- Program and Partnerships Overview
- Baltimore City Department of Public Works
- Charles County
- City of Gaithersburg
- Harford County
- Howard County
- City of Salisbury
The Chesapeake Bay Trust is proud to partner with the City of Baltimore Department of Public Works, Charles County, Harford County, Howard County, the City of Gaithersburg, and the City of Salisbury to offer the Outreach and Restoration Grant Program. This grant program encourages outreach and community engagement activities that increase stewardship ethic of natural resources and on-the-ground restoration activities that demonstrate restoration techniques and engage Maryland citizens in the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers. This grant program funds projects in partner areas as well as throughout Maryland.
By The Numbers
6,825,176
Awarded Amount
8,766,962
Matching Leverage Funds
15,592,138
Total Impact
207
Awarded Projects
44,609
Community Members Engaged
33,119
Trees Planted
84,116
People with Increased Knowledge
102,816
Sq. Ft. of Rain Gardens Installed
Overview
In 2014, the City of Baltimore, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chesapeake Bay Trust (Trust) offered a unique opportunity for the transformation of Baltimore City vacant lots. With the Growing Green Design Competition: Vacant Lots Transformed, teams of community groups and designers created greening projects for vacant land in their communities for beautification and reduction and treatment of stormwater runoff. Since 2015, Baltimore City Department of Public Works has continued to partner with the Trust through the Outreach and Restoration grant program to engage a diverse range of organizations, both with community-related missions and environmental-focused missions, to facilitate projects that reduce polluted runoff, increase water quality, and enhance communities.
Project Highlights
“Under this Outreach and Restoration grant, Civic Works built a strong foundation for its new stormwater management training track and will further expand and continue the operation of the training program.”
- Civic Works
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Pathways Out of Poverty through Comprehensive Stormwater Training
Award Amount: $30,000
Civic Works’ Baltimore Center for Green Careers delivered comprehensive, certification-based occupational and essential skills training in stormwater management to one pilot cohort of 8 underserved Baltimore City residents facing significant barriers to employment over 12 months. The training combined classroom instruction with hands-on practicum, and on-the-job training on real worksites. This Outreach project engaged Baltimore residents from underserved communities of color in green infrastructure solutions for restoring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
“The curiosity generated by the installation and the gradual acceptance and building excitement about the creative techniques for managing storm water have been rewarding and support our own notion that building this was a good thing to do. The fact that many of techniques and plant choices will work in a smaller, residential property, gave people the knowledge and inspiration to try it on their own.”
- Cylburn Arboretum Association
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Construction of stormwater facilities and outreach program at Cylburn Arboretum
Award Amount: $61,650
This project at Cylburn Arboretum had three components: (1) collection, direction and treatment of storm water discharged from the roof of the Cylburn Mansion into new rain gardens; (2) treatment of storm water in an adjacent wooded area known as Moudry Woods, where new berms will slow the storm water and improve the infiltration capacity of the soils, reducing erosion and run-off; and (3) outreach and education to inform people attending three workshop programs about how to identify storm water issues and develop “best practices” to manage it on their own properties, reducing runoff and erosion.
By The Numbers
21
Awarded Projects
987,753
Awarded Amount
1,834
Volunteers
199
Workshops
640
Trees Planted
12,798
Native Plants Installed
22,624
Sq. Ft. of Impervious Surface Removed
Overview
In 2015, Charles County and the Chesapeake Bay Trust (Trust) began a partnership to fund projects in the County through the Outreach and Restoration Grant Program. Through this program, this partnership funds projects such as the planning, design, and construction of stormwater management practices, stream and wetland restoration, and public education and outreach that will ultimately improve water quality in Charles County communities and/or increase citizen awareness and involvement in watershed protection efforts. Funds are provided by the Charles County Department of Planning and Growth Management through the Charles County Watershed Protection and Restoration Program. Charles County is committed to bettering the health and well-being of County residents by investing back into the communities it serves. The Trust also partners with the County on the Charles County Forestry Grant Program.
Project Highlights
“One of the best lessons of this project was the first-hand experience of going through the BMP implementation process as the actual steward of the land, not just as the resource planners and technical designers.”
-Charles Soil Conservation District
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Charles County Agriculture and Environmental Service Center Conservation & Education BMP Designs
Organization: Charles Soil Conservation District
Award Amount: $4,800
This project enabled the planting of over 1,000 native pollinator-friendly plants and the installation of practices such as rain gardens and grassed waterways on the property of the Agricultural and Environmental Service Center. The installations will help treat the impervious surface on the property, reduce the amount of soil loss, phosphorus, and nitrogen released into the Zekiah Swamp Run Watershed. The project also engaged students and coaches in trainings, during which they were taught about the ecological benefits that the installed practices offer. Beyond the beneficial reduction in soil loss and nutrient run-off and attraction of native pollinators achieved by the implementation of this project, the high volume of visitors to this property provides the unique opportunity to continue to educate and engage.
