For Projects in Watersheds of the National Estuary Programs
The National Estuary Program-NOAA Community-based Restoration Partnership (NEP/CRP) invites preproposals for its citizen-driven habitat restoration program. The partnership is seeking to fund on-the-ground activities within watersheds of the National Estuary Programs (NEPs) that restore marine, estuarine, and riparian habitats benefiting living marine resources and that foster local stewardship of the coastal environment.
The NEP/CRP is a multi-year, regional partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Community-based Restoration Program (CRP), the Association of National Estuary Programs (ANEP) and the NEPs. The purpose of this partnership is to strengthen the conservation efforts of the CRP and the NEPs by supporting on-the-ground restoration activities and provide educational and social benefits by significantly involving the community.
Who is Eligible to Apply?
The twenty-eight designated NEPs, non-governmental organizations (e.g., community associations, cooperatives, and civic groups), municipalities, schools, and tribal and state governments are eligible to apply. The proposed project must be located within the watershed of one of the NEPs. Applicants not directly associated with an NEP must receive a letter of co-sponsorship from their respective NEPs to ensure that the project is consistent with the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs) and that the NEP will support the project, if funded. It is also recommended that applicants contact the NEPs for technical assistance with project development (see Attachment 1).
Project Specifications:
Preproposals will be accepted for projects that involve restoration of coastal habitats within the watershed of an NEP that benefit living marine resources. Restoration is defined as activities that contribute to the return of degraded or altered marine, estuarine, coastal, and diadromous fish habitats to a close approximation of their condition prior to disturbance. Applicants whose projects meet the following criteria will be invited to submit full proposals for funding consideration.
All projects must:
· Result in on-the-ground habitat restoration;
· Provide significant, long-term benefit to “NOAA Trust Resources” (please see the following section);
· Involve the local community through an educational or volunteer component tied to the restoration activities;
· Provide a 1:1 nonfederal match to the partnership cash contribution (please see the “Funding” section); and
· Include a mechanism to monitor and evaluate the success of the project.
The goal of the NEP/CRP partnership for 2010 is to fund 4 to 6 projects that will yield tangible results in habitat restoration and significant involvement by the public. Projects that emphasize on-the-ground restoration activities, therefore, will be given priority. Project elements may also include workshops, monitoring, or other such activities which directly support actual and measurable habitat improvement and/or public education about the project. Recognizing that restoration is a multi-faceted effort, funding for projects involving limited pre-implementation activities, such as engineering and design and short-term baseline studies, will be considered. However, funding for such activities will be limited to 15% of the total project cost. With the goal to implement on-the-ground projects and due to limited funding, projects consisting solely of engineering and design components will not be considered by the partnership this year.
Projects emphasizing a single component, such as only outreach or program coordination, propose to expand an organization’s day-to-day activities, or that primarily seek support for administration, salaries, overhead, and/or travel will not be accepted.
NOAA Trust Resources:
NOAA trust resources and the habitats that support them serve as the focus of this partnership. Applicants must demonstrate that habitat restoration will result in a benefit to one or more of the following NOAA trust resources.
· Commercial and recreational fishery resources (marine fish and shellfish and their habitats);
· Diadromous species (species with life cycles that carry them between rivers and oceans, such as salmon, striped bass and American eel);
· Endangered and threatened marine species and their habitats;
· Marine mammals, turtles, and their habitats;
· Marshes, mangroves, seagrass beds, coral reefs, and other coastal habitats; and
· Resources associated with National Marine Sanctuaries and National Estuarine Research Reserves.
Funding:
Preproposals will be evaluated and selected by the NEP/CRP steering committee, which consists of directors of the NEPs and NOAA CRP staff. Approximately $124,000 is available for Year 2010 projects. Project funding levels will typically fall within the range of $15,000 - $30,000.
