Chesapeake Gateways Grants

Peter Turcik

The National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways Program (NPS Chesapeake Gateways) offers competitive grant opportunities to advance the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 within the full 41-million-acre Chesapeake Bay watershed! The information below is intended to help potential grantees prepare and submit their proposal for grant funding through this effort.

2024-25 Chesapeake Gateways Grants Opportunity has closed.

Grant Opportunity Details

Introduction

Chesapeake Gateways is a network of places and their partners, providing opportunities to enjoy, learn about and help conserve the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. Included in the network are diverse natural, cultural, historical, and recreational sites, trails, museums, parks, refuges, and interpretive and orientation facilities. These places serve as entry points and the key guide for experiencing the Chesapeake watershed.

Goal: Develop Chesapeake Gateways Communities as Strategic Focal Points

Chesapeake Gateways communities aspire to connect people, places and stories across all of our great watershed in a whole-community approach. Chesapeake Gateways communities are where a combination of geography, location, transportation systems, economic uses and services concentrate people in the watershed.

These communities enhance public education of and access to the Chesapeake by:

• Elevating their visitor experience efforts, connecting to sites, water and land trails, and other local programmatic assets. 
• Providing an outstanding welcoming orientation for locals and visitors, encouraging exploration, and offering a host of inclusive opportunities for people to experience a range of authentic Chesapeake resources and stories. 
• Embracing a commitment to linking nature, culture, history, and recreation-based tourism with economic initiatives for local resiliency and community sustainability, especially tied with sectors closely linked with Chesapeake heritage. 

Grant Categories for Funding

NPS Chesapeake Gateways is offering this competitive grant opportunity to strengthen communities’ ability to enhance public education of and access to the Chesapeake Bay watershed as detailed in the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998.

Though this grant opportunity, NPS Chesapeake Gateways will:

• Support community collaboration projects that link local nature, culture, history, and/or recreation-based tourism to economic impact of the community.
• Support the development and implementation of community events that celebrate the rich cultural, historical, natural, or recreational legacy and ongoing story of the Bay as a way of engaging with residents and visitors.

Linking Tourism and Economic Development Grants (Award Range: $50,000 to $100,000)
Proposals submitted should demonstrate that the projects reflect a community need; link local recreation, culture, history, and/or nature tourism to economic impact of the community; and involve a collaboration among community partners. Projects should link nature-based and cultural tourism with economic initiatives for local resilience and community sustainability, especially tied with sectors closely linked with Chesapeake heritage, such as historical or cultural crafts and trades, working lands, or maritime activities.

Event Support Grants (Award Range: $10,000-$25,000)
Proposals should demonstrate how the event or festival celebrates the rich cultural, historical, natural, or recreational legacy and ongoing story of Chesapeake Gateways communities. Public events and festivals should encourage exploration and enjoyment of the wealth of cultural, historical, natural, and recreational experiences available in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The events encourage new and enhanced opportunities to connect with underrepresented communities through inclusive and welcoming events, festivals, places, and programming.

Funding

Estimated Total Funding: approximately $1,000,000. The amount of funding available per award will be determined once final fiscal year (FY) 2025 appropriations have been made.

Expected Award Amount:

• Linking Tourism and Economic Development Grants: Award Range: $50,000 to $100,000
• Event Support Grants: Award Range: $10,000-$25,000

Estimated Number of Grants to be Awarded

• Linking Tourism and Economic Development Grants: approximately 7-8 grants expected
• Event Support Grants: approximately 8-12 grants expected

Anticipated Award Date: Summer of 2025

Anticipated Term of the Agreement: Agreement terms for periods of performance for funded projects may range between one to two years, depending on the complexity and negotiated project statement of work. Grants are not effective until a fully executed notice of award has been provided by the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer.

Eligibility Information

Applicants from outside the Chesapeake watershed may apply, but only projects and programs conducted within the watershed will be considered.

00 – State governments
01 – County governments
02 – City or township governments
04 – Special district governments
05 – Independent school districts
06 – Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
07 – Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
08 – Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
11 – Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
12 – Nonprofits having a 501 (c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
13 – Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
20 – Private institutions of higher education
22 – For profit organization other than small businesses
23 – Small businesses

PLEASE NOTE: While applicants can be from outside the Chesapeake watershed, only projects that take place in the watershed will be considered. Projects that take place outside the watershed will not be considered.

