The Montgomery County Government and the Chesapeake Bay Trust announce a grant program to support watershed restoration and outreach projects throughout Montgomery County. This program aims to promote initiatives and projects which will improve water quality in Montgomery County’s local streams and waterways through public engagement, education, and on-the-ground restoration.

What this funds: The Montgomery County Watershed Restoration and Outreach Grant Program funds public outreach and stewardship projects, community-based restoration water quality implementation projects, and litter reduction projects in the Anacostia River Watershed. Projects should educate and engage residents in watershed improvement while achieving measurable impacts and sustainable behavior change. Creative and innovative proposals are encouraged. Together, these efforts will restore and protect the local rivers and streams of Montgomery County.

Who can apply: Any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization such as local watershed groups, faith-based organizations, service and civic groups, and more.

How much can be awarded: Up to $30,000 for Public Outreach and Stewardship projects (Track 1) and up to $100,000 for Community Based Restoration (Track 2) projects.

New this year: Up to $50,000 for Litter Reduction in the Anacostia River Watershed projects (Track 3) projects. This track is meant to broaden the people and groups involved in the solutions to reduce litter in the Anacostia River Watershed. Projects must have a defined goal and process that leads to the eventual successful implementation of efforts that reduce litter entering the Anacostia Watershed and/or innovative techniques to influence positive behavior change to reduce littering behavior.

Implementation project location: Montgomery County, Maryland outside the municipalities of Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Takoma Park.

Is match required? Match is encouraged but is not required other than for permeable paver installation. For permeable paver installation projects, the budget should include a 20% match from the property owner or entity receiving the permeable paver installation, which may or may not be the applicant organization. Preference will be given to projects with match and/or in-kind services.

Additional term and condition, if awarded: In cases where the awardee fails to submit a status report or final report by the due date, the Trust reserves the right to terminate the award agreement and require a refund of funds already transferred to the awardee. When the project is complete, awardees are required to complete final reports that include submission of all receipts for supplies, invoices for subcontractors/contractors, and copies of timesheets for personnel time used (timesheets must include date, name, time worked per day, and coding to tie the time worked to the award). All financial back-up documentation will be grouped and numbered to correspond to the budget line item reported as spent. Organizations with outstanding final, progress, or status reports will not be awarded additional grants. When the project is complete, awardees are required to submit all final products and final reports, including submission of all receipts, copies of timesheets, and contractor invoices.