Requests for Proposals
Since 1992, the LCBP has awarded more than 1,500 grants totaling more than $17.02 million to local organizations to support a variety of pollution prevention, habitat restoration, and other projects that improve the quality of Lake Champlain. In that same time, the LCBP and its partner organizations also have funded numerous projects conducted by universities, consultants, research foundations, nonprofit organizations, and others. These projects include scientific research, best management demonstration projects, education and outreach efforts, and other initiatives that are key to implementing Opportunities for Action.
Visit our Grantee Toolkit page for grant writing resources, and as always, please contact us with questions about your grant application.
LCBP GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
(click the grant category for more details, including sub-categories)
RECURRING AND ANNUAL GRANTS
These grants support for projects to further the mission of the LCBP and address the research tasks outlined in our management plan, Opportunities for Action. Eligible organizations include colleges, universities, nonprofit organizations, for-profit companies, and municipalities in the U.S. and Canada.
These grant categories supports projects that will improve water quality and directly result in the reduction of water pollution in the Lake Champlain Basin (U.S. and Québec). Eligible organizations include colleges, universities, nonprofit organizations, and non-federal/non-state government agencies.
New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (“NEIWPCC”), is pleased to announce this funding opportunity for projects that will inform students or adults about key Lake Champlain Basin issues identified in the management plan Opportunities for Action to develop awareness, knowledge, skills, and commitment on a Basin issue so that informed decisions and constructive actions will benefit Lake Champlain. This opportunity is to support projects with a timeframe of June 2025 through March 2027. Award notices will be issued in February 2025.
Grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded. LCBP anticipates a total of approximately $300,000 will be available to be awarded to projects. This work will support LCBP’s management plan, Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Plan for the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin.
This grant opportunity is supported by funds awarded to NEIWPCC by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) on behalf of the Lake Champlain Basin Program. Partial funding of total application requests may be awarded if agreeable to the applicant. LCBP anticipates granting multiple awards from this RFP. All awards are subject to funding availability.
The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (“LCBP”), in coordination with the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (“NEIWPCC”), is pleased to announce this funding opportunity for large education and outreach projects that will address strategies and tasks outlined in the Informed and Involved Public chapter of Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Plan for the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin. This opportunity is to support projects with a timeframe of January 2026 through March 2028. Award notices will be issued in Summer 2025.
For this funding cycle, priority topics set by the Lake Champlain Steering Committee include:
Road salt
Outreach programs, materials, or trainings for municipalities, landscapers, contractors, and homeowners about the impacts of winter deicing salts.
Phosphorus loading/cyanobacteria
Outreach programs or materials to explain nutrient loading, blooms, legacy phosphorus, loading reduction efforts, health and recreational impacts, and actions that individuals can take to help prevent phosphorus loading and cyanobacteria blooms, especially in areas experiencing first-time blooms or those where drinking water is affected.
Aquatic organism passage
Outreach programs or materials to increase the understanding and appreciation of the benefits of enhancing AOP, including habitat and water quality improvement and flood resilience.
Climate change adaptation and flood resilience
Outreach programs or materials to increase communities’ knowledge of the impacts of climate change, including water quantity and quality and forest health, as well as the value of wetlands, floodplains, and connected habitats to flood resilience.
Grants between $15,000-$50,000 will be awarded. LCBP anticipates a total of approximately $600,000 will be available to be awarded.
This grant opportunity is supported by funds awarded to NEIWPCC by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) on behalf of the Lake Champlain Basin Program. Partial funding of total application requests may be awarded if agreeable to the applicant. LCBP anticipates granting multiple awards from this RFP. All awards are subject to funding availability.
The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (“LCBP”), in coordination with the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (“NEIWPCC”), is pleased to announce this funding opportunity for projects that will support increased organizational capacity and long-term effectiveness of watershed organizations working to implement elements of Opportunities for Action. The intent of this grant category is to assist watershed organizations with the early stages of their development or to assist established watershed organizations in strengthening their organizational capacity. The goal is to increase capacity, not develop new programming (this work can be requested in other LCBP grant competitions).
Grants up to $20,000 will be awarded. LCBP anticipates a total of approximately $250,000 will be available to be awarded to projects. This work will support LCBP’s management plan, Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Plan for the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin.
This grant opportunity is supported by funds awarded to NEIWPCC by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on behalf of the Lake Champlain Basin Program. Partial funding of total application requests may be awarded if agreeable to the applicant. LCBP anticipates granting multiple awards from this RFP. All awards are subject to funding availability.
PROPOSAL DEADLINE NOTICE: Applicants must submit proposals via the Foundant online application system no later than 5pm EST on January 6, 2025.
Late or incomplete proposals will not be considered.
(up to $15,000)
These grants are available to organizations who wish to partner with Stream Wise and conduct Stream Wise assessments in the communities they serve.