All projects must provide a 1:1 match of the grant amount. Matching funds cannot be federal dollars. Matching funds can be cash and/or in-kind sources that are incurred during the project period, including one or more of the following:
· In-kind donations, such as labor, materials and earthmoving equipment;
· Technical assistance for restoration site selection, design, and evaluation;
· Workforce support or other in-kind services, especially those that promote citizens’ hands-on involvement;
· Local stewardship and monitoring to sustain and evaluate the success of the restoration over time.
Additional federal funding or other contributions may be included in the project description to demonstrate that the project is part of a larger restoration effort. However, such federal contributions may not serve as matching contribution to the NEP/CRP funds.
Minimum Monitoring/Evaluating Requirements:
All applicants should include quantitative, science-based restoration monitoring for projects. NOAA, in accordance with the Estuary Restoration Act of 2000, supports the development of monitoring plans that include one structural and one functional monitoring parameter. Applicants are encouraged to use the Restoration Monitoring Planner at http://habitat.noaa.gov/restoration/rmp/ when developing monitoring plans or
contact NOAA CRP staff at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/restoration/contact.html for further assistance.[WXU1]
** Please note that this monitoring plan is not required for the preproposal, but will be required for all NEP/CRP applicants invited to submit full proposals.
Preproposal Requirements:
Preproposals must be received by October 5, 2009 and should be no more than two (2) pages in length. Preproposals must include all of the information requested and be formatted as shown in Attachment 2. Attachments and appendices are not included in this maximum page requirement. Applicants not directly associated with an NEP must receive a letter of co-sponsorship from their respective NEPs to ensure that the project is consistent with the CCMPs and has the support of the NEP and include it as an attachment to the preproposal. Timelines may use a February 1, 2010, starting date, but the actual start date will be determined by completion of the grant agreement document. Projects should be competed within 18 months of receiving an award.
Projects that meet the minimum partnership requirements will be invited to submit full proposals (approximate submittal date: November 20, 2009) that will more fully describe the activities to be accomplished and will include a specific timeline, a monitoring plan, and a detailed budget. Final projects will be selected for funding following review by the NEP/CRP Steering Committee.
Preproposal Submission:
Applicants must submit a digital copy via e-mail or mail a hard copy, including a CD of the proposal. Documents MUST be in MS Word with photos as low resolution .jpg files. The digital copy, whether submitted via e-mail or a mailed disk must be received by the due date. Materials will not be accepted via fax.
Please submit materials to: (Use Headline “NEP/CRP Project Submission”)
Ms. Lore H. O’Hanlon
1110 Raintree Drive
Charlottesville, VA 22901
ATTACHMENT 1
CONTACT FOR NEP/CRP ASSISTANCE
I. For questions about the application process, please contact:
Ms. Lore H. O’Hanlon, NEP/CRP Partnership Manager at 434-964-1968 or ecolore@aol.com
