The Chesapeake Bay Trust recently approved $1.3 million in grants to 64 organizations and schools throughout the area to fund Bay restoration activities and environmental education programs. Recommendations for four of the Trust’s major grant programs and initiatives, including its Living Shorelines program, Green Streets-Green Jobs initiative, Watershed Assistance Grant Program and Mini Grants Program, were approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees and will fund projects that protect eroding shorelines, promote green infrastructure, and engage Maryland’s students in meaningful environmental and outdoor educational experiences.
Specific grant programs that were awarded include:
Living Shorelines Grant Program: $728,629 in funding for seven grants
The Trust, in partnership with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Restoration Center and the Maryland Department of the Environment, awarded funding to seven organizations to create and promote living shorelines in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C portions of the Bay. Recipients included the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Virginia Institute for Marine Science, among others.
Green Streets Green Jobs Initiative: $231,320 in funding for eight grants
The Trust, Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Department of the Environment, partnered with the EPA on a special funding opportunity to develop green streets and other urban green infrastructure projects. Eight municipalities received funding including the Town of Bladensburg, City of College Park, and Town of Cheverly, among others.
Watershed Assistance Grant Program: $216,867 in funding for eight grants
The Trust and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources funded eight organizations for restoration programs and projects that will lead to improved water quality in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay. Recipients included the Potomac Conservancy, Nanticoke Watershed Alliance, the City of Rockville, and more.
Mini Grants Program: $107,484 in funding for 41 grants
The Trust’s Mini Grant Program awards up to $5,000 grants to support activities at schools and non-profit organizations that help promote awareness of and participation in the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers. Dozens of schools throughout the area were awarded funding to get K-12 students involved in hands-on outdoor activities that promote environmental stewardship and restoration.
For more information on these grant programs and what the Trust funds, visit www.cbtrust.org.
source: Chesapeake Bay Trust press release
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