[SEMCO] Freshwater Grant Opportunity

[Lisa McNeill]

Below are guidelines for the Community Foundation of Cape Cod's Freshwater
Fund and Environmental Trust Fund of Cape Cod.  The Community Foundation is
soliciting proposals for these two grant making funds in order to provide
financial support for collaborative projects that address freshwater issues
at the regional and local levels and that promote and link good science and
public education.

If you would like a formated copy of the guidelines, please go to the
Community Foundation's website at www.capecodfoundation.org, or call the
Community Foundation at 508-790-3040.

____________________________________________________________________________
____
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF CAPE COD
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Freshwater Fund & Environmental Trust Fund of Cape Cod
Made possible through grants from the Agua Fund of the Tides Foundation
& the Massachusetts Environmental Trust

The Community Foundation of Cape Cod is soliciting proposals in order to
provide financial support for collaborative projects that address freshwater
issues at the regional and local levels and that promote and link good
science and public education.  Grants will be made from the Freshwater Fund
& the Environmental Trust Fund of Cape Cod.

The Freshwater Fund at the Community Foundation of Cape Cod was created to
promote protection and restoration of the quality of surface and groundwater
and the health of freshwater ecosystems on Cape Cod and Nantucket.  The
Environmental Trust Fund of Cape Cod was established with a challenge grant
from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust and matching gifts from
individual donors for the purpose of establishing an unrestricted
environmental endowment fund for Cape Cod.  This year’s distributions from
the Environmental Trust Fund will support freshwater issues.

Cape Cod’s freshwater ecosystems – its groundwater-fed ponds and streams --
are a window into the natural underground reservoir that is the sole source
of drinking water for all Cape residents and visitors.  Because the
overlaying soil layers are highly permeable, the aquifer is vulnerable to
contamination.  The Cape’s rapid population growth, which brings with it a
proliferation of on-site septic systems and excessive application of
fertilizers, combines with this intrinsic high vulnerability to pollute
drinking water and degrade wildlife habitat.

Without significant, concerted action to protect and restore the region’s
freshwater and freshwater ecosystems, they will continue to decline,
adversely affecting both public health and wildlife.  Proposals are
encouraged that demonstrate coordination across town borders and greater
cooperation between local grassroots groups that promote and protect and/or
preserve specific ponds, rivers, or watersheds.

Deadline for applications is October 30, 2002.  The Grant Review Committee
will consider the proposals submitted at its meeting approximately one month
following the deadlines.  The recommendations of the Grant Review Committee
will be presented to the Board of Directors at the next scheduled Board
Meeting and distributions expeditiously made thereafter.  In general,
decisions are approved, and notices of awards are made within two months
after the proposal deadline.

The applications must be received in the Community Foundation office by the
deadline (or the following business day if the deadline falls on a weekend
or holiday).  No faxes or electronic mail will be accepted.  The proposals
should be submitted on white paper (no binders or covers) and stapled in the
upper left corner.  One original and eight copies of your proposal and one
copy of attachments must be mailed or delivered to the Community Foundation
office.

Incomplete applications will not be submitted to the Advisory Committee for
review.  The Community Foundation of Cape Cod is located at 259 Willow
Street, Yarmouthport, MA.  The mailing address is P.O. Box 406,
Yarmouthport, MA  02675.  If you have any questions, please contact us at
1-800-947-2322 or (508) 790-3040.

Grants will provide financial support for collaborative projects that
address freshwater issues at the regional and local levels and that promote
and link good science and public education.  The grants will support:

§	Regional projects involving freshwater resources in two or more towns to
solve problems that affect both drinking water supplies and ecological
integrity.
§	Local projects--involving a single town or single body of water--that
build the capacity of grassroots groups to protect freshwater resources
through such activities as public education, data analysis/synthesis, water
quality monitoring (used to build public awareness), and preservation and/or
restoration work.

Approximately $100,000 will be available for grantmaking in 2002.  The
Community Foundation will consider requests for a maximum of a one-year
funding period.  Grants for local projects will range up to $15,000 over one
year.  Grants for inter-town or regional projects will range up to $30,000
over one year.

