Pinellas County Environmental Fund

Request for Proposals

Background

The Pinellas County Environmental Fund (PCEF) is a unique partnership between the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. These three groups share the common goals of actively pursuing the protection, restoration, and enhancement of Tampa Bay’s natural resources. PCEF is funded by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation administers all grant awards on behalf of PCEF.

PCEF provides funding through a competitive application process for projects that will protect, restore, or enhance the natural resources of Tampa Bay.  Projects of particular interest include those that address the on-the-ground habitat and species conservation priorities and recommendations outlined in the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) for Tampa Bay, Charting the Course, a plan developed through the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and its related partnerships.

Funding Availability

Approximately $500,000 is available for 2009.

Geographic Scope

Pinellas County and the Tampa Bay Watershed.

View location eligibility map.

Eligible Applicants

Local, state, and federal government; non-profit organizations; educational institutions; and private firms.

Grant Size

Minimum grant size is $35,000.

General Funding Priorities

Preference will be given to projects that include the following:

Specific Funding Priorities

Projects will be considered under PCEF that:

• Result in direct and measurable conservation benefits through restoration, protection, or enhancement of the following habitats:
  • Low salinity tidal marshes, to address the CCMP goal of restoring at least 100 acres of low-salinity tidal marsh every five years;
  • Salt marshes and mangroves, to address the CCMP goal of preserving and enhancing the bay’s 18,800 acres of existing mangrove/salt marsh habitats;
  • Freshwater wetlands and tidal streams;
  • Coastal upland habitat;
  • Seagrasses, to address the CCMP goal of recovering an additional 10,976 acres of seagrass over 2004 levels, while preserving the bay’s existing grass beds and reducing propeller scarring of seagrasses.
• Benefit declining, threatened or endangered species at the state or federal level or as identified in the CCMP, through addressing long term solutions to the conservation of a species and/or restoring associated habitat.
• Develop community stewardship through hands-on participation/volunteerism and/or innovative education and outreach associated with the project.
• Applied research that will address habitat restoration or species recovery needs of the above-listed priorities will be considered. Conservation need, dissemination of results to on-the-ground practitioners, and demonstration of how results will be used effectively by management agencies must be addressed. Please note: Proposals entirely focused on research will not be accepted.

How to Submit Application

Applicants should log on to the Foundation’s on-line application system, Easygrants, and select the Pinellas County Environmental Fund funding opportunity. Only electronic pre-proposals will be considered.  Upon receipt and evaluation of the pre-proposal, the Foundation will invite successful applicants to submit a full proposal. If invited for a full proposal, applicants will be required to solicit peer-review of their proposal by up to five qualified and objective reviewers. The Foundation also retains the right to require additional peer-review of proposals by external experts.

Deadline for Application

Pre-proposals are due January 15, 2009. Late applications will not be accepted. Only electronic pre-proposals submitted through the Foundation’s online application will be considered. Applicants invited to submit full proposals must submit them through the online system by March 15, 2009.

Additional Application Information

Technical Assistance

Applicants for restoration funds are strongly encouraged to contact Daphne Macfarlan at NOAA to discuss their restoration projects before submitting proposals, and to incorporate technical assistance into your projects as appropriate.

Time Period for Project Completion

Projects should be completed within one year to 24 months upon receipt of the grant award letter. Project start and end dates should include the period during which all proposed work is accomplished, all requested funds are spent, and all matching funds are spent. We understand a grant may only cover one part of a project which has multiple parts. However, the part of the project you are applying for must be completed in that time period.

A recipient may choose to back-date the start date of their project up to one year prior to NFWF’s receipt of a pre-proposal.

If the funding request is only for a phase of a larger project, please place the portion of the project that is the subject of the funding request in context with the larger project by stating the goals, outcomes, and timelines for both the funding request portion and the larger project overall (and the extent to which the funding request will help achieve the overall project goals).

Match

Projects require a minimum 1:1 match of non-federal funds or contributed goods and services (in-kind). The ratio of matching funds offered by the applicant is one criterion considered during the review process. Match raised by the grantee up to one year prior to the pre-proposal deadline is eligible. To be eligible, matching contributions must be:
• Raised and dedicated specifically towards the project;
• Voluntary in nature (mitigation, restitution, or other permit or court-ordered settlements are ineligible for use as match); and
• Applied only to the Foundation's grant to your organization and not used for other federal matching programs.
• The cost of recent land acquisitions may also qualify as match for a project involving work at that site. Applicants may also include an easement put on the land, if this occurs during the award period.
Please note, waiver of university indirect and/or general administrative overhead costs are not eligible for match.

Monitoring

Projects are encouraged to include pre- and post- project monitoring as part of the project plan.  For monitoring guidance, see NOAA’s monitoring planner.

Permit and NEPA Requirements

It is very important that you provide sufficient documentation that, if appropriate, demonstrates you are pursuing, expect to receive or have received all necessary permits and clearances for your project to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Endangered Species Act, and any other Federal, State, or local regulations or ordinances.  Those projects awarded NOAA funding must comply with NEPA before NFWF will release funding.  NEPA review considers all potential impacts on the human environment.  For more information on NEPA, please visit NOAA’s website. 

Restrictions

Grant funds cannot be used for political advocacy, fundraising, lobbying or litigation activities or to support projects resulting from legally mandated mitigation projects.  The Foundation cannot provide funds for general administrative overhead or indirect expenses.

Additional Questions

PCEF Questions and Application Assistance
Suzanne Sessine
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
(202) 857-0166
suzanne.sessine@nfwf.org

Technical Project Assistance
Daphne Macfarlan
NOAA Community-based Program
(727) 824-5384
daphne.macfarlan@noaa.gov

Please view the Special Instructions for PCEF Application Narrative for more information.

Information on previously funded projects is available in the PCEF annual report. 

 

Apply for a PCEF grant.
Special Instructions for PCEF Application Narrative