2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity for Technical Assistance and Outreach to Farmers on Nutrient Management in the Western Lake Erie Basin
On this page:
- Overview
- Funding Opportunity Details
- Eligible Applicants
- Contact Information
- Documents
- Applicant Webinar
- Frequently Asked Questions
Overview
Curbing delivery of excess nutrients to Lake Erie, which fuels harmful algal blooms (HABs), is a key commitment under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) with Canada. Accordingly, nutrient reduction and HABs are a funding priority under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The western basin of Lake Erie experiences HABs each summer. Reducing phosphorus loading from the western Lake Erie basin watershed (“WLEB”) is expected to substantially reduce the extent of HABs. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to accelerate phosphorus reduction efforts by increasing technical assistance and outreach to WLEB farmers on nutrient management.
Funding Opportunity Details
EPA solicited applications from eligible entities for grants to be awarded pursuant to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III. This is a competitive grant funding opportunity under Focus Area 3 of the GLRI. The opportunity closed in late November and is now in the review phase. EPA expects to award $4 million for approximately 5-10 grants ($300,000 - $1,000,000 estimated for each grant). The number of grants and total amount awarded is contingent upon funding availability, the quality of applications received, Agency priorities, and other applicable considerations. There is no match requirement.
The purpose of this funding opportunity is to accelerate phosphorus reduction efforts by increasing technical assistance and outreach to WLEB farmers on nutrient management. The key objectives of this funding opportunity are to:
- Improve management of manure or commercial fertilizers to reduce nutrient losses from agricultural livestock and/or cropland operations.
- Prevent new applications that exceed crop needs.
- Reduce phosphorus runoff to local waterways.
- Increase capacity to provide technical assistance and outreach to farmers.
- Engage landowners and farm managers who currently are not participating in conservation and nutrient management certification programs.
This funding opportunity will only provide grants for projects that are geographically within the WLEB, defined as encompassing the following USGS Hydrologic Unit Codes. Projects do not need to span the entire area; any subset within these watershed boundaries are eligible:
- 04100001 Ottawa
- 04100002 River Raisin
- 04100003 St. Joseph
- 04100004 St. Marys
- 04100005 Upper Maumee
- 04100006 Tiffin
- 04100007 Auglaize
- 04100008 Blanchard
- 04100009 Lower Maumee
- 04100010 Cedar-Portage
Please consult the full details on the funding opportunity for complete information.
Eligible Applicants
Nonfederal entities, including:
- state agencies,
- interstate agencies,
- federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations,
- local governments,
- institutions of higher learning (i.e., colleges and universities), and
- non-profit organizations as defined in 2 C.F.R. § 200
The following are not eligible:
- Individuals,
- foreign organizations and governments,
- nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying, and
- “for-profit” organizations
Contact Information
Please direct any administrative, eligibility, and other general questions to glri-rfa@epa.gov
Documents
- Full details on the funding opportunity
- Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III (pdf)
- Helpful Recipient Training
- Interim General Budget Development Guidance