The Department of Natural Resources provides grant funding through the Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant funded through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Applicants can apply for funding through Grants Gateway which provides a resource for partners seeking technical and financial support for projects that foster healthy and resilient ecosystems, communities and economies. The Grants Gateway provides a single point of entry to streamline the grant application process for governments, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations. Eligible projects across several outcomes and one loan program will improve water quality, restore local waterways, increase resilience to future weather condition impacts, improve navigation and boating access sites for the benefit of the boating public and develop the next generation of environmental stewards.
The Chesapeake Implementation Bay Grant (CBIG) funds a variety of different projects including environmental education and stewardship. Funds are made available each year through an annual federal allocation. As such, available funds can differ from year to year.Applicants can apply for the funds through Grants Gateway Outcome 4, which aims to improve student and community ability to take action benefiting Chesapeake and coastal ecosystems through professional development and training, curriculum expansion, outdoor learning and stewardship. Information from the latest solicitation is below:
Maximum Request: $75,000
When is this proposal due? December 12, 2025
When is funding available? September 1, 2026
How much funding is available? Up to $100,000 for CBIG. If your proposal is above this threshold, please email the outcome contact below.
Who is eligible to apply? Local non-governmental organizations or non-profits, local and state agencies, and schools and school systems including higher learning institutions.
We encourage partners to detail how they are supporting local communities, enhancing outreach to groups who demonstrate need, and involving the communities they are working with in their programming.
Where can my project(s) be located? Public lands, in schoolyards, community property, private property. All projects should be located within Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
What kind of projects are supported by Outcome 4? Funding will be offered as available to support learning experiences and educational opportunities focused on environmental issue exploration and investigation leading to stewardship action. Funding will support two tracks for this outcome:
Track One will focus on projects serving formal K-12 education systems, and
Track Two will focus on projects serving communities or public education. Both tracks include proposals focused on local watershed and land-use issues, and should be based on sound
environmental education principles.
The projects should be the result of collaborative student/community-stakeholder planning oriented toward capacity building and civic engagement, as well as stewardship.
Examples of projects may include:
- Transportation and facility fees to allow student, teacher, or community access to natural areas such as parks, public lands, and to environmental facilities
- Environmental engagement or stewardship for students or community members
- Environmental educator professional development and training
- Community environmental education programs and training
- Supply costs for environmental investigations, field equipment, and stewardship projects
Who should I contact with application/project questions, ideas or eligibility? To discuss project ideas, please contact Jen Wolfe,
[email protected]
How is my proposal reviewed and selected for an award?
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Demographics/Need: For both Tracks 1 and 2, your proposal will be scored on: 1) the number of people who will benefit from the project, 2) the outreach and
participation of communities in need, 3) demonstration of addressing local environmental issues and community inclusion, and 4) ability to provide demonstration value, transferability, or value to other programs or organizations.
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Education and Stewardship Connections: For Track 1 (School Systems), your proposal will be scored on: 1) connections to curriculum standards*, 2) opportunities to provide hands-on environmental and learner-led educational experiences, 3) capability for systemic or sustainable programming, and 4) inclusion of professional development opportunities. For Track 2 (Community Education and Stewardship), your proposal will be scored on: 1) connections to environmental or stewardship best practices, 2) opportunities to provide hands-on environmental and learner-led educational experiences, 3) capability for systemic or sustainable programming, and 4) training and experiential learning opportunities.
*Connections between the proposed work and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS),
Maryland Environmental Literacy Standards,
Maryland Service-Learning Graduation Requirements, and/or the Student Outcome of the
Environmental Literacy Goal of the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement (Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences).
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Program Development: For both Tracks 1 and 2, your proposal will be scored on: 1) emphasis on teacher/school system or community engagement in planning and implementation, 2) reach of the project and potential to benefit the local community, 3) capacity to deliver the program as described, and 4) demonstrated ability to address equity issues.
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Budget: For both Tracks 1 and 2, your proposal will be scored on: 1) feasibility for the requested funding to achieve the project's goals, 2) cost-effectiveness of the project, and 3) methodology to include the individuals, groups, or organizations needed to effectively fund and implement the project.
What are the required attachments?
- Track 1 (School System or Systemic Program):
- A Transmittal Letter on official letterhead that is signed by an executive who is authorized to request funding on behalf of the applicant organization.
- Letter(s) of support from leadership of the school system(s) or organization (i.e. superintendent(s), supervisor of science, school principal, organization director)
- Letters of Support from participating partners/impacted community members
- Environmental Literacy Plan or other evidence of environmental literacy programming, such as curriculum alignment, watershed inclusion,
Environmental Literacy Model (ELM), etc.
- Track 2 (Partner/Community Organization):
- Transmittal letter from applicant organization, with signature of authority
- Letter(s) of support from school administration of partnering schools (i.e. principal, science coordinator), or other partners
- Outline or documentation of environmental education curriculum or programming plan and activities for the project
Outcome Contact
Jen Wolfe
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Chesapeake and Coastal Service
(p) 410.260.8988|(e)
[email protected]
