Virtual Public Workshop Scheduled for Nov. 16

Delaware communities adversely affected by environmental pollution can now apply for Community Environmental Project Fund (CEPF) restoration grants for the 2023 grant cycle through the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

The CEPF was created by the Delaware General Assembly in 2004 through legislation that authorized DNREC to establish a grant fund by withholding 25% of funds collected as penalties for violations of environmental regulations. These funds are returned to the communities where violations occurred through competitive grants to nonprofit organizations in support of community environmental projects.

Grants are available to affected communities to fund restoration projects that result in:

• Reduced pollution
• Enhanced natural resources
• Enhanced recreational opportunities

IRS tax-exempt organizations are eligible for CEPF grants of up to $25,000. These groups include civic and community organizations, educational institutions, counties, municipal governments, state agencies and quasi-state agencies. The application deadline is Friday, Dec. 16, 2022. The projects funded in this grant cycle can begin on July 1, 2023 and should be completed by June 30, 2024.

To assist applicants with finalizing their applications, DNREC will hold a virtual public workshop focused on the CEPF program at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16. Connection information for the workshop is posted at de.gov/dnrecmeetings, and at de.gov/cepf. Pre-registration is encouraged, but not required for participation.

Recent CEPF mitigation projects benefitting Delaware communities adversely affected by environmental pollution have included: a project to improve aquatic and terrestrial wildlife habitats surrounding major waterways, a native tree canopy restoration planting due to storm damage, a food waste reduction program through composting, an educational project about environmental damage caused by improper disposal of cigarette butts that also encourages beach cleanups, a living shoreline installation at Thompson Island in the Inland Bays, a park beautification project on the Route 9 corridor, a community project to establish sustainable green spaces, community gardens and recreational areas that support healthy living in Northeast Wilmington, and a brownfield remediation project to convert a vacant lot into a playground for pre-school children, a basketball court for school age youth and an outdoor classroom in Wilmington’s Southbridge community.

The grant application, workshop details and more information about the CEPF are available online at de.gov/cepf.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov, Joanna Wilson, Joanna.wilson@delaware.gov.

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More than 120,000 trees have been planted since the Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative (TEDI) began in November 2021.

Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative (TEDI) Proposals Due July 1

State agencies and non-governmental organizations with 501(c)(3) status have until July 1 to submit funding request proposals for reforestation projects through the Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative (TEDI).

TEDI, administered through the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy and the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Delaware Forest Service launched last November. The initiative works with partners to enhance and support tree plantings throughout the state, with a goal of planting at least one tree for every Delawarean.

Planting trees is a nature-based solution to reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, playing a critical role in helping fight climate change. TEDI is part of the state’s comprehensive plan to respond to climate change and supports Delaware’s Climate Action Plan.

Funding requests can include multiple projects and may range from $5,000 to $20,000.

Applications must be submitted to DNREC’s Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 1. Visit the TEDI website for more information about the program and the requirements of the call for proposals, or email questions to TEDI@delaware.gov.

Delawareans can join in the Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative by tracking trees they plant on their own property and inputting the information in the TEDI Tracker, which can be found at de.gov/tedi.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov or Jim Lee, Jamesw.lee@delaware.gov

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SMYRNA, DE: The Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) encourages nonprofit agencies to begin preparing for the upcoming Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) application period. NSGP is a competitive grant program that provides federal funding for physical security enhancements to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. The annual grant guidance is expected to be released in May 2022 with a short application period after.

As part of the application process, organizations will be required to submit a vulnerability risk assessment for their facility. The Delaware Information and Analyst Center (DIAC) and Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency have self-assessment resources available to assist nonprofits to complete this requirement. These resources can be found under Nonprofit Security Grant Program in the resources tab on DEMA’s website.

In FY2022, the Duns and Bradstreet Number will be replaced by a Unique Entity ID, a 12-character alphanumerical ID assigned to an entity through SAM.gov. All applicants will be required to have a Unique Entity ID. If you are already registered in SAM.gov (active or not), your Unique Entity ID is viewable at SAM.gov. If you are new to SAM.gov and will be registering for the first time, your Unique Entity ID is generated during registration. Please visit SAM.gov to learn more and register for your Unique Entity ID. 

Completing a risk assessment and registering for a Unique Entity ID can take time, so DEMA encourages interested nonprofits to begin the process now. Visit dema.delaware.gov and news.delaware.gov for updates as they become available. Additional NSGP information and resources are available at:  https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/nonprofit-security.

Although the total award amount for the fiscal year 2022 is not yet known, Delaware was the recipient of nearly $1 million to support nonprofits in the fiscal year 2021.

For questions regarding NSGP, contact Mark Dworkin (mark.dworkin@delaware.gov).