II. For technical questions and assistance from the NEPs
Albemarle-Pamlico NEP – Bill Crowell, Director
1601 Mail
Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1601
Phone: (919) 715-1327
bill.crowell@ncmail.net
www.apnep.org
Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary Program - Kerry St. Pe,
Director
Nicholls State University Campus
P.O. Box 2663
Thibodaux, LA 70310
Phone: (985) 447-0868; toll free (800) 259-0869
kerry@btnep.org
www.btnep.org
Barnegat
Bay
National Estuary Program -
Stanton Hales, Ph.D.,
Director
Ocean County College
P.O. Box 2001
Toms River, NJ 08754
Phone: (732) 255-0472
shales@ocean.edu
www.bbep.org
Buzzards Bay
National Estuary Program - Dr. Joe Costa, Executive Director
2870
Cranberry Highway
E. Wareham, MA 02538
Phone: (508) 291-3625;ext 19
jcosta@buzzardsbay.org
www.buzzardsbay.org
Casco Bay
Estuary Partnership – Curtis Bolhen, Director
USM Muskie School
P.O. Box 9300
34 Bedford St.
Portland, ME
04101-9300
Phone: (207) 780-4820
cbohlen@usm.maine.edu
www.cascobayestuary.org
Charlotte
Harbor National Estuary Program - Dr. Lisa Beever, Director
1926
Victoria Ave
Fort Myers, FL 33901-3414
Phone: (239) 338-2556 ext. 235; toll free (866) 835-5785
lbeever@swfrpc.org
www.chnep.org
Coastal Bend
Bays and Estuaries Program - Ray Allen, Executive Director
1305
N. Shoreline Blvd., Suite 205
Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Phone: (361) 885-6204
rallen@cbbep.org
www.cbbep.org
Partnership for the Delaware Estuary – Jennifer A. Adkins, Executive Director
One Riverwalk Plaza
110 South
Poplar Street, Suite 202
Wilmington, DE
19801
Phone:
800-445-4935; (302) 655-4990
JAdkins@DelawareEstuary.org
www.delawareestuary.org
Delaware Inland
Bays Estuary Program - Ed Lewandowski, Executive Director
38375 Inlet Road
Rehobeth Beach, DE 19971
302-226-8105
www.inlandbays.org
Galveston Bay Estuary Program - Helen E. Drummond, Director
17041 El Camino
Real, Ste. 210
Houston, Texas 77058
(281) 218-6461
hdrummon@tceq.state.tx.us
www.gbep.state.tx.us
Indian River
Lagoon NEP - Troy Rice, Director
St.
Johns River WMD
525 Community College Parkway, SE
Palm Bay, FL 32909
Phone: (321) 984-4938
trice@sjrwmd.com
www.itsyourlagoon.com
Long Island
Sound Study - Mark Tedesco, Director
U.S.
EPA, Long Island Sound Office
Stamford Government Center
888 Washington Boulevard Suite 6-5
Stamford, CT 06904-2152
Phone: (203) 977-1541
tedesco.mark@epa.gov
www.longislandsoundstudy.net
Lower Columbia
River Estuary Partnership - Debrah Marriott, Executive Director
811
SW Naito Parkway, Suite 120
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: (503) 226-1565
marriott@lcrep.org
www.lcrep.org
Maryland
Coastal Bays Program – Dave Wilson, Director
9919
Stephen Decatur Highway – Suite 4
Ocean City, MD 21842
Phone: (410) 213-2297
dwilson@mdcoatalbays.org
www.mdcoastalbays.org
Massachusetts
Bays NEP – Jay Baker, Executive Director
251
Causeway Street, Suite 800
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: (617) 626-1204
Jason.baker@state.ma.us
www.mass.gov/envir/massbays
Mobile Bay
Estuary Program – Roberta Swann, Acting Director
Mobile Bay Estuary Program
4172 Commanders Drive
Mobile, AL 36615
Phone: (251) 431-6409
rswann@mobilebaynep.com
www.mobilebaynep.com
Morro Bay
National Estuary Program - Dan Berman, Director
601
Embarcadero, Suite 11
Morro Bay, CA 93442
Phone: (805) 772-3834
dberman@mbnep.org
www.mbnep.org
Narragansett
Bay Estuary Program - Richard Ribb, Director
Box
27, URI Bay Campus
Narragansett, RI 02882
Phone: (401) 874-6233
rribb@gso.uri.edu
www.nbep.org
New Hampshire
Estuaries - Jennifer Hunter, Director
New
Hampshire Estuaries Project
University of New Hampshire
Nesmith Hall, 131 main Street
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: (603) 862-3948
jennifer.hunter@unh.edu
www.nhep.unh.edu
NY-NJ
Harbor Estuary Program - Robert M. Nyman, Director
New York-New Jersey Harbor
Estuary Program Office
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
290 Broadway,
24th Floor
New York, NY 10007-1866
Phone: (212) 637-3816
nyman.robert@epa.gov
www.harborestuary.org
Peconic Estuary
Program - Vito Minei, Director
SCDHS-Office of Ecology
360 Yaphank Avenue
Suite 2B
Yaphank, NY
11980
Phone: (631)
853-3082
vito.minei@co.suffolk.ny.us
www.peconicestuary.org
Puget Sound
Partnership– David Dicks, Executive Director
P.O.