Cost Sharing or Match

NPS Chesapeake Gateways seeks to make this effort as accessible as possible to all eligible applicants. There are no cost share or match requirements for these grants as authorized under Section 502(a) of The Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998.

Application Requirements

You must complete the mandatory standard forms and any applicable optional forms, in accordance with the instructions provided, as required by the Notice on www.grants.gov. Do not include any proprietary or personally identifiable information.

Mandatory Requirements:

• Standard Form 424 (SF 424)
• Standard Form 424A or C (SF 424A/C)
• Project Abstract Summary
• Detailed Budget Table and Narrative
• Standard Form 424B or D (SF 424B/D)
• Project Narrative (see drop down below for specifics)

Project Narrative

The project narrative is an opportunity to describe and provide details on the proposal that specifically address at least one of the grant categories (see above) and each of the review criteria (see below). The proposal text must be no longer than 8 pages, no smaller than font size 11, and have 1-inch margins. The 8-page limit includes all text, figures, and references. (Project team resumes, Forms SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-LLL, and the statement of indirect charges are not counted as part of the 8-page limit). Only information that is pertinent to the proposal should be included in the narrative. Extra information will not be considered.

Project Overview

1. Purpose, Goal(s), and Objective(s)
2. Deliverable(s) - specific product(s) or project outcome(s)
3. Project Location within the watershed (Please note: projects outside the watershed will not be considered.)
4. Identify the Chesapeake Gateways Place that will serve as a project partner.
5. Key Tasks and Milestones

Strategic Intent

1. Connection to Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act – How does the project enhance public education and/or access to the Chesapeake Bay?
2. Connection to Chesapeake Economic Development-- Did the application link the project deliverables to economic impact?
3. Connection to Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Engagement Objectives - How does the project address community engagement, equity, inclusion, and/or accessibility?
4. Investments in Community Collaborations - How well does the proposed project collaborate across the community to address tourism and economic development?

Organization/Applicant Overview

1. Organization mission alignment—How does the project fit into the proposing organization’s mission and does the organization have the capacity to fulfill the project?
2. Project Team’s skills and experience, including staff, volunteers, partners and consultants—Name, title, and responsibilities. Optional resumes may be submitted. Resumes do not count toward the 8-page limit.

Proposed Partners - Does the project include existing or new partnerships?

At a minimum, one identified partners should be a Chesapeake Gateways place, or an organization pursuing a Chesapeake Gateway place self-nomination. (For a list of pending places, click link here.) Please note: Applicants with a pending Chesapeake Gateways place self-nomination or partnering with an organization that has pending Chesapeake Gateways place self-nomination that is rejected as a Chesapeake Gateway place would be ineligible to move forward to merit review.

Optional Resumes (Do not count towards 8-page limit.):
Proposals may include resumes of key project contacts (no more than 3 pages per resume). Resumes must be submitted with the Grants.gov application to be considered.

Indirect Costs
Projects budgets can add up to 15% of specific project funds as an indirect expense to cover operational expenses of the organization.

Office Hours

We will be hosting office hours the month leading up to the deadline to answer your questions about the application process.  Click the date on the links below to be brought into a Microsoft Teams meeting: 

• September 26th, 4-5pm 

• October 3rd, 4-5pm 

• October 10th, 4-5pm 

• October 15-October 18, 4-5pm 

• October 21st, 2-5pm

Submission Deadline

The final deadline is 11:59 ET, Monday, October 21, 2024. Applicants are held responsible for their proposals being submitted to the National Park Service through Grants.gov before the deadline closes. Late applications will not be accepted.

Don't delay. Start your application now.

Applicant Toolkit

• 

  Frequently Asked Questions

  Helpful questions and answers regarding Chesapeake Gateways Grants.

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  Applicant Checklist

  A helpful tool for Chesapeake Gateways Grants applicants as their prepare their official application.

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  2023 Chesapeake Gateways Grants

  In September 2023, NPS Chesapeake Gateways awarded 22 grants totally nearly $2.3 million.

• 

  2024 Chesapeake Gateways Grants

  In September 2024, NPS Chesapeake Gateways awarded 14 grants totaling more than $1.2 million.

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  About Us

  Learn more about the National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways Program.

Review Criteria

All proposals will be screened by NPS staff for relevance, accuracy, completeness, and compliance with the instructions included in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Proposals will then be evaluated by a review committee representing technical experts with backgrounds in one or more of the strategic themes. Through these grants, NPS Chesapeake Gateways seeks to advance innovation in equity, inclusion, accessibility and engagement by Chesapeake Gateway partners and communities.

