March 19, 2024
Annapolis, US 37 F

Chesapeake Bay Trust Awards $1MM In Grants

CB TrustEarlier this month, the Chesapeake Bay Trust announced $1 million in grants to be awarded to 70 nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and local schools throughout the Chesapeake Bay region. These awards, approved by the Trust’s board of trustees, are supported through the Treasure the Chesapeake license plate program and through partnerships with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Anne Arundel County Forestry Board, and Charles County.  Projects approved include small grants to fund community tree planting projects, outdoor education opportunities for students, and rain garden creation. Grants announced today also include large scale restoration and design funding that will restore streamside forest buffers, help manage stormwater runoff, and create design plans for impervious surface removal and the creation of bioretention cells to improve water quality.

“The Chesapeake Bay Trust works with hundreds of committed grantees who are out in the field every day working to improve their local communities and their local tributaries,” said Jana Davis, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Trust. “We are so pleased to award these funds and we look forward to the implementation of so many exceptional projects and programs that will benefit the public and our natural resources.”

The Chesapeake Bay Trust is funded by the sale of Maryland’s Treasure the Chesapeake license plate, donations to the Chesapeake Bay and Endangered Species Fund on the Maryland State income tax form, donations from individuals and corporations, and partnerships with private foundations and federal, state, and county agencies.

“The best way to address the environmental problems that face our State is by working together to identify and implement the most-effective, science-driven practices,” said Joseph Gill, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources   “These partnerships support the great work of local communities, help restore our most valuable natural resource, the Chesapeake Bay, and build the stewards for tomorrow.”

The Chesapeake Bay Trust runs 12 competitive grant programs which are open and awarded during varies times throughout the year. Today’s grant announcement includes: 15 grants through the Restoration Grant Program totaling $435,398; 12 grants through the Watershed Assistance Grant Program, funded with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, totaling $385,334; 30 grants with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through the K-12 Environmental Education Mini Grant Program totaling $115,374; five grants through the Community Engagement Grant Program totaling $17,459; five grants through the Charles County Forestry Program totaling $27,269; and two grants through the Anne Arundel County Community Planting Program totaling $3,300. For a complete list of grant recipients, email [email protected].

“Our mission at the Chesapeake Bay Trust is to pool as many dollars together as possible to fund worthwhile efforts that not only improve water quality and habitat, but also engage and educate local citizens on what they can do to better our communities and protect our natural resources,” continued Davis. “When the Trust funds a particular project or program, we are looking not just for community impact and results, but also projects that can be replicated and sustained over time to help advance long-term restoration goals.”

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