LONG ISLAND SOUND FUTURES FUND 2009

Request for Proposal

Applications must be submitted in the Easy Grants online application system by Friday, March 13, 2009.

Major Financial Support
Major financial support for the Long Island Sound Futures Fund (Sound Futures Fund) Grant Program is provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in concert with the Long Island Sound Study (LISS), the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Shell Marine Habitat Program and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). Funding levels for 2009 are pending availability of federal funds.

Major Technical Support
The United States Environmental Protection Agency, Regions I and II, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, New York and Connecticut Sea Grant, Interstate Environmental Commission, and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission review proposals and provide technical assistance to applicants and grantees.

The Sound Futures Fund seeks to:

Support restoration and protection of important fish and wildlife habitats;
Encourage locally-based projects that improve water quality and protect water resources;
Support communities in developing and implementing watershed management plans;
Encourage environmentally sensitive land-use planning and development;
Develop the capacity of local governments, citizens groups, educational, and other organizations to promote community-based stewardship;
Increase public access to the Sound;
Provide opportunities for direct educational experiences with the Sound; and
Promote a greater understanding of the Sound and the interrelationship between its health and the condition of local watersheds.

1. Grant Size
There are two categories of grant awards available under the Sound Futures Fund:

Large Grants: Grant awards of $10,000 to $150,000. The average grant award is $40,000.

Larger grant awards (e.g., > $50,000) are specifically intended to support projects that involve either:

the physical restoration of important coastal habitats, or the attainment of water quality standards in a specific geographic area, e.g. attainment of standards for swimming or shellfish harvesting in a particular harbor or embayment.
The maximum award of $150,000 is only available for habitat restoration projects. Grantees receiving the maximum award are not eligible to apply for a new grant associated with the same project until the project is near completion.
Please note that education projects have a maximum award of $35,000.

Small Grants: Grant awards of $1,000 to $6,000. Small grants are specifically intended to support projects that involve public participation, information and education.

2. Geographic Focus
Large and Small Grants: Projects must fall within the coastal area boundary established by the LISS (e.g., the Long Island Sound and its coastal watersheds) as shown in Figure 1. This includes the coastal portions of New York City and the counties of Westchester, Nassau, Queens, Bronx, Manhattan and Suffolk in New York that drain to Long Island Sound, and the coastal area of Connecticut. Proposals for watershed protection, stormwater management, and nonpoint source pollution control and diadromous fish passage projects may be in any portion of Westchester County that drains to Long Island Sound, and all of Connecticut, with a special focus on portions of the major drainages (e.g., Connecticut, Housatonic, Quinnipiac, Thames Rivers) emptying into the Sound.

Figure 1: Map of coastal boundary established by LISS prepared by the Southern Coastal Office, United States Fish and Wildlife Service

3. Eligible Applicants - State and local government; non-profit organizations; educational institutions, interstate entities and regional water pollution control agencies are eligible for funding. Governmental and for-profit entities are encouraged to partner with local governments or non-profit organizations.

4. Eligible Activities – Large Grants
Any project that proposes to implement actions that further the protection and restoration of Long Island Sound. Follow the link to the list of actions consistent with the Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan. Preference will be given to projects that include 1) measurable outputs linked to project activities; 2) specific provisions for long-term maintenance, management and protection, as appropriate; 3) activities consistent with the goals of established state and federal resource conservation plans; and 4) education, training, and public outreach components to enhance the community benefits of the project.

Specific priority areas for funding and guidance for project applications in those areas include the following:

Nitrogen Reduction and Nonpoint Source Pollution Control: Projects that expand the collective knowledge on the most innovative, sustainable and cost-effective strategies – including market-based approaches – for reducing nutrient loads. Follow the link to A Total Maximum Daily Load Analysis to Achieve Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Oxygen in Long Island Sound (TMDL) to establish whether your project objectives are consistent with the objectives of the TMDL.

