Image: Scott Ripley
Securing funding through grants can be a game-changer for local projects, but navigating the process often feels overwhelming. So many grants, so little time. Between managing deadlines, gathering documentation, and coordinating staff time, it’s no surprise that many municipalities find themselves stretched thin. However, these challenges don’t have to be faced alone.
At PREP, we understand the unique hurdles that towns face, and we’re here to provide personalized, one-on-one support to help you through the process. Together, we can tackle clean water challenges, whether that is through support (e.g, technical support, facilitation) and/or resources (e.g., grant funding, staff time, or knowledge). We are here!
In this post, we’ll highlight a few of the many ways PREP can support you, including one-on-one guidance from our staff, our PREPA Grant program, access to a Maine and New Hampshire regional grants database, as well as upcoming fall 2024 funding opportunities and tools that inform how protect and care for our shared waters.
PREPA: PREP's Tailored Grant Program with One-on-One Support
The Piscataqua Region Environmental Planning Assessment Grant Program—or simply, the PREPA Grant Program—is designed to help any of the 52 cities and towns in the Piscataqua Region Watershed in both Maine and New Hampshire. The program helps our communities make big strides in protecting their natural resources and water quality, or in preparing for and adapting to climate change.
Our grants also fund watershed groups and organizations partnering with one or more municipalities in the Piscataqua Region Watershed. A watershed is an area of land where all the water from rain and snow drains into a common body of water, such as a river, bay, or ocean.
This is PREP’s own grant program, designed with simplicity in mind. We’ve streamlined the application process to reduce paperwork and cut through the red tape, making it as accessible as possible for communities in our region to work toward adopting important watershed and climate-related strategies. We also conduct and update an assessment that does the leg work of identifying gaps or inconsistency in water quality and natural resource protections in our entire region, organized by town. And these can be used as inspiration for your project.
Project topics often include: shoreland protection, freshwater wetlands preservation, stormwater management and erosion control, climate adaptation and resilience, and general actions for the watershed. If you're unsure whether your project fits, give us a call. We're always eager to hear about creative ways communities are working to support clean water.
Community Engagement Manager Abigail Lyon is always available to talk through PREPA Grant questions, your budding ideas, or first-time application support. If you’ve met Abigail, you know how her passion, enthusiasm, and deep knowledge (from municipal processes to MS4 permits to conservation commissions — just to name a few) make her an invaluable collaborator. She’s always ready to tackle even the most complex challenges and stick with you throughout the process. No matter whether you are planning to apply this year or next, she’s here to walk you through your questions and ideas.
Contact Abigail: 📧 Abigail.Lyon@unh.edu ☎️ (603) 862-3729
Regional Maine and New hampshire grant Opportunities
PREP actively stays informed on funding opportunities and helps connect local communities and partners with the resources they need to support habitat restoration and clean water improvement projects. In partnership with the Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC) and New Hampshire Coastal Adaptation Workgroup (NHCAW), we’ve compiled a database of available climate resilience grants in New Hampshire and Maine.
These grants are geared specifically toward municipalities and nonprofits, offering funding options for environmental projects, climate resilience, infrastructure improvements, and more.
Regional Grant Navigation Support
Want to make sense of the grants database? Want to know who to reach out to that might have data to support your application? Meet with PREP’s Watershed Resilience Manager Annie Cox. Annie is available for ad hoc grant questions, one-on-one conversations, and can help you get connected with the right people.
If you know Annie, you’ve probably experienced her wonderful sense of humor and knack for making even the toughest grant applications enjoyable. Whether you’re seeking information on available grants or looking to connect with the right people to make your project a success, Annie is here and ready to help. Call or email to set up a one-on-one or get more information.
Contact Annie: 📧 Anne.Cox@unh.edu ☎️ (603) 862-0219
Piscataqua Watershed Resources: Highlights for Fall 2024
Lastly, we’re highlighting upcoming grant opportunities with fast-approaching deadlines, ways towns/cities have tackled yard care, and the launch of 7 Rivers to the Coast, a newly launched website.
7 Rivers to the Coast
7 Rivers to the Coast is a newly launched website featuring an explorer map, regional events calendar, and ways we can protect our waters. The site is brought to you through Great Bay 2030 as well as the collaboration of 20 organizations that are working to protect the waterways that flow through New Hampshire’s Great Bay Watershed. If you have an event or feature article, you can submit these to 7 Rivers to the Coast and they will promote it.
GB Partnership - Land Protection Transaction Grants Application - Due October 4, 2024
The Great Bay Resource Protection Partnership (GBRPP) is offering grants to help cover land transaction costs for permanent land protection projects, including donations, full purchases, and conservation easements, in New Hampshire's Great Bay watershed.
An organization may receive up to $45,000 in combined awards from Grant Program 1 (Appraisal) and Grant Program 2 (Completed Project). The maximum grant award for Grant Program 1 is $4,000 per property. The maximum grant award for Grant Program 2 is $25,000 per property.
GB Partnership - Stewardship Grant Program Application - Due November 1, 2024
The Great Bay Resource Protection Partnership offers $2,000-$10,000 grants to assist with land stewardship costs for the permanently protected conservation lands in the Great Bay Watershed NH communities. Examples of projects include habitat management, existing trail maintenance, property/project planning, and natural resource inventory projects. Projects that involve resource sharing or collaboration with partners/abutters on stewardship actions across property boundaries are also encouraged.
National Fish Passage Program Grant Funding
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Share New Hampshire proposals with Jaime Masterson (Jaime_Masterson@fws.gov) by October 25, 2024
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Contact Scott Craig (Scott_Craig@fws.gov) for Maine proposals
This grant program, funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, helps towns and other eligible candidates remove barriers in waterways, restore aquatic connectivity, and improve climate resilience. It offers technical and financial assistance to partners for habitat restoration, with a focus on native species, community resilience, and infrastructure modernization. Be sure to contact the appropriate person for each state.
The 100 Resilient Yards Project in South Portland, Maine, helped residents transform their yards into eco-friendly, resilient spaces that enhance water quality, reduce flooding, and promote native wildlife. The program offered guidance and resources for sustainable yard practices, contributing to climate resilience and healthier communities. We highlight this project as a valuable resource and inspiration for towns looking to encourage yard care that supports clean water and water stewardship.