The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (“LCBP”), in coordination with the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (“NEIWPCC”), is pleased to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) for projects that will support increased organizational capacity and long-term effectiveness of watershed organizations in the New York portion of the Lake Champlain watershed working to implement elements of Opportunities for Action. The intent of this grant category is to assist organizations focused on water quality or watershed ecosystem health working in the New York portion of the Lake Champlain basin to strengthen their organizational capacity. Requested funds should be applied to environmental-related activities, workforce development, or professional development support. Please see the LCBP’s annual Organizational Support grant opportunity to apply for funding to support administrative-related organizational capacity needs.
Funding requests ranging from $25,000 to $150,000 will be considered. Approximately $300,000 is available to support awarded projects under this RFP. LCBP is anticipating supporting multiple projects through this funding opportunity.
These projects will be supported with Federal Fiscal Year 2024 funds awarded to NEIWPCC by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean Water Act Section 120 funding. All awards are subject to funding availability. This request for proposals is available at the Lake Champlain Basin Program website.
PROPOSAL DEADLINE NOTICE: Applicants must submit proposals via the Foundant online application system no later than 12pm (noon) EST on January 16, 2025.
Late or incomplete proposals will not be considered.
This grant category will support development of sustainable Artist-in-Residence programs that will recruit artists to obtain and use scientific data, cultural trends, or historical facts to increase interpretation of natural resources within the Lake Champlain basin. Requests of up to $40,000 will be accepted. Please note than a Request for Proposals for Québec-based projects will appear below when available.
UPDATE: This application deadline has been extended. Applicants must submit proposals via Foundant no later than 12pm (noon) on September 30th, 2024.
ONGOING GRANTS
These mini-grants provide professional development funds for the staff and volunteers of qualified watershed organizations in the Lake Champlain Basin, to cover expenses such as travel, meals, registration and accommodations at meetings, conferences, workshops and other venues designed to enhance the organizations’ capacity to operate.
Download the Watershed Association Professional Development Mini-Grants: Instructions, Application & Reimbursement Form →
These mini-grants provide educators with funds to buy materials for their classroom that will aid in teaching students about Lake Champlain Basin issues. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Download the Educator Mini-Grants: Instructions, Application & Reimbursement Form →
PROJECT REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS
The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) seeks proposals for studies that assess the economic value of Lake Champlain at both the community and watershed scales. The LCBP anticipates awarding approximately $400,000 through two grant opportunities listed below:
1. LAKE CHAMPLAIN COMMUNITY-LEVEL ECONOMIC VALUATION STUDIES
(up to $50,000 per award; the LCBP anticipates awarding up to $200,000 total).
The Lake Champlain Community-level Economic Valuation studies will provide an economic analysis and public-facing outreach materials for communities connected to the analysis. These projects will demonstrate the economic value of investing in watershed practices at the community level.
2. LAKE CHAMPLAIN WATERSHED ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT: THE VALUE OF OUR CLEAN WATER AND HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS
(up to $200,000 available to support one awarded project).
The Lake Champlain Watershed Economic Assessment will measure and communicate the economic value that Lake Champlain and the clean water and healthy ecosystems of its watershed provides to the regional economy. The results of this project will provide a credible economic analysis and public facing outreach materials. The results of this valuation will be used in reports and publications by the Lake Champlain Basin Program and partners, including the US EPA. This comprehensive, multisectoral study will update and expand previous economic studies in the region. This study may lead to additional work in this sector.
The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP), in coordination with the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), is pleased to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) for funds to support the costs for engineering services required for the design of a planned Best Management Practice (BMP) that will reduce phosphorus losses on farms within New York’s portion of the Lake Champlain Basin. An engineered BMP enhancement is used to meet the scope of a conservation planning component from the farm’s participation in the NY AEM Tier 3 program to further the capability for reducing nutrient losses at that site.
Up to $50,000 is available to support this project. The LCBP anticipates offering up to two awards for this RFP.
This work is applicable to the Clean Water and Healthy Ecosystem goals of LCBP’s long-term management plan Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Plan for the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin (http://plan.lcbp.org). This grant opportunity is supported by funds awarded to NEIWPCC on behalf of the LCBP by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
DEADLINE NOTICE:
Applicants must submit proposals via Foundant no later than October 21, 2024, at 12pm (noon) EST.
FAQ
Will the grant be a total of $50,000 if there is more than one awardee?
- Up to $50,000 is available to support this project and the LCBP anticipates offering up to two awards for this RFP, for example 2 awards of $25,000 each. Proposals with budgets that exceed the maximum amount identified for this opportunity will not be considered.
View a list of recently closed RFPs, or search our Publications Database to read the technical reports that have resulted from past projects.