The program seeks to support projects representing the diverse conditions (e.g., urban, rural, suburban and agricultural) and sources of nutrients (e.g., stormwater, groundwater and other non-point sources) that exist throughout the Long Island Sound Watershed.

Priorities for funding include the following (in no particular order):

Field-scale demonstrations of innovative technologies, conservation practices and Best Management Practices (BMPs) that have the potential to significantly reduce excess nutrient loads. For example, projects that use alternative stormwater design or Low Impact Development such as water quality swales, rain gardens; replacing a percentage of lawns with a vegetative buffer strip of natural vegetation and installation of on-site systems for retention and treatment of stormwater etc.;
Develop and promote guidelines for non-agricultural turf fertilizer (i.e., lawns) use utilizing best management practice protocols, educational materials, and outreach tools;
Field and modeling demonstrations of the potential benefits and costs of extracting nutrients through bioharvesting techniques (e.g. shellfish and seaweed acquaculture);
Effective mitigation of groundwater nitrogen loads where a significant pathway through agricultural management programs, improved operation of on-site sanitary systems or, where appropriate, use of alternative on-site sanitary systems;
Programs that address sources of pollution ranging from runoff to release of untreated sewage from pet waste, wildlife, illicit connections, leaking sewer pipes, failing septic systems, combined sewer overflows and boats;
Clean boating programs, including education on pumpout requirements for No Discharge Areas, focused on boaters, marinas, boatyards and marine retailers encouraging positive action toward pollution reduction;
Water quality trading demonstrations (including point source to non-point source) and other market-based strategies to reduce nutrient loads to the Sound and its tributaries in accordance with EPA policies and guidance and, as appropriate, state policies; and,
Demonstrations of strategies that overcome barriers to adoption of the most effective and efficient BMPs and conservation practices for reducing excess nutrient loads. Barriers may include social and cultural barriers, economic and political barriers, professional acceptance, general lack of awareness or technical assistance, etc.

Watershed Planning and Management: Projects to provide technical assistance, support, and education to municipalities in watershed planning and management, development and implementation of projects identified in watershed management plans, and development of new watershed management plans. Preference will be given to projects that help achieve the watershed management goals of the Long Island Sound 2003 Agreement. Follow the link to Long Island Sound 2003 Agreement for those goals. A special priority of the 2009 Sound Futures Fund is on planning for stormwater control, load reduction and management at the watershed scale that can result in the attainment of water quality standards in a specific geographic area, e.g. attainment of standards for swimming or shellfish harvesting in a particular harbor or embayment. Approaches can include:

Developing strategies to plan for and adapt to climate change;
Developing a stormwater utility to assist in funding existing and future stormwater infrastructure improvements;
Development of stormwater management plans that addresses both water quantity and quality; and
Development and implementation of uniform single or multi-municipality approaches to stormwater management such as setting standards in coastal areas for impervious surface coverage and increasing the size of upland review areas etc.

For both the Nitrogen Reduction and Nonpoint Source Pollution Control and Watershed Planning and Management preference will be given to projects:

In areas where there are documented impacts from nonpoint source pollution to swimming (e.g., beaches with chronic beach closures), shellfishing, and the health of living resources;
Helping implement Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDLs) for impaired waterbodies within the watershed, including achievement of the load allocation goals of the Long Island Sound TMDL for Dissolved Oxygen;
Generate a specific, quantifiable amount of nutrients to be reduced. For example, the benefits resulting through implementation of urban stormwater BMPs may be measured through a carefully designed water quality monitoring program;
Preference will be given to projects that address multiple environmental benefits, including attaining water quality standards. In particular, applicants are encouraged to consider projects that will further ecosystem restoration or otherwise demonstrate measurable improvements to living resources and their habitats.