Community Water Quality Improvement Grants have gone to such projects as exploring the possibilities for growing freshwater mussels in stormwater management ponds

Virtual Grant Information Workshop to Be Held March 30

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control encourages Delaware non-profit organizations, conservation districts, community organizations and homeowners’ associations to submit project proposals to be considered for matching grant funds from DNREC’s Community Water Quality Improvement Grants program.

Funding for grant award projects in this cycle is expected to range from $25,000 to $75,000. Projects recommended by DNREC staff for funding through a competitive grant process will be presented to the Delaware Water Infrastructure Advisory Council. Applicants may submit up to two project proposals per grant cycle. Project guidelines and the grant application can be found at de.gov/envfinance.

The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship will hold a virtual Community Water Quality Improvement Grants information workshop at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 30. More information about the workshop and registering for it can be found at de.gov/dnrecmeetings.

Community Water Quality Improvement Grants assist in implementing projects or programs that improve water quality on developed lands with specific watershed improvement plans and strategies. Programs and projects selected for these grants must demonstrate innovative and sustainable methods, techniques, and/or practices for water quality improvements, with cost effective and measurable results.

Eligible projects may include:

• Enhancement or restoration of water quality within an impaired watershed
• Community stormwater management improvements in existing developments in partnership with municipalities
• Non‐regulatory or voluntary plans involving pollution control strategies, watershed-based restoration plans, whole basin management preliminary assessments, or community‐based stormwater permits.

Past projects that received Community Water Quality Improvement Grant funding have included: a green roof installation; exploring growing freshwater mussels in stormwater management ponds; a stormwater retrofit project featuring a wetland and bioswale to manage stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces; and floating wetlands in dead-end canals in Delaware’s Inland Bays to improve water quality.

Grant proposals should be submitted by email to NPS.grants@delaware.gov with “Community Water Quality Improvement Grants” in the subject line. Emailed proposals must be less than 10MB. All grant proposals must be received by DNREC close of business (4:30 p.m.) Monday, April 25.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

The Junction and Breakwater Trail Bridge over the Munchy Branch in Sussex County. Photo by Robert Bayles

Delaware residents, along with government agencies, New Castle, Kent and Sussex conservation districts, and non-profit organizations throughout the state, can help support Delaware’s continuing quest for clean water by taking advantage of an annual grant opportunity administered by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and funded through the federal Clean Water Act. More than $1.233 million in Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source grant funding for Delaware was recently announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

DNREC is soliciting proposals from eligible applicants for Section 319 grant projects that reduce Delaware’s nonpoint source (NPS) pollution and improve water quality by reducing nutrients that drain or leach into impaired Delaware waters. NPS pollution is caused by precipitation moving as overland runoff and through the ground. As runoff moves, pollutants are picked up and carried along with it, and eventually deposited into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and groundwater.

DNREC will accept Section 319 Nonpoint Source grant proposals from Monday, Dec. 6, 2021 until Feb. 9, 2022.

While eligible Section 319 projects may focus on reducing any source of NPS pollution, grant applications most frequently involve agriculture, reforestation activities, stormwater retrofits, shoreline stabilization, and restoration-based Best Management Practices (BMPs). A predominant 319 grant focus is on watersheds with water quality impairments caused by polluted runoff, along with Delaware watersheds that have approved watershed implementation plans through U.S. EPA.

“While there has been vast improvement in Delaware’s water quality, challenges still persist, and meeting those challenges is crucial to our state’s achieving our goal of clean water for all Delawareans,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “These Clean Water Act grants offer leverage for government agencies and nonprofit organizations who continue to make headway on the state’s clean water challenge. These grants help fund investments in cover crops, nutrient management, land conservation, stormwater retrofits, and tree planting projects – all of which enhance and improve water quality statewide.”

Past Delaware Section 319 grant recipients and their projects have included:

• The Kent and Sussex Conservation Districts for implementing agricultural BMPs including cover crops, nutrient management planning, water control structures, and structural BMPs to address manure storage and composting.
• The Delaware Botanic Gardens for urban-type BMPs such as living shorelines and stormwater facility enhancements to further water quality benefits.
• Delaware’s Center for the Inland Bays also used 319 grant funding for stormwater retrofits, reforestation projects, and living shorelines to help filter nonpoint source pollutants.
• The Delaware Wild Lands organization for implementing reforestation practices in the form of tree plantings on marginal cropland areas, enhancing both water quality and wildlife habitat benefits.
• The Sussex Conservation District in cooperation with the Delmarva Chicken Association for implementing various agricultural BMPs on poultry farm production areas, including tree plantings used as windbreaks, grass buffers, pollinator habitat areas, shallow water ponds for wildlife habitat and nutrient filtering capabilities.

All projects must include match funding from a non-federal source totaling at least 67% of the federal funding requested through the Section 319 Nonpoint Source grant proposal.

More information on applying for a Clean Water Act Section 319 grant, along with the application form and DNREC NPS program contact information, can be found on the DNREC website at de.gov/319grants.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov, or Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov

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