Grants
The Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program (NEP) awards three types of grants. Micro-grant applications are accepted throughout the year but Public Outreach Grants and Research and Restoration Partner Grants are only available once a year. Florida residents, organizations, businesses, government agencies, schools, colleges and universities may apply for grants to support projects that occur within the Program study area.
The Program has awarded outreach, research and restoration projects throughout the greater Charlotte Harbor watershed since 1996. A directory of projects is available of these awards.
1) Micro-Grants are available for up to $250.
Public Outreach Grants and Research and Restoration Partners Grants are available once a year. Deadlines have past for the current year. Guidance for next year is anticipated to be available December 2008; however, the process on how to apply and when is expected to be similar to this past year so you may wish to review the information below until guidance for new funds is available.
2) Guidance for Public Outreach Grants. Outreach projects, which are most often funded as public outreach grants, help multiply the number of people who are aware of the importance of estuaries and the protection of watersheds. For the first time, the maximum award has been increased from $3,000 to $5,000. Please follow steps provided in the Public Outreach Grant Guidance Document to apply for this grant. The transmittal and budget forms in the packet are also available as a Rich Text Format document. The deadline to submit draft applications is September 1, 2010 and to submit final applications is September 13, 2010. This is a two-step process and applications will only be considered if applicants have met both deadlines. Decisions as to which projects will be supported will be made by November 2010. If you have any questions, please contact Maran Hilgendorf at mhilgendorf@swfrpc.org, 239/338-2556 ext 240.
Guidance for public outreach grants awarded in November 2009 adhered to the FY10 guidance document. The CAC Grants Committee met October 2, 2009 and the CAC met October 21, 2009 to consider the submitted applications.
3) CHNEP will not be seeking research and restoration partner proposals in FY10 (October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010). This site will be updated when research and restoration partner grants will next be available.
FY09 Guidance (for reference only, grants have already been awarded)
Guidance for Research and Restoration Partners Grants for the FY09 grant cycle is available as of August 20. The process is similar to that followed last year but the cycle has changed. The deadline to submit a proposal is September 25, 2008.
Research and Restoration Partners Grants: The research and restoration projects, which are most often funded as research and restoration partner projects, directly benefit the natural resources in the watershed, increase technical knowledge and often include an educational aspect. R&R grants provide up to $20,000 per participating partner and require a 50% match. In FY09 (October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009), $60,000 was available through research and restoration partner grants. Please follow steps provided in the Guidance for Research and Restoration Partners Grants. Decisions as to which projects will be supported will be known by mid-November.
If you have any questions, please contact Judy Ott at jott@swfrpc.org, 239/338-2556 ext 230. She will post a response to all questions received on the CHNEP FTP site for all to read. If you have Internet access, you can visit an FTP site. Open your Internet browser then, where you would normally begin typing a website (www) address, type ftp://ftp.swfrpc.org, enter user name of chnep, password is chnepaccess. The questions and answers will be in a folder named "FY2009 Research & Restoration Partners RFP Questions & Answers."
Agenda for TAC Grants Committee meeting, which will be held from 9 a.m. to approximately 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 10, 2008 at Charlotte County Utilities/Eastport Campus in Training Room B at 25550 Harborview Rd in Port Charlotte. For those who submitted proposals who aren't able to personally participate, the call-in phone number is 941/764-4308. For more information, contact Judy Ott at jott@swfrpc.org, 239/338-2556 ext 230.
If you were awarded a grant and it is time to request reimbursement, please be sure to include a completed and signed Financial Report/Reimbursement Request form in your request.
4) CHNEP also provides support to develop public conferences.
5) Do you have a project that needs funding? The CHNEP offers grant writing assistance to seek funding sources other than from CHNEP to its partners for projects that help protect and restore the estuaries and watersheds from Venice to Bonita Springs to Winter Haven.