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Now Available! Spring 2026 Habitat Protection Fund Request for Proposals

Casco Bay Estuary Partnership (CBEP) would like to announce the Spring 2026 round of CBEP Habitat Protection Fund.

Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, in partnership with Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Gulf of Maine Coastal Program, requests proposals for the Spring 2026 Casco Bay Habitat Protection Fund. The Fund supports permanent protection of parcels in the Casco Bay watershed that are integral to aquatic ecosystems and secure and expand public access to water resources and open space. CBEP’s ultimate objective is to protect 20% of the watershed by 2030.

Final Application Deadline: Friday, April 10, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

Request for Proposals (RFP):
Download the RFP here: Habitat Protection Fund RFP 

The application form is now a Google form. Here is a link to the application.

For any questions regarding grant/application processes, please direct all questions to Natalie Bingham at natalie.bingham@maine.edu.

Chebeague Cumberland Land Trust
Falmouth Land Trust

Now Available! 2026 Community Grants

Casco Bay Estuary Partnership (CBEP) would like to announce the 2026 round of CBEP Community Grants. 

Deadline: Monday, January 26, 2026, 5:00pm

Request for Proposals (RFP):
Download Community Grants RFP 

Application:
You may submit either:

  1. A short, written proposal (up to two pages), or
  2. A completed Application Form (editable PDF). You can download this editable PDF here. CBEP will mail hard-copy forms upon request.

Summary: CBEP supports new partnerships and creative projects that connect people with Casco Bay and its watershed. Community Grants are small, community-focused grants ($500- $5,000) that support environmental education, stewardship, and community engagement projects focused on Casco Bay and its watershed. The program is open to municipalities, nonprofits, and educators, in collaboration with smaller community groups if appropriate.

Examples of past projects

These are illustrative only—CBEP welcomes new ideas and approaches.

  • Student-led science and stewardship, such as middle-school and high-school classes monitoring clam recruitment, water quality, or local habitats.
  • Hands-on environmental education, including outdoor learning programs for early childhood groups, watershed demonstrations in classrooms, and field experiences tied to school curricula.
  • Community science and volunteer efforts, such as bioblitz events, shoreline or island stewardship days, and citizen monitoring of marine species.
  • Programs serving diverse or underserved youth, including summer programs that introduce immigrant and multilingual students to Casco Bay.
  • Arts, storytelling, and community events that connect people to the Bay through intergenerational programs, public talks, creative projects, or guided experiences.
  • Collaborations with local resource managers, such as projects that engage local committees and other municipal partners in habitat education.
Young people identifying marine life using ID guides in Harpswell.
Young naturalists identifying marine species in Harpswell. Photo: Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
Youth take a dip in Casco Bay, during the Westbrook Intercultural Community Center's "Wonders of Water: Exploring Casco Bay" summer program. Photo: Westbrook Intercultural Community Center

Fall 2025 Resilience & Monitoring Awards

January 22, 2026 — 

Casco Bay Estuary Partnership (CBEP) awarded nearly $120,000 to six organizations in the Casco Bay Watershed. CBEP is providing these funds through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

“Together, these projects advance a shared goal: a healthier, more resilient Casco Bay supported by strong local leadership, sound science, and collaborative action,” says Curtis Bohlen, CBEP Executive Director.

Grantees and projects:

  • City of Portland: Great Diamond Island Upland-to-Bluff Stability Workshop
  • Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District: Municipal Trainings for Resilient Landscapes
  • Gulf of Maine Research Institute: Setting up a Zooplankton Monitoring Program in Casco Bay: Advancing Ecosystem Monitoring for Water Quality, Carbon Sequestration, and Fish Recruitment
  • Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association: Updating Maine’s Shellfish Handbook to Address Water Quality and Access
  • Maine Department of Environmental Protection: Marine Vegetation Mapping Program Drone Acquisition
  • Manomet Conservation Sciences: Evaluating Biodegradable Netting for Enhanced Shellfish Recruitment and Habitat Protection
Island Institute organized a Nature-based Strategies site visit on Little Diamond Island, 2025. Photo: Island Institute
A University of Southern Maine employee stands over a SEAL autoanalyzer instrument that will increase regional capacity to monitor nutrients and road salts.
The University of Southern Maine purchased a SEAL autoanalyzer instrument that will increase regional capacity to monitor nutrients and road salts. Photo: Karen Wilson