Bidder Opportunities

Request for Proposals: CBO-CBI Restoration

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to select contractors to support the Community-Based Organization Capacity Building Initiative (CBO-CBI) as either a Connector Group contractor (Track 1), a Technical Assistance Provider (Track 2), or a contractor capable of serving both roles (Tracks 1 and 2).

The goal of the CBO-CBI is to identify and engage community-based organizations (CBOs) that have project needs and potential sites for watershed restoration but would benefit from additional capacity to pursue and manage watershed restoration-focused grant funding, particularly through programs where technical assistance is limited. Connector Group contractors will identify, reach, and engage eligible CBOs, while Technical Assistance Providers will work with those organizations to strengthen their grant development and support the submission of robust, competitive applications. Contractors serving both roles may provide this support directly. Connector Group and Technical Assistance contractors will coordinate their outreach and engagement activities by geographic region, based on each partner’s capacity, expertise, and preferred area of work.

Through this initiative, participating CBOs can build their capacity to identify, pursue, and successfully manage funding opportunities for watershed restoration projects. CBOs will gain knowledge of available funding sources, develop stronger grant applications, improve grant management and reporting skills, and increase their ability to plan, initiate, and lead future restoration efforts. In the short term, the CBO-CBI aims to increase the number and competitiveness of applications from organizations with demonstrated watershed restoration needs but limited capacity to pursue funding. Over time, these efforts will expand community capacity to implement restoration projects that improve water quality by reducing nitrogen pollution and other sources of nutrient runoff within local watersheds.

The funding partners and the Trust are particularly interested in engaging organizations in the Eastern, Southern, and Central Maryland regions to promote broad geographic representation and necessary access to technical assistance and funding opportunities. Eligible CBOs must be located within a Most Effective Basin (MEB) in the Chesapeake Bay watershed portion of Maryland, ensuring that investments are directed to areas where restoration activities can achieve the greatest water quality benefits.

Connector Group Opportunity:

Connector Groups will identify and engage community-based organizations (CBOs) that would benefit from additional support to pursue watershed restoration-focused grant opportunities. Connector Groups will conduct prioritized outreach within their selected region and networks to identify eligible organizations with appropriate missions, community needs, and potential projects.

Connector Groups will coordinate with Technical Assistance Providers to ensure that organizations are appropriately referred to for Technical Assistance, and that outreach, engagement, and technical assistance activities are complementary.

Technical Assistance Opportunity:

The second type of partner organization will have significant experience with green infrastructure design, engineering, and grant proposal writing. Technical Assistants will coordinate with the groups that Connectors engage and work with these community-based organizations (CBOs) to provide tailored support throughout the grant application process for programs such as WAGP, OR, RtR, and SWG (or others as pre-approved by the Trust and partners at DNR).

Deadline: Thursday, October 15th at 4:00PM

This opportunity is currently OPEN.

To view the full Request for Proposals (RFP), click here.

Proposals must be submitted through the Trust’s online application system linked below.