It’s not too late to develop a pre-proposal for a 2018 SNEP Watershed Grant!

To help restore clean water and healthy ecosystems to Southeast New England, Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE), with financial support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has launched the 2018 Southeast New England Program (SNEP) Watershed Grants. The grants target water pollution, habitat degradation, and other high-priority environmental issues, in order to foster sustainable coastal and watershed communities in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. Pre-proposals are due Friday, March 30, 2018 at 5 p.m. Pre-proposals are not to exceed seven pages (one page for cover information, not to exceed two pages for the project narrative, three pages for the budget, and one page for an optional  map). Partner commitment letters are not required for the pre-proposals.

The Buzzards Bay NEP can provide technical support in the development of SNEP grant applications, and we can also partner with organizations on grant applications that meet our program’s goals or tasks in our work plan. Call Joe Costa at 508.291.3625 x 11 if you would like to propose partnering with the Buzzards NEP to discuss, or Sarah Williams at 508.291.3625 x 13 if you need specific map products or other technical support.

The SNEP Watershed Grants’ streamlined pre-proposal process makes it easy to submit an application. With more than two weeks to go, there’s plenty of time to develop and submit your pre-proposal. Complete application and submittal instructions are included in the Request for Proposals (RFP). DOWNLOAD THE RFP & RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS HERE

The SNEP program has posted new “Response to Questions” that address questions asked at public information sessions and webinars held by RAE in late February and early March. Prospective applicants are encouraged to review this document in developing SNEP proposals.

The 2018 SNEP Watershed Grants will provide up to $2.5 million to encourage strategic investments by state, local, tribal, and regional partners. The source of the funding is federal, and grantees are expected to provide an additional 33% of the grant amount in non-federal matching funds. Cash and in-kind contributions may be counted toward match.

The 2018 SNEP Watershed Grants support the goals and priorities of EPA’s Southeast New England Program, a regional effort to promote a resilient ecosystem of clean water, healthy diverse habitats, and sustainable communities in Southeast New England’s coastal watersheds. The grant program also supports the goals and priorities of the Buzzards Bay Comprehensive Conservation and  Management Plan (CCMP). Learn more about EPA’s SNEP program here.

About Joe Costa

Joe Costa is the Executive Director of the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program.