Watch the video below to learn about the Chesapeake Bay Trust, our programs and opportunities, and the application process for applying for a grant or other award opportunity.

Watch the video below to learn how to successfully manage an award. This video provides an overview of the major steps, milestones, requirements, and resources for the award process. We will review what happens after an awardee receives an award agreement, including the major elements of the award agreement and our online award management system.

For guidance on obtaining cost-effective and realistic budget values for an application and/or award with a restoration focus click here.

Why do we need a Certificate of Clean Hands?

D.C. Code § 47-2862 – The District of Columbia’s “Clean Hands” Mandate stipulates that individuals and businesses are to be denied City goods or services (e.g. licenses, permits, grants, contracts) if there is a debt owed to the District of Columbia of more than $100.00 for fees, fines, taxes, or penalties; and/or the taxpayer has failed to file required District returns.

Helpful Links

• Obtain a Certificate of Clean Hands at MyTax.DC.Gov
• View the Certificate of Clean Hands Brochure
• Click here to view an example of a Certificate of Clean Hands

Webinars 

• “Clean Hands Certificate Program Overview for Small Businesses“ video from the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD)
• “OTR Certificate of Clean Hands Webinar August 2020“ from the DC Office of Tax and Revenue 

Important Information & Tips

• The DC Certificate of Clean Hands is FREE
• Check your clean hands status at least every 90 if not every 30 days.
• If you are not able to produce a Certificate of Clean Hands in time for your application to a DC DOEE Small and Accessible Sustainability Award Program (Ditch the Disposables, Donation and Reuse, or Urban Agriculture), provide evidence of application and acknowledgement you are working to clear any issues.

Organizational Capacity Building Resources:

• The Core Capacity Assessment Tool (CCAT) – The CCAT is a leading tool for measuring a nonprofit’s organizational effectiveness in relation to four core capacities – leadership, adaptability, management, and technical – as well as organizational culture.
• The Society for Organizational Learning’s Five Disciplines for Building Learning Organizations

Network Building Resources:

• The Innovation Network for Communities provides network building materials to accelerate and deepen systems level change.

Chesapeake Bay Funders Network Expanding the Circle:

• The Capacity Building Initiative Lessons Learned Report summarizes the Capacity Building Pilot Program. This program was started in 2015 by the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network and the Chesapeake Bay Trust. Included in this report are summaries of each project, lessons learned, and recommendation for both watershed organization and funders.

In May 2017, the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network, and the Choose Clean Water Coalition launched a significant, collaborative initiative to assess the state of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) among organizations working on environmental issues in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and to develop a DEIJ Guide with recommendations for how organizations working on environmental issues and the funders who support them, can increase DEIJ within their organizations. This effort represented the first assessment effort of its kind within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed restoration community. The impetus for launching this initiative grew out of several DEIJ efforts already being led by these three organizations to address a recognized lack of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in our environmental community, and a desire to assess the readiness of their grantees and member organizations to advance DEIJ.

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Guide – DEIJ in Action
• DEIJ in Action Appendix

Watch the District of Columbia Ditch the Disposables Workshop Recording

Watch the District of Columbia Grant Writing and Application Workshop

Foodware Aware Purchasing Guide – This was made for San Mateo County, CA so not all information is applicable, but several tabs have options for retailers.

ReThink Disposable – Reusable Food Serviceware Guide

Dishwasher Permit Application Instructions

Dishwasher Resources for Grantees

Ditch the Disposables General Information Brochure

Q&A

Variance Application Instructions

The Trust does not endorse any reusable businesses. While this is not an exhaustive list, the following are organizations that provide reusables in the District of Columbia.

• Go Box – though located in Portland, this organization is interested in working with food serving entities in the district who are in need of a third-party takeout program.
• Paradigm To Go – while this organization currently serves Takoma Park, MD, they are looking to expand around the D.C. metro area and could be a potential partner for restaurants in D.C. interested in a third-party takeout program.
• Rendered – sells reusable utensil packs to businesses in and outside of D.C. At the end of its lifecycle as a reusable product they can be composted.

Watch the Donation and Reuse Award Program Information Session Recording

Watch the District of Columbia Application and Grant Writing Workshop Recording

Chesapeake Bay Program – Bay Backpack: for Bay-wide teacher resources, field studies, professional development opportunities, and additional funding opportunities.

