[Classifieds] Round 4 of Buzzards Bay Watershed Infrastructure and CCMP Support Grants Program is now open - Proposals are due November 18, 2025

Wed Oct 8 08:19:42 EDT 2025

The Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program (NEP) is seeking proposals for the FY26 Buzzards Bay Watershed Infrastructure and CCMP Support Grant Program<https://buzzardsbay.org/our-program/funding/> – Round 4, with $814,445 in federal funding available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021<https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure>. Eligible projects must implement a recommendation in the Buzzards Bay Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) and be principally located within or benefit water quality or habitat in 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 the volume of polluted discharges affecting surface waters.
  3.  Support for tasks to achieve Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) compliance (other than required routine maintenance).
  4.  Retrofits to enhance nutrient removal from municipal wastewater treatment facilities using innovative or unconventional approaches and community scale wastewater treatment facilities to reduce nutrient loading.
  5.  Restoration of wetlands, habitat, and migratory fish passage.
  6.  Construction of a boat pump-out facility in a municipality or harbor when none exists.
  7.  Creation of, or participation in, online reporting systems for tracking and testing the 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.
  9.  Permanent land preservation through direct acquisition or conservation restrictions.
  10. Other activities in support of the CCMP and compatible with IIJA funding.

Eligible Applicants

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, specific projects must lie principally within or benefit water quality or habitat in the Buzzards Bay watershed. The NEP will consider funding town-wide initiatives if appreciable benefits occur within the Buzzards Bay watershed.

Municipalities with projects that benefit Massachusetts Environmental Justice (EJ) Populations or Title 1 schools are strongly encouraged to apply under this grant opportunity provided they meet the eligibility criteria and allowable funding categories in the Request for Proposals. Visit our NEP disadvantaged communities map<https://buzzardsbay.org/our-program/funding/nep-ej-and-disadvantaged-target-areas/> to see target areas that support our Equity Plan.

Municipalities may have non-municipal partners, but the municipality must be the applicant and the recipient of grant funds. Municipalities may subcontract or disburse funds to their partners according to municipal requirements and policies. Eligible municipalities may submit any number of applications but may only receive a maximum of two grant awards not to exceed $400,000. No single grant award may exceed $375,000. There is no match required. Additional details, including the Request for Proposals and required forms, are posted on the COMMBUYS website.<https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-26-1042-CZM-ENV40-121679&external=true&parentUrl=close>

Application Process

NOTE: NEW APPLICATION PROCESS. Applicants must use the online application portal and upload tool provided through the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EEA) Grant Management System at greenhub.mass.gov<https://greenhub.mass.gov/>. No applications will be accepted by email or by paper submissions. Applicants must first create a profile to apply. We encourage any municipal staff previously involved in submitting proposals on behalf of their municipality to click the register button on greenhub.mass.gov and create a "business" account as soon as possible. Please allow a few days to establish and verify your profile to use the Grant Management System. To learn more, please see the EEA’s Grant Management System instructional videos<https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzQVK6KiTOqyPW5PUOcFE42iRJgdm8LA_&si=2FohN3YUo4arQC1h>.

Applications must be submitted on the grants portal on or before Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 5:00 PM. Submissions are digitally time-stamped and EEA provides no allowance for technical difficulties or inability of the respondent to utilize the online system. We will not accept applications after the deadline for any reason.

An applicant’s proposal narrative must use the following format: Description of Environmental Impairment (required), Proposed Work (required), Concise Statement of Expected Environmental Benefit of Proposed Work (required), and Concise Statement of Climate Resilience Activities or Benefits or Reductions (optional). Please be aware that each of the four sections is limited to 4,000 characters or approximately 2 pages of text. The applicant may upload an unlimited number of additional documents to further illustrate their project to the review committee.

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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