APPLY FOR
FUNDING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Resilience & Monitoring Grants
Casco Bay Estuary Partnership (CBEP) is excited to announce the next round of Resilience and Monitoring Grants to support projects that enhance climate resilience, ecosystem health, and environmental monitoring in the Casco Bay Watershed. Read more in the fact sheet (click image).
Grant Programs:
- Casco Bay Resilient Communities Grants: Projects that advance planning or strengthen networks to increase community resilience.
- Casco Bay Resilient Habitats Grants: Projects that advance the restoration or enhancement of aquatic habitats with the intent of building ecosystem resilience.
- Casco Bay Monitoring Infrastructure Grants: Projects that increase the capacity to collect environmental data in Casco Bay.
Funding Amounts: Up to $25,000 per project
Application Process: Submit a Pre-application by January 17, 2025, at 5:00 PM.
Google Form Pre-application Link
Applicants will be contacted by January 24, 2025, and notified if they are being invited to submit a Full Application. Full Applications are due February 28, 2025, at 5:00 PM.
Informational Webinar: December 19, 2024
Download the Request for Applications for detailed information. Here it is.
Who Should Apply?
This opportunity is particularly designed to benefit:
- Small communities
- Rural communities
- Low-income towns
- Towns with limited staff capacity
- New Mainers
- Indigenous-led and -serving organizations
- Working lands or waterfront economy communities
Eligible applicants include tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations, academic institutions, units of government (municipalities, state agencies, districts, counties), and formally chartered road or lake associations (informal associations must partner with an eligible entity).
Get Help With Your Application
Office Hours for one-on-one assistance:
January 13, 2025, at 2:00 PM: Zoom Link
January 15, 2025, at 10:00 AM: Zoom Link
CBEP staff are here to assist! We can:
- Help you brainstorm project ideas.
- Guide you through the application process.
- Offer technical assistance, including mapping, and application preparation.
For questions or to request support, contact Natalie Bingham at natalie.bingham@maine.edu or 207-780-4306.
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.
The next round will be in winter 2024.
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