Criteria for projects
To be eligible for consideration, all projects must:
§	Integrate a strong public education component.
§	Be grounded in good science as determined by the Advisory Committee and
monitored by the Community Foundation in conjunction with specific service
providers.
§	Preference will be given to those projects that have a dollar for dollar
(or greater) match from other funding sources.  Grassroots organizations can
use in-kind support as a match if it can be clearly defined, tracked and
reported to the Community Foundation, and if it does not replace existing
donated services and/or volunteer time.

Inter-town or regional projects should demonstrate the involvement and
support of affected constituencies in the form of:
§	Official governmental participation in each of the affected towns,
§	Participation by one or more private groups in the affected towns or the
region, and/or
§	Official participation by the Cape Cod Commission, the Barnstable County
Health and Environmental Department or other appropriate regional body.

Grassroots groups that submit local projects must employ approved monitoring
methods (if applicable) and demonstrate an awareness of the need to
coordinate their methods with other such groups, to share resources and data
with them, and to build the base of citizen awareness and participation.

Exclusions
Funds will not be provided for:
§	Projects whose emphasis is on marine ecosystems.
§	Land acquisition or park development, although projects that include
identification of key parcels for land acquisition based on water quality
criteria will be eligible.
§	Development of curricula, unless this is one component of a broader public
education strategy.
§	Activities already supported by grants from the Agua Fund.
§	Reimbursement for any past activities.
§	Projects that do not take place on Cape Cod or Nantucket.


Community Foundation of Cape Cod
Freshwater Fund & Environmental Trust Fund of Cape Cod
Proposal Cover Sheet
1. Legal name of organization, address, and name of executive director or
other authorized official:
____________________________________________________________________________
______
____________________________________________________________________________
______
1a. Signature of authorized official
______________________________________________________
2. Contact person and title:
___________________________________________________________
3.  Phone: ________________   Fax: ____________________ E-Mail:
_________________________

4. IRS 501 (c) (3) nonprofit?  (circle one)     YES	NO

4a. If no, identify your fiscal agent here and attach the written
statement/acknowledgment from the fiscal agent* (see bottom of Checklist for
note re: fiscal agent)_______________________________________
5. Amount Requested: _____________________5a. Total Project
Budget_______________________

6. Organization’s
mission:_____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________
7. Type of project for which you are seeking funding (advocacy or education,
water quality testing, research or pilot project, etc.):
__________________________________________________________
8. Please give a brief summary of the proposal:
____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________
9. Characterize the health of the ecosystem in
question:______________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
______
9a. Categorize the sources of data and/or types of testing you have done or
collected to assess the health of the
ecosystem:_______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
______
10. # of Board members: _____________  	# of non-Board active volunteers:
___________________
11. # of full-time staff:  ______________	# of part-time staff:
______________________________
12. Do you have a membership program? 	YES        NO  	     12 a. If yes, #
of members:__________
13. Annual organizational budget:_____________ 14. Fiscal Year End (ex.,
Dec. 31): _______________
15. The period this grant will cover: starting ____________________ending
_____________________
16. Has your organization been funded by the Community Foundation in the
past 5 years?  YES    NO
16.a. If yes, please list the year(s) and the program that was funded.
____________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
______


Organizational Resources and Access to Skills and Information
On a separate sheet, please answer the questions applicable to your
organization (regardless of the type of proposal you are submitting), and
attach the sheet to the Proposal Cover Sheet.

	A. For All Organizations:
1.	Is your staff and/or volunteer base sufficient to support your
organization’s mission, goals and objectives?  If not, please explain.
2.	What are the biggest obstacles (if any) to your organization achieving
its goals?
3.	Do you believe that you have good local support for your work?  If so,
how do you know? If not, what kinds of support would you like to see
improved?
4.	Does your organization or agency have staff or volunteers, or have access
to staff or volunteers, who are skilled in interpreting data so that the
general public can understand the information?
5.	Does your organization or agency possess the skills and/or have access to
resources to be able to share your data and information with local citizens
and decision makers?  Does your organization or agency regularly use its
data and information to inform and educate the public and local decision
makers?  If so, how do you inform and educate the public, and how often do
you conduct these kinds of activities?
6.	Does your organization or agency have access to all of the training and
technical assistance (TA) it needs?  If so, please describe the kinds of
training and TA resources you currently use.  If not, please describe the
areas of training and TA your organization needs.  (This information will
help in putting together training and TA for the Freshwater Fund
initiative.)


