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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:<br>June 5, 2015 Sarah Williams<br> 508-291-3625 ext. 13<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:6.0in;text-indent:.5in'><a href="mailto:Sarah.Williams@state.ma.us">Sarah.Williams@state.ma.us</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.5in'><b><span style='font-size:13.0pt'>Coastal watersheds grant funding pre-announcements and opportunities</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program (NEP) would like to alert municipalities and our other partners of several grant opportunities expected in 2015. Because it takes time to develop proposals, and because grant funds will be released in a relatively short period of time, we are making this pre-announcement of anticipated funds and funding areas.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Grant Program: <b>Buzzards Bay Municipal Mini-grants</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Funding Area: Wetland and habitat restoration and protection<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Funding Administrator: Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program/MCZM<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Eligibility: Municipalities<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Geographic Extent: Buzzards Bay watershed<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Funding Available: $154,000<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Match Required: 33% of requested funds<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Award limits (per proposal/per entity): $45,000/$50,000<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>RFR Release Date: June 2015<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For further information please go to: <a href="http://buzzardsbay.org/funding.htm">http://buzzardsbay.org/funding.htm</a> Bid solicitation will be posted when available.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Grant Program: <b>National Estuary Program Water Quality Management Grants (funded by SNEP)</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Funding Area: Nutrients, pathogens, stormwater<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Funding Administrator: Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program/MCZM, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program/NEIWPCC<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Eligibility: Municipalities, Non-profits, Higher Education<a name="_GoBack"></a>al/Research Institutions<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Geographic Extent: Buzzards Bay and Narragansett Bay watersheds<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Funding Available: $900,000 per National Estuary Program<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Match Required: 25% of requested funds<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Award Limits (per proposal/per entity): $200,000/not determined<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>RFR Release Date: late July 2015<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For further information please go to: <a href="http://restore.buzzardsbay.org/grants.html">http://restore.buzzardsbay.org/grants.html</a> for projects within the Buzzards Bay watershed or <a href="http://www.nbep.org/">http://www.nbep.org/</a> or <a href="http://www.neiwpcc.org/contractors/opportunities.asp">http://www.neiwpcc.org/contractors/opportunities.asp</a> for projects in the Narragansett Bay watershed. Bid solicitations will be posted when available.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Grant Program: <b>Southern New England Program (SNEP)</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Funding Area: Not yet announced, will likely include nutrients, stormwater, and other areas<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Funding Administrator: U.S. EPA<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Eligibility: Municipalities, Non-profits, possibly others<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Geographic Extent: Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay, and Cape Cod watersheds<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Funding Available: $3-$5 million<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Match Required: unknown<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Award Limits (per proposal/per entity): unknown/unknown<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>RFR Release Date: expected to be fall 2015<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For further information please go to: <a href="http://www.epa.gov/region1/snecwrp/">http://www.epa.gov/region1/snecwrp/</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#404040'>Sarah B. Williams | Regional Planner | Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#404040'>2870 Cranberry Highway, East Wareham, MA 02538<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#404040'>(V) 508-291-3625 ext 13 | (F) 508-291-3628 | Sarah.Williams@state.ma.us<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>