Small and Micro Grants Program

The SFEP Small and Micro Grants Program is now inactive. See the Press Release for all awarded projects.

SFEP Small and Micro Grants Program

The San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP) is pleased to announce the launch of the Small and Micro Grants Program to help protect and improve watershed health around the San Francisco Estuary. The total amount available for 2013 is $50,000 for both Small grants (up to $5,000) and Micro-grants (up to $1,000).

The Small and Micro Grants Program is intended to help meet the goals of SFEP’s Watershed Program. The Watershed Program was developed in early 2012 with the overarching objective to improve the health and resilience of the San Francisco Estuary by improving the health and resilience of the Bay Area’s watersheds. The 2012-2013 Strategic Plan for the Watershed Program includes four major program goals. The first round of the Watershed Program’s Small and Micro Grants Program will focus on advancing two of the Watershed Program’s goals. Submitted proposals must describe how the proposed project meets one or both of these two goals:

Goal 1: Build, promote and support community-based approaches to watershed protection, restoration and stewardship:

The Watershed Program recognizes the potential for local community-based organizations to undertake local protection, restoration and stewardship work that improves the health and resilience of the Bay Area’s watersheds. Projects funded under this goal must demonstrate a link between watershed protection, restoration or stewardship and community-based efforts. Projects may include planning, on-the-ground restoration, monitoring or education.

Goal 2: Increase resilience and adaptive capacity of watersheds with regard to impacts from climate change:

Potential impacts to streams and riparian areas from climate change include: impacts on native species; increases in invasive species; higher concentrations of pollutants; increased erosion; and increased flooding risk. Projects under this goal should advance the understanding of impacts from climate change to local watersheds or develop and/or implement strategies to adapt to expected impacts. Examples of projects that may be funded under this goal include: research on impacts to streams and riparian areas from climate change; adaptation planning; riparian restoration projects that enhance natural resilience and reduce impacts of extreme flood events; Low Impact Development/Green Infrastructure; and education and public outreach projects.

Two types of grants are available:

Please note that both grants are reimbursement grants only.

Small Grants (Up to $5000)

Small grants are available for both planning and implementation projects.

The award of a grant requires an agreement between the San Francisco Estuary Partnership and the grantee authorizing reimbursement for agreed upon project expenditures.
Invoices for reimbursement may be submitted on a quarterly basis, up to 75% of the awarded funds. The remaining awarded funds (25%) may be invoiced at the end of the grant term upon project completion and receipt of final project report.
To apply for a Small grant, please click on this link and fill out the online application. If you have attachments (photos, plans) that you wish to include with your application, please email them to watershedsmallgrants@gmail.comwatershedsmallgrants@gmail.com. Please include the name of your project as the subject of the email.

Micro Grants (Up to $1000)

Micro-grants are designed to provide reimbursement funds for small expenses, such as purchase of materials for a project, developing educational promotional materials, holding workshops, etc. Projects proposed for Micro-grants must advance the same goals as for the Small grant program, but the Micro-grant program is specifically designed to provide small amounts of funding through a relatively fast and simple process.

The award of a grant requires an agreement between the San Francisco Estuary Partnership and the grantee authorizing reimbursement for agreed upon project expenditures.
Invoices for reimbursement may be submitted on a quarterly basis, up to 75% of the awarded funds. The remaining awarded funds (25%) may be invoiced at the end of the grant term upon project completion and receipt of final project report.
To apply for a Micro-grant, please click on this link and fill out the online application. If you have attachments (photos, plans) that you wish to include with your application, please email them to watershedsmallgrants@gmail.com. Please include the name of your project as the subject of the email.

FAQs

Who may apply?

The Small and Micro Grant Program is designed for non-profit organizations (501c), local and regional government agencies, and academic institutions.

The project must be located in the San Francisco Estuary area. The Estuary includes the Bay, from the Golden Gate Bridge to Suisun Marsh, and the Delta, from Suisun Marsh to the Sacramento-San Joaquin river floodplain. The Program is focused on any watershed emptying into the Estuary.

How to Apply

All applications must be received online. Please use the links at the bottom of the Small Grant or Micro-grant descriptions on this website to access the online application form. If you have attachments (photos, plans) that you wish to include with your application, please email them to watershedsmallgrants@gmail.com. Please include the name of your project as the subject of the email.

Program Timeline

Applications must be received by March 15.
Funds will be awarded by April 15.
Projects must be completed within one year of award.

Are matching funds required?

Matching funds are not required.

Want to go further with your funded project?

Grant awardees will have an opportunity to present their projects during our Small Grant Sharing Day Event in May 2014. The Small Grant Sharing Day Event is an opportunity to discuss project successes and outcomes, and to share lessons learned among the grantees and other invited participants.

Additionally, a space will be provided for posters during the biennial State of the Estuary Conference (to be held on October 29-30, 2013 at the Oakland Marriott), providing an additional opportunity to promote your project.