[Classifieds] Reminder: Buzzards Bay Watershed Municipal Mini-grant Program

[MBL Classifieds]

Buzzards Bay Watershed Municipal Mini-grant Program

Grant Announcement



The Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program would like to announce the availability of $182,897 in grant funds.  The FY24 Buzzards Bay Watershed Municipal Mini-grant Program Announcement has been posted on the COMMBUYS website.  We are seeking proposals for projects that implement recommendations in the Buzzards Bay Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan and will be located within the Buzzards Bay Watershed.



 Eligible projects include:

  1.  Feasibility, assessment, and design of stormwater facilities to treat, eliminate, or reduce discharges to impaired surface waters.
  2.  Construction of stormwater facilities to treat, eliminate, or reduce discharges affecting surface waters.
  3.  Permanent land preservation through direct acquisition or easement.
  4.  Update or digitizing of wetland boundaries or land elevations from wetland permits.
  5.  Restoration of wetlands, habitat, migratory fish passage, and culvert replacements to improve aquatic conductivity and wildlife migration.
  6.  Construction of a boat pump-out facility in a municipality or harbor when none exists,
  7.  Creation of online reporting systems for tracking of operation, maintenance, and monitoring of innovative and alternative septic systems.
  8.  Projects that, through direct action (other than routine maintenance or replacement of existing infrastructure), mitigate or restore coastal waters, or freshwaters, adversely affected by nutrient loading (nitrogen and phosphorus pollution) or bacteria pollution. Projects to expand municipal sewer networks are not eligible.
  9.  Other activities in support of the Buzzards Bay Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan.



Note: Categories 1-8 are considered priority categories and receive an additional 2 pt in the scoring criteria.



This solicitation is open to municipalities within the Buzzards Bay Watershed, including Fall River, Westport, Dartmouth, New Bedford, Acushnet, Fairhaven, Rochester, Mattapoisett, Marion, Wareham, Middleborough, Carver, Plymouth, Bourne, Falmouth, and Gosnold.  However, all projects must lie within the Buzzards Bay watershed boundary.



Municipalities that contain one or more Environmental Justice (EJ) Population (as defined in the Request for Proposals), and Title 1 schools in the Buzzards Bay watershed are strongly encouraged to apply under this grant opportunity provided they meet the eligibility criteria and allowable funding categories. Projects that meet EJ or climate goals will receive additional consideration. Visit our NEP disadvantaged communities map<https://buzzardsbay.org/funding/nep-ej-and-disadvantaged-target-areas/> to see target areas that support our Equity Plan.



The sources of funds for this solicitation are federal and provided in accordance with Cooperative Agreements CE00A0887 and CE00A01217 with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Southeast New England Program (SNEP).



Proposals must be submitted electronically and are due Tuesday, January 23, 2024, by 4:00 PM.  Applicants must provide a non-federal match that will equal or exceed 33 percent of requested grant funds (i.e. 25 percent of total project costs). The RFP's Question and Answer period will close 4:00 PM, Thursday, January 11, 2024.



Municipalities may submit any number of applications and they may receive more than one grant; however, no single grant award may exceed $70,000 and no municipality can receive more than $140,000. Contracts are expected to begin in March 2024.



The RFP and other details on the program may be found at the following website: https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-24-1042-CZM-ENV40-96172&external=true&parentUrl=close and on the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program’s website: http://buzzardsbay.org/our-program/funding/<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__buzzardsbay.org_our-2Dprogram_funding_&d=DwMFAg&c=lDF7oMaPKXpkYvev9V-fVahWL0QWnGCCAfCDz1Bns_w&r=f5f59Xej6QVJW5gSI_THSabCSOIZvrpzlaM4mMsuy3AZ_bnZd8exCsyC5v_5TcOq&m=xYeSBfW9RlWQ35WhYQ3dW4x3uM-y6NLV296DpQ64eH8&s=QXxTjc6bxGjhlN8lrd1G0TeeGTXLqb8ntErxdEi1hEA&e=>



Sarah B. Williams  |  Regional Planner

Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program

81-B County Road, Suite E  |  Mattapoisett, MA 02739

Direct Line: (774) 377-6002  |  Sarah.Williams at mass.gov<mailto:Sarah.Williams at mass.gov>


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