Habitat Restoration: Projects to restore or enhance coastal habitats and riverine migratory corridors, consistent with the goals of the Long Island Sound Study Habitat Restoration Initiative (HRI). Priority habitat types include coastal and island forests, tidal wetlands, freshwater wetlands, riverine migratory corridors, coastal grasslands, and coastal beaches and dunes. A complete list of priority habitat types is available at the LISS habitat restoration website. Applicants may request funding for actual restoration implementation or for activities (e.g. engineering design and assessments and evaluations) necessary to develop restoration plans.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the information provided on the LISS habitat restoration website and to contact the federal agencies and LISS Habitat Restoration Coordinators to discuss their project ideas before developing and submitting proposals. Follow the link to Technical Assistance for the contact information.

Please follow the link to Special Instructions for Habitat Restoration Proposals section of the LISS website for additional guidance on developing such a proposal. These guidelines recommend that applicants prepare a supplemental habitat restoration plan to demonstrate that a thorough investigation of the project has been conducted and that the project is feasible.

For projects proposing on-the-ground restoration activities, preference will be given to those for which applicable permit applications have been submitted or approved. Habitat creation (e.g., destroying one habitat type in favor of another) projects will not be funded nor will projects to modify a habitat that is currently healthy and functioning. Preference will be given to projects proposed on sites within an identified LISS Stewardship Initiative Area. Follow the link to the Stewardship Initiative for more information on the 33 Stewardship Areas.

Invasive Species Control: Projects to control or manage invasive animal or plant species affecting Long Island Sound's coastal ecosystem. Applications for invasive species projects must include a clear long-term management and maintenance strategy. Preference will be given to projects focused on controlling new invasive species for which there is potential for eradication. Projects that propose to control widespread non-native species, such as watermilfoil, will not be funded. Also of interest is the establishment of monitoring and reporting protocols for invasive species monitoring at LISS Sentinel Sites, with standardized training, data collection and reporting protocols. This effort would involve identifying groups, developing list of sentinel sites, reviewing data collection and reporting protocols for databases already in existence (including the marine database housed by MIT Sea Grant, USGS, etc.), developing complementary protocols and QA/QC protocols for data collection, and providing training.

Species Conservation: Projects to protect or restore populations of endangered, threatened, or at-risk species, including priority species monitoring and approved management activities. Projects that support management, planning and restoration recommendations of the New York (page 137-141) and Connecticut (Chapter 4) State Wildlife Action Plans. Project types include:

Restore nesting habitat and managing vegetational succession in beach areas used by beach and island ground nesting birds, transient waterfowl and horseshoe crabs;
Implement stewardship programs of beaches during key nesting and migration periods to minimize disturbance to those areas;
Implement programs that reduce the presence of feral domestic species and wildlife predators on beach and ground-nesting birds.
Restore freshwater and diadromous fish species, and other aquatic species through the protection, restoration and enhancement of spawning and rearing habitat including such projects as reconfiguring or removing barriers to fish passage (removing small dams, culverts or other physical barriers which can also benefit communities through reduced flood impacts and removal of potential liability), maintenance of critical in-stream flows for fish passage, and promoting stewardship activities involving angler groups and other community-based organizations.
Enhance or restore shellfish.

Stewardship: Projects to enhance the values of the stewardship areas identified by the LISS Stewardship Initiative. Follow the link to the Stewardship Initiative for more information on the 33 Stewardship Areas. Projects should preserve and enhance ecological function and should improve natural resource-based recreation and access opportunities at stewardship areas. Funding directly for fee title or easement acquisition is not allowed; however, funding is available to support the administrative costs of acquisition. Preference will be given to projects that focus on developing creative partnerships with local communities and landowners to protect open space, preserve and enhance existing conservation values and to increase public access to the Sound. Examples include efforts to provide tools or technical assistance to local decision-makers or landowners to protect the values of a stewardship area, promote the principles and implementation of low impact development, or to develop a watershed-based management plan for a stewardship area. Projects should rely on community involvement and a collaborative approach to addressing threats or acting on opportunities at stewardship areas and must show a clear connection to the values for which the stewardship area has been recognized.

