Five Star/Urban Waters Restoration Program

Posted by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation on November 30, 2015

2016 NFWF Five Star/Urban Waters Restoration Program Invites Applications

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 3, 2016

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is inviting applications for the Five Star/Urban Waters Restoration Program, a public-private partnership designed to develop community capacity to sustain local natural resources for future generations by providing modest financial assistance for wetland, forest, riparian and coastal habitat restoration, stormwater management, outreach, and stewardship projects, with a particular focus on water quality, watersheds, and the habitats they support.

Each funder in this Request for Proposals has different priorities and requirements. NFWF will match every grant with all funding sources applicable to that project’s activities, location, and project type. All projects must contain the elements of on-the-ground restoration; community partnerships; environmental outreach, education, and training; measureable results; and sustainability.

1) EPA Five Star Restoration Training Program: Approximately $180,000 is available nationwide from EPA to fund projects meeting the Five Star program elements. These funds are available nationwide, in any size community.

2) Southern Company Five Star Restoration Program: Approximately $300,000 is available from Southern Company and its operating companies (Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, and Mississippi Power) in support of on-the-ground wetland, riparian, in-stream, or coastal habitat conservation and restoration projects in Southern Company’s service area.

3) EPA and USFS Urban Forestry and Waters Program: Approximately $475,000 is available for projects designed to improve urban water quality, increase public access, and restore riparian habitat and urban forests in developed watersheds in the United States. Special consideration will be made for projects that directly advance priorities of Urban Waters Federal Partnership Designated Locations and/or that are in designated source-water protection areas.

4) Fish and Wildlife Service Urban Programs: Approximately $360,000 is available from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for projects that engage urban neighbors and foster a sense of stewardship in Fish and Wildlife Service lands or offices. Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership proposals should address easily-accessible lands that the service does not own and involve residents in place-based outdoor experiences that foster connections with fish, wildlife, and their habitats. Urban Bird Treaty projects should have an emphasis on enhancing urban habitats for birds, engaging citizens in bird conservation, and connecting diverse and youth audiences to birds and bird conservation.

5) Bank of America: Approximately $195,000 is available from Bank of America to support community-based restoration and stewardship projects in Washington, D.C.; Boston; San Francisco; Philadelphia, and Seattle.. Proposals must include a volunteer event for up to a hundred local Bank of America employees.

6) Alcoa Foundation: Approximately $30,000 is available from the Alcoa Foundation for community-based restoration and stewardship projects in Cleveland, Canton, and Barberton, Ohio; and in Farmington Hills, Missouri.

7) Additional Private Corporate Funding: Approximately $487,000 is available from a private corporate funder in support of urban conservation and restoration projects in Boston; Los Angeles; San Francisco/Oakland; Memphis, Seattle; Dallas/Ft. Worth; Washington, D.C.; northern New Jersey; New York City; Indianapolis; Pittsburgh; Miami; Colorado Springs; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Cleveland; Atlanta; Portland, Oregon; Harrison, Arkansas; Lakeland, Florida; and Akron/Uniontown, Ohio. Projects must include a volunteer event for up to a hundred local employees.

8) Additional Private Foundation Support: Approximately $425,000 in funding is anticipated from private foundations for community-based habitat restoration and stewardship projects in urban and rural communities in Alaska, Idaho, Washington, Montana, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Applicants should specify how their project supports sustained protection of non-game animal species and habitat and relates to underserved human communities.

Grant amounts will range from $20,000 to $50,000. A minimum one-to-one match of cash and/or in-kind/contributed goods and services to the amount requested is required.

Applicants must fully address the project elements of each applicable funder and complete their projects within one to two years of award. For USFS urban waters funding, preference will be given to projects that take place on, or directly benefit, public lands.

See the NFWF website for complete program guidelines, webinar recordings, an FAQ, and application instructions.

Link to Complete RFP

http://www.nfwf.org/fivestar/Pages/home.aspx