Great question! Community engagement means involving people in the planning, development, or implementation of your project. It can take many forms, but at its core, it's about building relationships, sharing knowledge, and creating opportunities for people to participate in or benefit from the work. Therefore, we would like your proposed idea to support the inclusion of residents and representatives of the community directly affected by flooding or extreme heat.

For example, community engagement could include (and is not limited to):

• Hosting a public workshop or event
• Partnering with local groups, schools, or volunteers
• Gathering input from residents to shape project decisions
• Creating art, signage, or tools that raise awareness and invite action
• Leading a hands-on activity like a planting day, walk audit, or community science effort

It’s not just outreach. It’s about collaboration, inclusion, and creating a project that reflects the needs and ideas of the community it serves.

If you have questions about what counts, please contact Annie Cox before you apply! Her contact is Anne.Cox@unh.edu.

Some additional inspiration and guidance on community engagement: 

1. Spectrum of Community Engagement: movementstrategy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/The-Spectrum-of-Community-Engagement-to-Ownership.pdf
2. Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing: https://www.ran.org/jemez_principles/

No (both questions). There isn't a match requirement for Climate Impact Grants. Providing match will not make your application more competitive. The scoring criteria for Climate Impact Grants does not include match demonstration.

No. Each Climate Impact Grant proposals must address theme and adhere to the criteria. These are requirements. For 2025, the theme is extreme heat and/or flooding. You can sign up for our newsletter to learn about new forthcoming themes.

It depends. A project may occur anywhere in the Great Bay Watershed town if benefits or activities also occur within the watershed boundary. If you have any questions about whether or not you'd be eligible, please contact Annie Cox before you apply: anne.cox@unh.edu.

No. You do not need to have completed the Project Builder Program to apply for a Climate Impact Grant. Likewise, completing Project Builder does not give you an advantage or disadvantage in the grant application process.

Yes! The Project Builder program is designed to help you develop the skills, connections, and support you need to get your grant idea off the ground. Climate Impact Grants could be the perfect next step.

Climate Impact Grants fund projects up to $25k. Large infrastructure projects cost a lot more money, can be complicated in process, and take years to complete. 

For example, installing large-scale stormwater infrastructure, like an underground stormwater detention system to manage flooding in a neighborhood support the impacts of flooding, but these projects often require engineering studies, heavy construction, and coordination across multiple agencies, making them costly (i.e., millions of dollars) and time-intensive (i.e., several years).

Yes! While project proposals must take place within the Great Bay Watershed, your organization does not need to be located in the watershed in order to participate. Make sure your Project Builder idea also adheres to theme criteria.

Yes! Annie will hold office hours in September and October to answer your questions and provide support. If you need more in-depth help—like shaping the budget, timeline, or scope of work—we recommend applying for the Project Builder program for hands-on support in building a strong proposal.

No. We recommend that these organizations work together on a single application for that city or town. Identifying overlaps and combining projects will likely end up making the project stronger. If you have questions about if that makes sense for you or how you might go about combining them, please reach out to Annie Cox ( anne.cox@unh.edu ) and she’ll arrange for a time for you to speak!

No. If you have questions about your application approach, or are torn on where you place your efforts, please reach out to Annie Cox ( anne.cox@unh.edu ) and she’ll arrange for a time for you to speak!

Yes! PREP now has two grant programs, Climate Impact Grants and the Piscataqua Region Environmental Planning Assessment Grant Program—also known as the PREPA Grant Program. PREPA Grants support any of the 52 cities and towns within 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, as well as in preparing for and adapting to climate change. Learn more about our PREPA Grant Program.