“Our greatest successes were the families who expressed thanks and appreciation for being able to experience something for the first time.”
-United Way of Charles County
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Watershed Discovery and Exploration for Low-Income Families in Charles County
Award Amount: $25,038
Through a widely collaborative effort, 84 residents of underserved communities were able to access a day of education and engage in an opportunity to experience their watershed. United Way of Charles County partnered with numerous community-based organizations to design and implement a program that would introduce residents to their local watersheds and remove all barriers of access. For qualifying families, this project provided program costs, transportation, food, and resources to assist their efforts to practice environmental stewardship. A day in the program consisted of receiving education about the watershed, followed by a watercraft experience either by kayaks in Indian Head or by canoes in Piscataway Park. After the watercraft portion of the day, the groups debriefed and ended the day with a litter cleanup of the area.
By The Numbers
12
Awarded Projects
179,000
Awarded Amount
3,000
Community members engaged
1,000
Native Plants and Trees Planted
2,500
Sq. Ft. of Rain Gardens Installed
Overview
In 2015, the City of Gaithersburg and the Chesapeake Bay Trust (Trust) began a partnership to fund projects in the City through the Outreach and Restoration Grant Program. Through this program, this partnership funds projects such as the implementation of stormwater management practices and public education and outreach to improve water quality in City of Gaithersburg communities and increase citizen awareness and involvement in environmental stewardship. Funds are provided by the City of Gaithersburg Department of Public Works Stormwater Program Fund. The City is committed to bettering the health and well-being of City residents and local natural resources by investing back into the communities it serves.
Project Highlights
“It takes team work...the City of Gaithersburg and the Chesapeake Bay Trust were very helpful. The green roof has grown since its installation, the conservation garden is growing and thriving and providing a winter habitat for wildlife.”
-Muddy Branch Alliance
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Installation of a Green Roof and Cistern for Epworth United Methodist Church
Award Amount: $45,000
Muddy Branch Alliance worked with Epworth United Methodist Church to install restoration practices on the church property and engage the community. An extensive green roof and 530-gallon cistern were installed, which will reduce the amount of stormwater runoff that flows off the property. The water captured by the cistern will be used for irrigation of the onsite vegetable garden and flowers in the conservation garden. The church plans to use the installed practices as part of their youth education, which will emphasize the connection between stormwater management and community health. Educational signage was also installed, which will continue to provide education and outreach for future visitors and members of the church.
“[Participants] valued the space created for sharing ideas, hearing what others have done or are thinking about doing, and receiving encouragement for their own steps forward.”
-Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake
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Faith Partners for Clean Watersheds
Award Amount: $38,454
Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake (IPC) works with faith-based organizations to merge the worlds of faith with environmental stewardship. For this project, IPC offered members of congregations in Gaithersburg several engaging activities, such as nature walks and Action Planning workshops. The nature walk followed a segment of the Muddy Branch within Malcolm King Park, Gaithersburg. Through this activity, members of congregations gained knowledge about watershed issues, rooted their learning in the faith context, and learned about tangible solutions for watershed restoration. An Action Planning workshop was offered to develop a plan of action in response to the call to stewardship, which offered members clear steps forward to assist them in developing a plan for their congregation to take on a project.
By The Numbers
7
Awarded Projects
228,000
Awarded Amount
800
Community Members Engaged
5,000
Native Plants and Trees Planted
14,000
Sq. Ft. of Impervious Surface Treated
Overview
In 2017, the partnership between the Chesapeake Bay Trust and Harford County Department of Public Works began and grew out of a mutual desire to protect and restore natural resources in Harford County. The funding partners believe in investing in community projects that soak up stormwater and educate residents about environmental issues. As such, Harford County government allocates funding from their general funds to support knowledge-building and restoration projects through the Outreach and Restoration grant program.
Project Highlights
“The greatest success of this project was the ability to collaborate with the City, County, Maryland DNR, and contractors. This was a terrific opportunity for everyone to work together for the betterment of the Chesapeake Bay.”
- Havre de Grace Maritime Museum
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Havre de Grace Living Shoreline Restoration and Storm Water Management
Award Amount: $35,508
This project created a riparian buffer along 600 feet of cove and tidal shoreline and a pilot storm water management initiative for rain barrel workshops, where 75 barrels for were provided for residents. The riparian buffer installation included clearing of trash/debris; controlling invasive plants; planting indigenous bushes and low-growing trees; and educational signage installation.