Education: Programs, activities, and related projects to promote a greater understanding of Long Island Sound. Proposals integrating direct experiential or hands-on elements are preferred. A new education priority this year is for proposals that employ community-based social marketing to encourage citizens to use appropriate environmental behaviors to improve environmental quality. Proposals to develop new curriculum will not be supported. Please note the maximum award for an educational project is $35,000.

5. Eligible Activities - Small Grants
Proposals can include, but are not limited to, the following: Community-based social marketing, environmental festivals, mobile exhibits, boat tours, educational theater, estuary exploration, fishing clinics, beach clean ups, curb your dog campaign, discouraging waterfowl feedings, septic system maintenance, household waste collections, watershed initiatives, storm drain stenciling/marking, monitoring, a guide or curriculum for Long Island Sound exotic species, native plant sales, beach grass plantings, pet store and garden store pollution prevention programs, Long Island Sound curriculum inventory, signage, posters, workshops, videos, school programs, seal census, and spill prevention programs. Proposals are specifically requested for activities or events that recognize and celebrate Long Island Sound as part of National Estuaries Day 2009. Applicants are strongly encouraged to explore the availability of curriculum before submitting proposals requesting support for new curriculum development.

6. Bronx River Watershed Initiative
For applicants interested in applying for the Bronx River Watershed Initiative - follow the link to BRWI. This link will take you to the Request for Proposals and application form. Please note, applicants to the Long Island Sound Futures Fund may also apply for the BRWI funds and the application period is the same.

7. Show How Well Your Project Fits!

Your project will be more competitive if you show its compatibility with federal or state management goals or programs:

8. WORKSHOPS!! WORKSHOPS!!WORKSHOPS!!

Yes, we would like you to participate in the remote workshop on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 from 1 pm-3 pm. NFWF has a new online application system. Use and navigation through this application will be the sole subject of the workshop. Follow the link to Workshops to learn more. Reservations are required to participate in the workshops and can be made through the Workshops weblink.

9. How to apply

Submit a full-proposal via the NFWF new*on-line pre-proposal application by Friday, March 13, 2009. * Please note you will need to register as a new user unless you have previously applied online for other NFWF programs

10. Technical Assistance
Technical assistance is available from our state and federal partners for help in the development of your application and project planning, design, and implementation. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Technical Assistance page, contact one or more of the technical advisors in advance of sending in your application, and to incorporate technical assistance into your projects as appropriate. We have found that the assistance of a technical advisor is one major factor in creating a successful proposal.

11. Number of Applications
Please do not submit more than three applications per organization. Universities are excluded from this limit, since they contain multiple eligible departments or investigators. However, no more than one proposal will be accepted from any individual principal investigator.

12. Time Period for Project Completion
Projects should be completed within one year to 15 months upon receipt of grant award letter. We understand a grant may only cover one year of a project which has multiple parts. However, the part of the project you are applying for must be completed in that time period. You can explain in the application that the funding will only be for the first phase of the project and that there are more elements to be developed and implemented to complete the larger project, but the part that is funded in this grant round must be completed in the time period described above.

13. Match
While match is not required for all grants under the Sound Futures Fund, preference will be given to projects with at least a 1:1 match. Applicants are encouraged to show federal partner contributions as well, although these contributions may not count towards match.

14. Support Letters
You may provide a maximum of 5 letters. The purpose of a support letter is to show the level and type of support for the project among interested constituencies. Support letters should not be from persons affiliated with the applicant's organization (e.g., Board of Directors) or partners or direct participants in the project i.e., federal or state employees providing long-term technical assistance is not acceptable. For example, a letter from a manager of National Wildlife Refuge generally supporting the project of Friends group on refuge lands is acceptable or from a City Official supportive of work in a community park, a Boy or Girl Scout leader who is committing their packs to an invasives control project, etc. For habitat restoration projects, letters documenting permission to work on private, federal or state land is required.

