Grant Opportunities

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FUNDING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Resilience & Monitoring Grants

CBEP has made awards (to be announced in July 2024) for projects that fit in the following categories:

  • Resilient Communities: Projects that advance planning or strengthen networks to increase community resilience 
  • Resilient Habitats: Projects that advance restoration or enhancement of priority aquatic habitats to build ecosystem resilience 
  • Monitoring Infrastructure: Projects that increase monitoring infrastructure and capacity to support collection of environmental data 

These are pilot grant programs that will be evaluated during the initial round for effectiveness. CBEP may adjust funding criteria or availability in future rounds. We expect to hold the next funding round in late fall 2024.

 

Two men collecting water quality samples from a river.
People are on the riverbank investigating the river.

Habitat Protection Fund

Casco Bay Estuary Partnership provides funding for projects that support the permanent protection of targeted habitats in the Casco Bay watershed. Proposals are welcome from land trusts and government entities including municipalities and state agencies.

Fall 2023 awards have been made, and the next round will be in spring 2024.

Photo courtesy of Scarborough Land Trust, which received a spring 2023 HPF award to protect a 17-acre parcel in the Stroudwater River Watershed.

Community Grants Program

CBEP’s Community Grants program encourages new partnerships and innovative projects that engage communities with Casco Bay and its watershed. Successful proposals will incorporate at least one of the elements from the Casco Bay Plan. Proposals are welcome from educators, land trusts and other non-profit organizations, especially in partnership with civic groups, municipal committees, churches, clubs, school groups and neighborhood associations. 

This program generally has one round, in the winter. 2024 awards have been made. For reference, here is the 2024 Request for Proposals.

Examples of past projects:

  • Education and outreach regarding pet behavior on Casco Bay islands
  • A festival and boat tours showcasing aquaculture conservation and the marine economy
  • “Storywalks” and associated curriculum on public trails
  • Outdoor family learning stations on land trust properties
  • Community education around sea level rise impacts on private roads
  • Climate change “picture post” citizen monitoring sites
  • School shellfish harvesting and conservation projects
  • “Nabbing Nitrogen” volunteer monitoring program
  • Public “short course” on coastal habitats
  • Horseshoe crab educational event
  • A multimedia story collection about Portland’s working waterfront
  • A community-based expeditionary learning unit on Casco Bay
  • Short videos about climate impacts on the shellfishing industry
Student releasing trout fry in the Presumpscot River. Photo: Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District
A Brunswick High School marine sciences class collects green crabs at Wharton Point on Maquoit Bay, a 2022 Community Grant-funded project. Photo: Jerry Monkman, ecophotography.com
Woodland Owner Appreciation Day at Jugtown Forest. Photo: Lakes Environmental Association

COVID-19

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CBEP staff is working a hybrid of in the office and at home. However, we are still busy with our work to protect and restore Casco Bay. 

QUESTIONS

For questions, comments or inquiries:

Phone: (207) 780-4820
Email: cbep@maine.edu

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