“...congregation members value the opportunity to come together and learn from each other. This may, in fact, be one of the best ways to spur action”
- Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake
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One Water Partnership
Award Amount: $17,000
Through the One Water Partnership program, Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake worked to cultivate congregations in Harford County by engaging 11 congregations in planning restoration projects on their grounds. In an effort to increase knowledge of natural resource topics in participants the project consisted of action planning and grant-writing workshops, nature walks, a bus tour, and a rain barrel workshop.
By The Numbers
8
Awarded Projects
291,329
Amount Awarded
1,039
Volunteers
50
Workshops
8,598
Trees Planted
1,500
Native Plants Installed
13,000
Sq. Ft. of Invasive Species Removed
Overview
In 2016, the partnership between the Chesapeake Bay Trust and Howard County began with the goal to fund projects that engage communities and protect local natural resources to improve the health and well-being of County residents by investing back into the communities it serves. This partnership supports the County’s goal of “improving water quality and to make progress on environmental restoration efforts for compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) requirements for meeting water quality goals.” Funding for this grant program is from the Howard County Watershed Protection Fee to support environmental knowledge-building activities and restoration projects through the Outreach and Restoration grant program.
Project Highlights
“The greatest success of this project was the installation of the eight conservation gardens in highly trafficked public areas in one of the densest and most diverse parts of Howard County. Planted with perennials and equipped with educational signage, these gardens will exist as an inspirational education source and ecologically beneficial asset in the community for years to come”
-Community Ecology Institute
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Gardens and Groves Civic Ecology Project Series
Award Amount: $40,000
The Community Ecology Institute partnered with Columbia Association to plant two rain gardens, two native tree groves, and six pollinator gardens as part of a new conservation landscape project in the open space of each of the ten Columbia Villages, a collection of communities located in Columbia. This project engaged diverse participants from each Village and the surrounding community in the development, creation, and maintenance of each of the planting projects to sustain the direct benefits for watershed and habitat health benefits. Over the course of the planting events and three seasons of maintenance events, participants received experiential education and supporting resources on how to bring such conservation landscapes to their own homes and neighborhoods. Educational signage on the importance of pollinators was installed at each native pollinator garden to educate the public and a future bicycle path is planned to connect all locations to further convey the message.
“The greatest success was replication and delivery of the Soak It Up event...Adding levity and a celebration aspect to the event helps to draw more people, increase exposure for the messages, and provides a more open opportunity for engagement”
- Howard EcoWorks
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Community Partnerships for Clean Water
Award Amount: $72,706
Howard EcoWorks (HEW) formalized their outreach and implementation process with the goals of maximizing limited resources; defining a cost share approach and structure; maximizing education to communities before, during and after project implementation; and ensuring long term maintenance of the constructed facilities. The Restoring the Environment and Developing Youth (READY) program, has installed over 100 best management practices in Howard County over the past 6 years. HEW is a non-profit implementation force in Howard County that aims to maximize impact of community-based work.
By The Numbers
22
Awarded Projects
732,020
Amount Awarded
4,473
Volunteers
173
Workshops
2,137
Trees Planted
6,427
Native Plants Installed
11,152
Sq. Ft. of Rain Gardens Installed
Overview
In 2019, the City of Salisbury and the Chesapeake Bay Trust (Trust) began a partnership to fund projects in the City through the Outreach and Restoration Grant Program. Through this program, this partnership funds projects that improve water quality in the City of Salisbury communities through environmental restoration and enhancing public awareness about local natural resources and the benefits of stormwater management practices. Funds are provided by the City of Salisbury Department of infrastructure and Development Stormwater Utility Fee. The City is committed to bettering the health and well-being of City residents and local natural resources by investing back into the communities it serves.
Project Highlights
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Wicomico Public Libraries
Award Amount: $7,853
Wicomico Public Libraries will create a semi-permanent StoryWalk along the Riverwalk in Salisbury, MD to increase childhood literacy, physical literacy, and ecological literacy. In partnership with the Wicomico Environmental Trust (WET), they will plant native species along the StoryWalk to beautify the Riverwalk and teach those who participate about native species that support pollinators. The StoryWalk project is needed to encourage residents of Wicomico County and especially residents of the City of Salisbury to appreciate and take pride in the community while educating them on easy ways to get involved in taking an active role doing their part to keep the watershed clean and healthy. The Wicomico River runs through the City of Salisbury and is located directly across the Library.
By The Numbers
5
Awarded Projects
47,000
Awarded Amount
26
Workshops Funded
2,000
Native Plants Planted
1,100
Sq. Ft. of Impervious Surface Treated