Please note: In the past the Sound Futures Fund has accepted support letters after the closure of the application period and hard copies of letters. For Sound Futures Fund 2009 all such letters must be uploaded into your online application by Friday, March 13, 2009. Letters received after that time will not be included with your application. For this reason, we suggest you immediately request letters from potential supporters to allow them to prepare the letters in time for upload into the application. Please note, these letters are attached to the application as uploads. It is probably best to have all letters in one file rather than five separate letters in order to avoid space limitations in the online system.

15. Permitting
If applicable, applicants will be required to provide sufficient documentation in regards to all necessary permits and clearances that the project expects to receive or has received in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Endangered Species Act (ESA) , and any other federal, state, or local ordinances. Consult Sound Futures Fund technical assistance for permit guidance.

16. Projects Involving Data Collection
A United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP)
documents the planning, implementation, and assessment procedures for a particular project, as well as any specific quality assurance and quality control activities. It integrates all the technical and quality aspects of the project in order to provide a "blueprint" for obtaining the type and quality of environmental data and information needed for a specific decision or use. All work performed or funded by the Sound Futures Fund that involves the acquisition of environmental data must have an approved QAPP.

Where data collected will not be used externally such as with a classroom based water
monitoring exercise to train students about data collection methods a QAPP would not be
required. If data collected will inform management by a public agency, research by a principal investigator or the like a QAPP will be required questions about whether you require a QAPP please contact Lynn.Dwyer@nfwf.org or http://www.epa.gov/QUALITY/faq6.html

17. Restrictions

Funds cannot be used for political advocacy, boycotts, litigation expenses, terrorist activities or activities conducted in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Funding for indirect costs, overhead, contingencies, and miscellaneous costs are not allowed. Waiver of such funds cannot be used as match.
Habitat creation (e.g., destroying one habitat type in favor of another) projects will not be funded nor will projects to modify a habitat that is currently healthy and functioning.
Proposals for research projects are not eligible for support under the Sound Futures Fund. Those interested in research should follow the link to LISS Research Grant Program.

18. Time Period for Project Completion
Projects should be completed within one year to 15 months upon receipt of grant award letter. We understand a grant may only cover one year of a project which has multiple parts. However, the part of the project you are applying for must be completed in that time period. You can explain in the application that the funding will only be for the first phase of the project and that there are more elements to be developed and implemented to complete the larger project, but the part that is funded in this grant round must be completed in the time period described above.

19. Award and Contracting Process
Proposals received will be reviewed by the Sound Futures Fund Advisory Review Team and ranked in terms of relevance to the Request for Proposals. Subsequently, applicants will receive written notification of the decision.

After project selection, a NFWF Project Administrator will work with directly with the grantee to prepare grant agreements and other necessary paperwork based on approved applications. Following approval of the grantee’s financial and legal documentation, budget and programmatic deliverables, a grant agreement will be drafted and mailed out for signature by the grant recipient and returned to the NFWF. At that point, grantees will have access to funds. Recipients will be expected to submit interim, annual and final financial and programmatic reports.

20. Timeline
Applications must be submitted online no later than Friday, March 13, 2009.
Award notification will be made by approximately late Summer 2009.*

* Please do not contact NFWF or the LISS regarding the status of your proposal until after the award announcement date.

21. Questions?

For questions regarding application procedures and eligibility please contact:

Lynn Dwyer
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
40 West 4th Street, #151
Patchogue, NY 11772
Phone: 631-627-3488
Lynn.Dwyer@nfwf.org

For questions regarding the Long Island Sound Study please contact:

EPA Long Island Sound Office
Government Center, Suite 6-5
888 Washington Blvd.
Stamford, CT 06904-2152
Phone: 203/977-1541
Fax: 203/977-1546

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