An Educator’s Guide to the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE)

MWEE Guide Tools:

• MWEE Think Cloud – For those just getting started.
• Environmental Literacy Model (ELM) Planning Document – For those designing a MWEE.
• MWEE Audit – For those evaluating the strength of their MWEE.
• Developing Driving & Supporting Questions
• Incorporating Outdoor Field Experiences
• Moving from Claims to Informed Action

MWEE 101 Online Course:

• Partners from the Chesapeake Bay Program Education Workgroup developed an online course to provide in-depth understanding of the MWEE for both formal and non-formal educators. The course is a free resource that comprises of 3 lessons: Why MWEEs?, What Makes a MWEE?, and Planning & Evaluating MWEEs. Throughout the course participants will gain an extensive understanding of the essential elements and supporting practices by following a series of case study videos and looking at examples of completed planning and implementation tools.
• The course may be used to support professional development in a number of ways: First, as a stand-alone resource for educators to reference as they learn about and build MWEEs. Second, the course is offered for continuing education credits in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Third, the course can be used to support in-person professional development by providing information to participants before, during, and after workshops. This model will allow more time during in-person trainings to be spent on modeling best practices for outdoor field experiences and working with educators to plan their MWEEs.
• Check out the MWEE 101 Online Course today!

Lessons and Action Project Resources:

• School Grounds for Learning: for educators and students interested in effectively designing, enhancing, using, and sustaining environmental projects on school grounds.
• Stormwater Management Lesson Plans for Grades 3-12: Green Infrastructure as Outdoor Environmental Laboratories (developed by University of Maryland; funded by EPA)

Field Experiences & Provider Resources:

• Regional:
  • Find Your Chesapeake: Find a field site near you.
  • Bay Backpack Field Studies/Trips: Find a program near you.
• Maryland:
  • Environmental Resource Directory: Find environmental education providers, experts in the field, and other resources.
  • Maryland Public Lands: Find a state park or research reserve near you.

Other:

• MD Department of Natural Resources – Partnership for Children in Nature
• Maryland State Department of Education: for Maryland’s science standards.
• Maryland Association of Environmental & Outdoor Education (MAEOE): for resources and information on becoming a Maryland Green School.
• North American Association of Environmental Education

McKenzie-Mohr, D., Lee, N., Schultz, W., & Kotler, P. (2011). Social Marketing to Protect the Environment: What works. Sage. Link on Amazon: http://amzn.com/1412991293

Gardner, G. T. & Stern, P.C. (2002). Environmental Problems and Human Behavior (2nd Edition). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Cialdini, Robert. (2007). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Harper.

Andreasen, Alan (1995). Marketing Social Change: Changing Behavior to Promote Health, Social Development, and the Environment. Josey Bass.

CBSM Case Study Webinars: www.webinars.cullbridge.com

Tools of Change website: www.toolsofchange.com

The Green Stormwater Infrastructure siMple Pollutant Load reduction Estimator was developed to help Chesapeake Bay communities more easily and consistently estimate the water quality benefits of proposed stormwater retrofit and community greening projects. The tool is an easy-to-use spreadsheet that is consistent with the pollutant loading rates and load reduction efficiencies used in the Chesapeake Bay Model. It allows users to estimate pollutant load reductions from individual projects as well as to compare a suite of candidate projects based on factors such as cost-effectiveness, pollutant load reduction, maintenance burden, and constructability.

About Living Shorelines:

• NOAA Fisheries Living Shorelines Overview
• Why a living shoreline? (Virginia Institute of Marine Science): http://ccrm.vims.edu/livingshorelines/
• Advantages of Living Shorelines: http://dnr.maryland.gov/ccs/Documents/ls_Advantages_Limitations.pdf
• Proceedings from the 2006 Living Shorelines Summit
• Chesapeake Bay Program Recommendations of the Expert Panel to Define Removal Rates for Shoreline Management Projects: http://www.chesapeakebay.net/documents/Shoreline_Management_Protocols_Final_Approved_07132015-WQGIT-approved.pdf

Tools and Resources for Living Shoreline Design and Implementation:

