Funding Availability for Puget Sound Action Agenda - Climate Resilient Riparian Systems Lead
About Climate Resilient Riparian Systems Lead Funding
This request for funding announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible applicants that are interested in acting as the Puget Sound Climate Resilient Riparian Systems Lead.
This funding opportunity is focused on working with local programs and landowners to voluntarily protect and restore Puget Sound riparian habitat in priority watersheds, supporting salmon recovery and resilience to climate change. The successful applicant will develop a shared approach to achieving permanent protection (and restoration, as appropriate) of riparian areas concentrated within prioritized stream reaches across Puget Sound.
The funding is intended to go towards direct implementation of riparian conservation and climate resiliency goals, as well as other Vital Sign recovery objectives, as described in the 2022 Puget Sound Action Agenda (particularly Strategy 4 – Riparian Areas, and Strategy 20 – Climate Adaptation and Resilience as well as relevant Implementation Strategies).
The overall goal of the Puget Sound Climate Resilient Riparian Systems Lead Request for Funding is to establish an innovative and collaborative riparian conservation program that provides financial incentives for landowners to permanently protect and restore riparian areas important for providing ecosystem services, including those supporting salmon recovery, while successfully implementing approaches to promote climate resiliency.
EPA anticipates awarding up to $30 million over four years of incremental funding under this announcement, to be leveraged using non-federal matching funds with the hope of building a robust and sustainable program.
The successful applicant will manage a sub-award program for supporting riparian conservation efforts.
We strongly encourage coalitions of applicants for this funding opportunity.
We anticipate that the following three objectives are needed to achieve the Puget Sound Climate Resilient Riparian Systems Lead program goals:
- Make and Manage Subawards. Develop and carry out a system for making subawards to authorized entities.
- Innovation and Partner Engagement. Develop and implement innovative models and mechanisms for engaging with partners to achieving sustainable results.
- Manage the Cooperative Agreement. Adaptively manage the Climate Resilient Riparian Systems Lead cooperative agreement with EPA.
Specific activities supportive of these objectives are described in the Request for Applications document under "How to Apply" below.
For more information about how EPA distributes money from Congress to help protect and restore Puget Sound, visit Funding and Grants for Puget Sound.
How to Apply
This request for applications is closed.
For questions, contact Melissa Whitaker ([email protected]).
Important Dates
- March 31, 2023 - Applications due
- May 2023 - Anticipated notification of selection
- July 2023 - Anticipated award
Covid-19 Update
EPA is providing flexibilities to applicants experiencing challenges related to COVID-19. Please see the Flexibilities Available to Organizations Impacted by COVID-19 clause in section IV of EPA's Solicitation Clauses.
Informational Webinars
EPA hosted the same informational webinar on two different dates (January 25 and February 9) for applicants to learn more about the Puget Sound Geographic Program and the grant application process.
During the webinars, EPA highlighted changes to the program and reviewed eligibility criteria, funding limits, etc. Answers to questions posted during the webinars are posted below.
EPA's presentation slides and webinar recording are available upon request. Contact Melissa Whitaker ([email protected]).
Frequent Questions
Can you clarify what time period the workplan and budget should cover?
- Page 20 of the request for applications states:
The successful applicant should plan for projects to begin on or after July 1, 2023. EPA will accept proposals for a 4-year funding period, for a 6-year total project period to allow time for subaward work completion and spend down. - Page 30, when describing the workplan, states:
EPA is soliciting proposals for a subaward program to be implemented over a five-year funding period and seven-year project period. It is important for proposals to describe levels of effort and workplans that are sustainable over the full five-year period.
We are clarifying that EPA is accepting proposals for a 4-year funding period, for a 6-year total project period, to allow time for subaward work completion and spend down.
EPA is updating page 30 of the request for applications to reflect that we are soliciting proposals for a subaward program to be implemented over a four-year funding period and six-year project period. Proposals, workplan, and budget should cover a four-year funding period and six-year project period, and describe levels of effort and workplans that are sustainable over the full six-year period.
What is considered a priority watershed?
In the section I.C.a. of the request for applications (Make and Manage Subawards), one of the factors and considerations is how the applicant will develop a geographic focus and prioritization scheme for reach scale conservation work in strategic Puget Sound watersheds and apply that approach to selecting subawards. The successful applicant will work to determine what a priority watershed is for this request for applications.
What is a good example of innovative model or approach?