Box 40900
Olympia WA 98504-0900
Phone: (360)
725-5454; toll free (800) 54-SOUND
David.Dicks@psp.wa.gov
www.psp.wa.gov
San Francisco
Estuary Project – Judy Kelly, Program Manager
1515
Clay Street, Suite 1400
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: (510) 622-8137
JAKelly@waterboards.ca.gov
http://sfep.abag.ca.gov
San Juan
Bay
Estuary Partnership -Javier
Laureano,
Executive Director
P.O Box 9509
San Juan, PR 00908-9509
Phone: (787) 725-8165
www.estuario.org
Santa Monica
Bay Restoration Commission – Shelley Luce, Executive Director
Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission
320 W. 4th Street, Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Phone: (310) 216-9827
SLUCE@santamonicabay.org
www.santamonicabay.org
Sarasota Bay
Estuary Program - Mark Alderson, Director
111
South Orange Avenue, Suite 200W
Sarasota, FL 34236
Phone: (941) 955-8085
www.sarasotabay.org
Tampa Bay
Estuary Program – Holly Greening, Director
100
8th Avenue, S.E.
MS I-1/NEP
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Phone: (727) 893-2765 ext. 202
hgreening@tbep.org
www.tbep.org
Tillamook
Estuaries Partnership – Lisa Phipps, Executive Director
P.O.
Box 493
613 Commercial Drive
Garibaldi, OR 97118
Phone: (503) 322-2222
lphipps@tbnep.org
www.tbnep.org
Attachment 2
Preproposal Format
Please submit the following information using this format and these headings. Add the required information after each heading.
1. Organization
2. Address of Organization
3. Organization Web Page Address
1. Project Manager and Title
2. Address of Contact (if different from above)
3. Phone number
4. Fax number
5. Email address
6. Contact web page address
7. Congressional District
1. Project name
2. Project start date
3. Project end date
4. Project location (City, County, State)
5. Land Ownership (public/private)
6. Type(s) of habitat (marsh, reef, seagrass bed, etc.)
7. NOAA Trust Resource(s) to benefit from restoration (Common and scientific name)
8. Partners involved
9. Federal, state or local permits required (Note: Documentation that all required permits are obtained must be provided prior to expenditure of funds under this partnership)
1. Project objectives (100 words maximum) – specify only those objectives to be accomplished with this funding
2. Description of project to be completed with this funding (250 words maximum)
3. If the project is part of a larger regional and/or local effort, briefly describe this effort
4. Describe the specific on-the-ground activities to be undertaken to achieve project objectives
5. Describe project partners and their contribution
6. Describe the community involvement through an educational and/or volunteer component
V. Budget
1. Amount of NEP/CRP Partnership funds requested. Include a brief budget narrative explaining what these funds will be used for.
2. Matching Contributions – Clearly specify sources and types of contributions, both in-kind and cash, and what the matching funds will be used for. Federal funds CANNOT be used for match (Calculate volunteer hours at $20/hr.).
3. Budgeted line item expenditures (e.g., salaries, equipment, supplies, contractual services[WXU2]
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Partnership Request |
Amount and Source of Funding Match* |
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Personnel |
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Staff |
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Volunteers |
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Fringe Benefits |
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Travel |
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Equipment |
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Supplies |
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Contractual |
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Construction |
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Other (specify) |
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Total Direct Charges |
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Total Indirect Charges ** |
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TOTAL BUDGET |
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* Indicate whether funding is confirmed or pending
** Indirect charges are limited to 15% of the NEP/CRP Partnership grant award.
1. Diagram or photo of project site depicting scale, position in landscape, and other details of project.
2. Letter of co-sponsorship from the appropriate NEP, if applicable.
3. Note: Applicants invited to send full proposals will need to provide sufficient project specific information to allow NOAA to complete a NEPA analysis on the proposed project in order to be selected for funding.