• NOAA Shoreline Management Technical Assistance Toolbox
• Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Living Shorelines
  • DNR’s Living Shorelines: a Guide for Waterfront Property Owners: dnr2.maryland.gov/ccs/Documents/ls/LivingShorelines.pdf
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation Living Shorelines for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Guide
• Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Permitting Steps
• Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Center for Coastal Resources Management
  • Coastal Management Decision Tool
  • Design and Construction
  • Permitting Steps
• North Carolina Coastal Federation Living Shorelines

Project Examples:

• Virginia Center for Coastal Resources Management Resources Living Shoreline Photo Gallery: http://ccrm.vims.edu/livingshorelines/photo_gallery/index.html
• Living Shorelines at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum: https://jefpat.maryland.gov/Pages/education/living-shorelines.aspx
• Recent CBT-funded Living Shoreline Projects: UNDER DEVELOPMENT – check back soon!

Ensuring the Practices Function Properly

A key component to stormwater management is ensuring that the practices installed work as intended and are maintained properly after installation. The Chesapeake Stormwater Network (CSN) provides a variety of resources on the inspection and maintenance of stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs). A few of these resources are listed below.

• This technical bulletin outlines a visual indicators approach for constructing, inspecting, maintaining, and verifying the practice. (This resource can also be viewed in this webcast recording).
• This Homeowner BMP guide was created for homeowners and presents a step by step approach for analyzing your property to determine the appropriate practices to install and designing and installing your practice.
• This video provides information on stormwater BMP maintenance. Construction and inspection videos can be found here.
•  All CSN BMP resources can be found on their Resources page.

Maintenance Plan Template

• Best Management Practice (BMP) Maintenance Template – A downloadable Word maintenance template from the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional “Sustainable Landscape Maintenance Manual for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.”

• 3M
• Alice Ferguson Foundation
• American Floral Endowment
• Captain Planet Foundation
• Enhancing Student Mathematics Learning through the Use of Tools & Technology Grants
• EPA
• Keep Maryland Beautiful Grant Programs
• Kids in Need Foundation
• Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant Program
• Maryland’s Aquatic Resources Education (ARE) Grants Program
• Maryland Public School Opportunities Grant Program
• Maryland Recreational Trail Program
• North American Association for Environmental Education
• Project Learning Tree
• Target Field Trip Grants
• Toshiba America
• Tree Fund
• Unity Gardens
• Walmart Foundation
• Youth Changing the World

In order to help you plan your behavior change project and ensure it is based on best practices you are encouraged to access the Outreach resources we have identified below:

• Behavior Change Case Study Database 
  The Chesapeake Outreach Campaign database is an open collection of outreach campaigns focused on changing behaviors or practices of target audiences that reduce their impact on the local environment. This site exists to assist anyone interested in helping others do their part by sharing lessons learned, best practices, transferable materials, techniques and ideas that ensure your effort to change behavior is as successful as possible. Whether you are a concerned resident, a behavior change specialist, or a practitioner looking to increase the adoption of environmentally responsible behaviors there is something for you in this resource.
• Rapid Assessment for Outreach Programs Fostering Environmentally Responsible Behaviors
  This document is designed to assist organizations with assessing whether elements of their environmental behavior change programs are being used to their full potential. Program elements are summarized into one-page assessments, including questions about the use of a particular program element, based on what research shows is most effective. These questions serve to prompt the assessor in examining how a program is currently utilizing the element and ways use of the element could be improved.
• Strategies for Motivating Watershed Stewardship: A Guide to Research-Based Practices
  Despite the fact that Chesapeake Bay Watershed residents are generally concerned about the Bay’s health, they continue to behave in ways harmful to the Bay and its local waters (McClafferty, 2001; Raabe. 2011). This document describes a variety of strategies that environmental outreach programs can utilize to foster environmentally responsible behaviors (ERB). In particular, Chesapeake Bay Watershed organizations can use this document to help inform the design and implementation of outreach programs.