In the request for applications, we talk about how EPA seeks to fund innovative pilots and possibly new public private partnerships that can become sustainably funded, ongoing programs. The example provided in the request for applications is called Floodplains By Design. We would suggest that applicants look at Floodplains By Design as one example of an innovative model or approach.
I understand that a single program or project will be selected. Is that correct?
In section II.A. of the request for applications (Number and Amount of Awards), it says that EPA anticipates awarding one cooperative agreement for this request for applications, subject to the availability of funds, the quality of proposals received and other considerations. EPA anticipates funding one cooperative agreement from this funding opportunity.
Who is eligible to apply to this request for applications?
As described in Assistance Listing 66.123, eligible entities are:
- Federal and Washington State government agencies.
- Public and private institutions of higher education located in the United States.
- Units of local government organized under Washington State law and located within the Greater Puget Sound basin.
- Special purpose districts, as defined by Washington State law at RCW 36.93.020, including but not limited to, irrigation districts, and water and sewer districts that are located in or govern land and water resources within the greater Puget Sound basin; and conservation districts located in or governing land and water resources within the greater Puget Sound Basin.
- Watershed planning units formed under RCW 90.82.040 and RCW 90.82.060, local management boards organized under RCW 90.88.030, salmon recovery lead entities organized pursuant to RCW 77.85, regional fisheries enhancement groups organized pursuant to RCW 77.95.060 and Marine Resource Committees organized pursuant to RCW 36.125.010 and RCW 36.125.020 if they are located within or their jurisdictions include waters and/or lands within the greater Puget Sound basin.
- Intrastate organizations such as associations of cities, counties or conservation districts in the greater Puget Sound basin.
- Nonprofit non-governmental entities, as defined by 2 C.F.R 200.70, means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that: (1) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purposes in the public interest; (2) is not organized primarily for profit; and (3) uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve, and/or expand its operations (the term includes tax-exempt. nonprofit neighborhood and labor organizations. Note that 2 CFR 200.1 specifically excludes Institutions of Higher Education from the definition of non-profit organization because they are separately defined in the regulation. While not considered to be a non-profit organization(s) as defined by 2 CFR 200.1, public or nonprofit Institutions of Higher Education are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under this request for applications. Nonprofit organizations that are not exempt from taxation under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code must submit other forms of documentation of nonprofit status; such as certificates of incorporation as nonprofit under state or tribal law. Nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible for EPA funding as provided in the Lobbying Disclosure Act, 2 U.S.C. 1611.
- Federally recognized tribes located within the greater Puget Sound basin and any consortium of these eligible tribes.
See the Request for Applications for more information on eligibility.
If two eligible entities are applying, can they be co-applicants?
The application process requires one lead entity only and does not allow for co-applicants. However, in your workplan, you can designate other entities as partners or sub-awardees. The Puget Sound Geographic Program encourages partnerships. Please see EPA’s Subaward Policy to understand the requirements and differences between subrecipients and contractors.
What does “incremental funding” mean?
Incremental funding is the partial funding of a contract, with additional funds anticipated to be provided at a later time. EPA will provide funding for multi-year projects in smaller increments awarded each year.
What is the difference between a consultant and a contractor?
Please see EPA guidance, Interim General Budget Development Guidance for Applicants and Recipients of EPA Financial Assistance (pdf), Section VI (“Contracts”) for more information about contractors and consultants.
You are emphasizing subaward work in "rural" and "agricultural areas." Should the expectation be that funding priorities established for the subawards explicitly exclude (i.e. make ineligible) more urbanized areas? Or will the prioritization process conducted post award establish where work should be funded, which may include some urban work?
The request for applications language describes how the applicant will develop a geographic focus and prioritization scheme for reach scale conservation work in strategic Puget Sound watersheds and apply that approach to selecting subawards.
You have described the money that will be administered by the Lead. What are the provisions for funding the work of the Lead itself?
We anticipate that the successful applicant will need a task to manage the cooperative agreement and adaptively manage the work of the cooperative agreement with EPA. Please review that section of the request for applications. Funding can be included for managing the work of the request for applications (i.e., the work of the Lead).
Where can I find the relevant information links?
The links we shared in this webinar are available in the request for applications document.
To what extent do sub-awardees need to be identified in the application?
Sub-awardees do not need to be identified in the application. Discuss the process of how you will select sub-awardees. Making and managing subawards will be an anticipated task of the successful applicant to this request for applications.
Does match funding usage need to meet the same requirements as those you outlined for the funding in this request for applications?
Please review the match requirements of the request for applications (section III.B) and the citations on match funding provided in the PowerPoint presentation.