanding tree cover, the program anticipates a reduction in erosion, an improvement in water and soil quality, and a decrease in airborne pollutants such as particulates, nitrogen oxide, and carbon monoxide. Additionally, the initiative is expected to lower summer temperatures, thereby reducing ozone pollution and energy consumption. The protection of forested lands will ensure long-term ecological services like wildlife habitat, sustained water quality, and effective flood control, contributing to the overall resilience and environmental health of the county.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Maryland schools, nonprofits, and community organizations to enhance environmental education and engage students in hands-on learning experiences that promote environmental stewardship.

This grant provides funding for community organizations and local governments to engage in environmental outreach, education, and restoration projects aimed at improving water quality and ecological health in the Jones Falls watershed of Maryland.

This funding program provides financial support to community-based organizations that empower youth aged 12 to 20 through established, youth-led urban greening initiatives focused on social and environmental justice in select states.

The City of Greenbelt's ARPA Nonprofit Recovery Grant offers a one-time funding opportunity for eligible nonprofit organizations to address negative impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This grant, made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation, aims to support the continuity of operations and critical services provided by Greenbelt-serving nonprofits. While the description doesn't explicitly state a "foundation mission" or "theory of change," the grant's objective to aid nonprofits in their recovery aligns with a broader community resilience and support strategy in the wake of the pandemic. The primary target beneficiaries of this grant are Greenbelt residents, with a specific focus on marginalized members of the community and those served by programs in areas like education, science, human rights, veteran support, community development, arts & culture, youth development, senior support, natural resources, racial equity, and human services. The impact goals are to restore and sustain vital nonprofit services, address revenue reductions and operating expenses, and ultimately help the Greenbelt community recover from the pandemic's economic and social challenges. Priority for funding will be given to programs that advance education and science, serve the underprivileged, defend human and civil rights, benefit veterans, combat community deterioration, promote arts & culture, address youth development needs, support seniors/aging in place, conserve natural resources, advance racial equity & justice, and provide human services to marginalized community members. Eligible uses of funds are broad, including programming, events for Greenbelt residents, broadband infrastructure, rental and utility assistance, equipment purchase, digital advertising, technology, contracted services, insurance, program expenses, supplies, COVID-19 related expenses, and payroll assistance. While specific measurable results are not detailed in the grant description, the expected outcomes include the sustained operation of critical nonprofit programs, the ability of organizations to address revenue shortfalls and increased expenses due to COVID-19, and the continued provision of essential services to Greenbelt residents, particularly in the priority areas. The overall strategic priority is to leverage ARPA funds to ensure the stability and effectiveness of the nonprofit sector in Greenbelt as it continues to navigate and recover from the pandemic's repercussions.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to U.S. states, territories, and eligible Indian tribes for implementing approved plans to prevent and manage invasive aquatic species.

This program provides funding to various organizations and community groups in Maryland to plant and maintain trees, improving urban environments and combating climate change.