Native Plants

• The Chesapeake Bay Trust Native Plant Species Selection Guide – A downloadable PDF guide that walks through the importance of using native plants, when and how to use them in projects, and other resources available to find and purchase native plants in the Chesapeake Bay region.
• The Chesapeake Bay Native Plant Center – Search for native plants based on region, plant type, sun exposure, soil texture, soil moisture, and more.
  • A downloadable PDF version is also available. USFWS Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping Chesapeake Bay Watershed
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
  • Native Plants Database for North America
  • National Suppliers Directory – Find businesses that sell native plants or seeds and provide professional landscape or consulting services. Search by zip code to find local businesses near you.
• Montgomery County has a Rainscapes tool which calculates the minimum recommended number of trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcover plants, plus the recommended amount of compost and mulch needed for a successful planting project.
• USDA Plants Database

Pollinators

• Pollinator Partnership Ecoregional plant guides
  • Outer Coastal Plain Mixed Province 
  • Eastern Broadleaf Forest Oceanic Province

Mapping and Site Selection

• Water Resources Registry (WRR) – An interactive mapping for grantees to build their own site maps for project submission, for Trust staff to research sites, and for Trust staff and partners to share site visits and site information, etc. The latest mapping layers for MD are available and easily added, viewed, used to select restoration or protection, and exported to pdf.
• MD iMAP – Maryland’s mapping and GIS data portal. This data is also included in the WRR.

Sea Level Rise Mapping tools

• Research a site to include things such as inundation at a level such as the 1 foot level and additional aspects such as social vulnerability, SAV, past shoreline, land use, etc.)
  • MD DNR’s coastal atlas that shows areas that are prone to flooding: https://gisapps.dnr.state.md.us/coastalatlas/WAB2/
  • NOAA Digital Coast tools: https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/slr.html

MD Trust Fund Project Sites

• https://dnr.maryland.gov/streams/Pages/trustfund.aspx

These links can provide direction and guidance when creating project signage:

• DogTooth Design
• RainScaping
• Water Words That Work, LLC

Examples from other projects may provide a good starting point as you develop interpretive signage.  You can use others’ work to guide your decisions on wording, graphics, and type of signage. To prolong the life of the sign, check with the signage company to see if the sign image can be printed on both sides of the panel. Click on each image to view a larger version.

Bioswales, Buffers, Eco Tours, Green Streets

Living Shorelines

Rain Barrels & Cisterns

Rain Gardens, Conservation Landscapes, Native Plants

Stream Restoration, Trash Trap, Tree Planting

Wetlands and Other

The Trust does not endorse any signage companies. While this is not an exhaustive list, the following are companies that provide signage to the Chesapeake Bay region.

• Aluma Photo-Plate Co.
• Carlson Graphics
• Creative Signage Systems
• David Arthur
• EnviroSigns
• Fast Signs
• Interpretive Graphics
• Joanne Shipley Graphic Design
• Landmark Impressions
• Pannier
• Signarama
• Signs by Tomorrow
• Voss Signs

Watch the Urban Agriculture Information Session Recording

Watch the District of Columbia Application and Grant Writing Workshop Recording

Trees play a major role in creating healthy urban ecosystems. Therefore, selecting suitable tree species maximizes survivorship. As a guide, The University of Maryland Extension Burghardt Lab Tree List was developed as a resource to help groups choose the best trees for specific urban planting sites. The tool includes a robust list of native tree species and information about their unique characteristics that help them adapt and thrive.

• Click here to view

Applicants applying to the Urban Trees Grant Program interested in nursery and landscape service providers by county can use the link below.  Applicants are not required to use the provided services.

• Click here to view

RFQ (Request for Qualifications) 

The following companies can provide technical and tree-planting services to community groups applying to the Urban Trees Grant Program. These companies can help provide applicants and grantees with streamlined support in several areas as related to their tree planting efforts.

• CITYGREEN
• Design with Nature, LLC
• Ecotone, LLC
• Howard EcoWorks
• Live Green Landscape Associates, LLC

RFI (Request for Information)

The following companies can provide applicants and grantees with access to information on tree prices and species to prepare project budgets and access tree stock at predictable prices. These resources can ensure that there will be enough native tree stock, with ultimately a broader range of species than that currently available, for the Trust’s grantees to access.

• Abby Farms
• American Native Plants
• Ecotone, LLC
• Green Landing Nursery
• Hort, Inc
• Kollar Tree Nursery
• Schott Nurseries, LLC
• Unity Church Hill Nurseries, LLC