Connection to Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act (20%)

CHESAPEAKE GATEWAYS financial support is made under authority by the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998. The language of the Act specifically states that projects must: (A) identify, conserve, restore, and interpret natural, recreational, historical, and cultural resources within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed; and (B) identify and utilize the collective resources as Chesapeake Bay Gateways sites for enhancing public education of and access to the Chesapeake Bay.

Reviewers will evaluate how successfully projects connect to the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act: How well projects identify, conserve, restore, and interpret natural, recreational, historical, and cultural resources within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed; and how well projects enhance public education of and access to the Chesapeake.

Connection to Economic Development (20%)

CHESAPEAKE GATEWAYS recognizes the Watershed's heritage is a living history played out over a large landscape. Sustaining livelihoods while conserving resources is a core component of our work. Chesapeake Gateways supports strategies for linking natural, historical, recreational, and cultural-based tourism of communities in the watershed with economic initiatives for local resilience and community sustainability, especially tied with sectors closely linked with Chesapeake heritage, such as agriculture and maritime activities.

Reviewers will evaluate how successfully projects connect local experiences to economic development. Did the application link the project deliverables to economic impact? What is the project’s economic development goals and objectives and how will the applicant attain those goals and objectives? Is the visitor experience that will be provided by the project clear? Do proposals facilitate an integrated approach to interpreting the themes and stories of the Chesapeake Bay watershed? Does the project help visitors explore, enjoy and better connect with these places and their diverse themes in the context of the Bay and its watershed?

Connection to Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, & Engagement Objectives (15%)

CHESAPEAKE GATEWAYS is a network of people, places, programs, and stories providing opportunities to enjoy, learn about, and help conserve the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Included in the network are assorted natural, cultural, historical, and recreational sites, trails, museums, parks, refuges, and interpretive and orientation facilities. The NPS Chesapeake Gateways strategic plan stems from a recognition that the benefits of the watershed have not been equally shared by all people or all communities.

Reviewers will evaluate how well the proposal addresses equity, inclusion, accessibility, and engagement objectives. Does the project build long-term relationships with underrepresented communities to address community identified needs? How is the intended audience engaged in the project?

Investments in Community Collaborations (15%)

The vision for CHESAPEAKE GATEWAYS is a network that welcomes people to the Chesapeake watershed’s outstanding benefits and provides inclusive experiences that inspire a robust stewardship ethic. Investments in community collaborations, planning, programming, and projects in equitable public access, conservation, community engagement, education, and recreation are critical parts of the work to restore and protect the nation’s largest and most productive estuary. Community collaborations will be essential to expand storytelling to be inclusive of untold stories or under told stories. Innovation in community engagement will be essential to include all communities in project planning and implementation.

Community collaborations take many forms. Reviewers will evaluate how well the proposed project collaborates across the community to address tourism and economic development. How is the project innovative to the community and visitors or the broader programmatic landscape? Is this the first time the community has done such a project or partnered with the noted partners?

Clarity of Project’s Operational Plan (15%)

Projects need to have well defined objectives, activities, costs, deliverables, and expected outcomes. A well-crafted budget and project narrative of your scope of work must clearly convey to reviewers your intent and your plan for accomplishing your objectives. Uncertainty about your fiscal and operational approach will undermine your proposal.

Reviewers will evaluate how effectively the budget and project narrative convey the intent of the project.

Team’s Capacity to Implement Project (15%)

CHESAPEAKE GATEWAYS depends on a network of people and partners to conserve and steward the special places in the watershed important to communities, visitors, and the nation, for this and future generations. Success of each project will depend on the capacity of each proposing organization and the team of volunteers, staff, partners and/or consultants assembled to plan and implement the project.

Reviewers will evaluate whether each proposing organization has envisioned and assembled a team with the necessary skills to accomplish the project Does the project team have the relevant subject matter expertise and experience? How well does the applicant demonstrate the ability to meet administrative and technical grant requirements? Do partners demonstrate a commitment and connection to the project?

Selection

Merit review recommendations will be forwarded to the NPS Chesapeake Gateways Superintendent for review and consideration. The superintendent may also consider geographic distribution within the Chesapeake watershed, diversity of awardees, thematic distribution, and the amount of funds available to make final recommendations of the applications to be forwarded for funding. The final recommendations will be forwarded to the NPS Financial Assistance Selection Official for final selection.