	B. Additional Questions for Organizations that Conduct Water Quality
Testing:
1.	Does your organization or agency have staff or volunteers, or have access
to staff or volunteers, who are skilled in water sampling and testing?  If
so, how much confidence do you have in the reliability of the testing?
Please explain.  If not, how do you get your data?
2.	Does your organization or agency have access to reliable and timely lab
services?  What is the usual turnaround time between submitting your samples
and receiving the results?  Is the turnaround time sufficient for your work?
3.	Does your organization or agency have staff or volunteers, or have access
to staff or volunteers, who are skilled in analyzing water quality sampling
results (i.e., raw data)?
4.	Do you request that the lab provide you with analysis of your samplings?
If so, what is the usual turnaround time between submitting your samples and
receiving the analysis?  Is the turnaround time sufficient for your work?


	C. Additional Question for Organizations that Do Not Conduct Water Quality
Testing:
1.	How do you get the data that your organization uses in its work?  How
much confidence do you have in the reliability of the testing?  Please
explain.


	D. Additional Question for Regional Groups and Towns:
1.	Are you currently conducting any research or pilot programs related to
water issues?  If so, please describe.  If not, what is the biggest obstacle
to conducting these kinds of programs?


PROPOSAL CHECKLIST
HOW TO APPLY: Your proposal narrative (parts 2 and 3 below) should be
between 2-5 pages in length.  Please be strategic and concise in your
application.  Send one original and eight (8) copies of your proposal (parts
1-5 below) and one set of attachments to the Community Foundation for
receipt by October 30.

PROPOSAL:				    	1 ORIGINAL AND 8 COPIES INCLUDED     ______
					(parts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 below)

1. Cover Sheet, “Organizational Resources and Access to Skills and
Information” responses, and Checklist

2.   Profile of your organization:
___	General background on your organization
___	Mission of organization
___	A brief description of programs, including current collaborative
programs, and the neighboring watershed groups, town agencies or other
organizations with which you collaborate

	3.   Profile of your request:
___	Please indicate the specific amount of funding requested and how it will
be spent
___	Describe the project for which you are seeking funds
___	State your organization’s past experience with the project you are
proposing; (i.e., what led your organization to the point of proposing the
project; what expertise does your organization have related to the project?)
___	Explain the community need that exists and why this project is important
to your local freshwater ecosystem and/or the community
___	Indicate if you will be collaborating with other groups and agencies and
describe how you will work together
___	Describe how you will inform the community about this project
___	Explain plans for securing matching and/or ongoing funding

4.   Project budget with line item expenses and sources of project income
and brief statement of
organization’s budget (one page).  If your proposal is described by tasks or
phases, please make sure that your project budget clearly reflects the cost
of each task or phases.

5.   List of Board of Directors and their professional or civic affiliations

ATTACHMENTS:			         	1 SET OF ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED   ____
___	Copy of organization’s certification of 501(c)(3) status by the IRS, or
evidence of monitoring by a qualified fiscal agent if appropriate (i.e.,
statement agreeing to serve as fiscal agent).*
___	Financial information, including: a copy of the current annual operating
budget with line item expenses and sources of operating revenue (please
identify general source types such as individual donors, state grants, local
municipal grants, contracts, fees, etc.).
___	A list of foundations & other institutions from which you are seeking
support for this project.
___	Letter from collaborating agencies, if appropriate.  Letters should be
included for any partner organizations listed in your proposal.
___	Supplementary copies of studies or a list of studies that have been
conducted, if appropriate.

* If you are not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and you do not have a
fiscal agent, please call the Community Foundation of Cape Cod at
800-947-2322 before submitting your proposal.