Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund (LISSF) is a competitive grant program seeking proposals to restore and protect the health and living resources of Long Island Sound.
Donor Name: Long Island Community Foundation
State: Connecticut, New York
Cities: Waterbury, Danbury, New Haven, New London, Norwich, Bridgeport, Stamford, Yonkers
Town: Hartford, Greenwich, Windham
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 02/02/2022
Grant Size: $200,000
Grant Duration: 24 months
Details:
Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund interested in empowering communities of all kinds (including communities typically underrepresented in environmental programs and projects) to access, improve and benefit from Long Island Sound, its waterways, and surrounding lands.
The Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund aims to:
- support nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working on issues and projects that address the strategies and Implementation Actions of the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). The CCMP also identifies three principles that are important to consider in taking any specific action: resilience to climate change, long-term sustainability, and environmental justice;
- help build stronger NGOs working in the Long Island Sound watershed in Connecticut and New York (Capacity Building);
- foster collaboration and innovation (Collaboration);
- accelerate the “next best step” for tools and strategies (Piloting Tools and Strategies);
- complete small projects that can serve as an example in a community or region (Small Projects Big Impacts); and
- support communities and organizations in advancing environmental justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Funding information
The LISSF has two categories of grants:
- Capacity Building, Collaboration, and Piloting Tools & Strategies Priorities. Grants are expected to range from $15,000 to $200,000. Please note that few, if any, grants will be made at the maximum award level of $200,000. This is the most competitive category of funding. Proposals requesting grants in excess of $50,000 should demonstrate regional value and scope, significant and robust partnerships, and dramatic impact to the Long Island Sound and the communities and constituencies served.
- Small Projects with Big Impacts: Grants are expected to range from $5,000 to $15,000.
Grant Period
- All projects must start within three months of notification of a grant award.
- Recipients of grants under $100,000 have 15 months to complete the project.
- Recipients of grants $100,000 and over have 24 months to complete the project.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicant organizations may submit up to two proposals per organization.
- Funds may not be used for:
- Activities prohibited by 501(c)3 organizations.
- Scientific research: Those interested in funding for research should consider the Long Island Sound Study Research Grant Program.
- Marketing efforts that serve to generally promote solely the applicant organization and its initiatives.
- Building or capital or acquisition campaigns, endowments, sponsorships, or to address budget deficits.
- Incomplete applications, or applications requesting funds below the minimum or above the maximum allowable award amount, will not be considered for funding.
For more information, visit LISSF.