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 Clean Water Montgomery Grant Program funds public outreach and stewardship projects, community-based restoration water quality implementation projects, tree planting and reforestation 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: Non-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) status or other status (e.g. 501(c)(4)) for non-profit organizations, such as local watershed groups, faith-based organizations, service and civic groups, and more.

How much can be awarded: Requests will generally not exceed $40,000 for knowledge change and $60,000 for behavior change efforts as part of the Public Outreach and Stewardship (Type 1) projects, $100,000 for Community Based Restoration Implementation (Type 2) projects, and $50,000 for Litter Reduction Projects in the Anacostia River Watershed (Type 4) projects.

New this year: Tree Planting and Reforestation projects (Type 3) will generally be supported at $100,000. This track is designed to support the increase of tree canopy in the County. Improving tree quantity and quality is a cost-effective way to improve the health of local waterways, strengthen the health of the Chesapeake Bay, provide urban wildlife habitat, help mitigate flooding issues in certain cases, and stimulate local green jobs markets and enable families to work where they live and play. Tree planting and reforestation projects in BIPOC communities and/or partnering with BIPOC led businesses, organizations, HOAs and/or faith-based institutions are highly encouraged.

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.