Funding for Fiscal Year 2023
The Galveston Bay Estuary Program is formally seeking project proposals to consider for funding for FY 2023. The proposal forms for all subcommittees (Water and Sediment Quality-WSQ, Natural Resource Uses-NRU, Public Participation and Education-PPE, and Monitoring and Research-M&R) are below.
Any proposal can be submitted, but the GBEP Subcommittees developed priorities for FY 2023 at the June 2021 meetings that align with the implementation of The Galveston Bay Plan, 2nd Edition. These projects will be considered above others:
WSQ
- Supporting management measures and watershed-based plans
- Soil health studies, workshops, and green infrastructure
- Targeted/Direct Monitoring
FY 2023 GBEP-WSQ Project Proposal Template
NRU
- Habitat Acquisition
- Enhancement of Existing or Ongoing Restoration/Conservation Efforts
- Benefit to Native Fish and Wildlife, including Federal and State Listed Species, Species of Greatest Conservation Need, or Nongame Wildlife
- Brings Funding, Work Leverage, or Multiple Goal Benefits to the Subcommittee
- Project Urgency: Project must be completed in the next 24 months or opportunity is lost (at risk for development, accelerated loss, loss of other funding or match, etc.)
Other (not a priority, but requirement): Species Monitoring/Research Projects funded through NRU must have a component that directly addresses Actions/Performance Measures of the “Protect and Sustain Living Resources” Action Plans (such as Restoration/Enhancement Project or Plan, Management Recommendations, etc.)
FY 2023 GBEP-NRU Project Proposal Template
PPE
- Programs building capacity to target and partner with underrepresented communities that encourage diversity, equity, and addresses language barriers.
- Programs that address careers in the environmental field targeting high school-aged youth, young adults in college, and young professionals.
FY 2023 GBEP-PPE Project Proposal Template
M&R
- Biological stressor monitoring and research
- Physical stressor monitoring and research
- Estimation of spatial and temporal trends in point source and/or nonpoint source loading and compliance with effluent standards
FY 2023 GBEP-M&R Project Proposal Template
Please fill out all fields of the appropriate subcommittee proposal form and return it to the corresponding Subcommittee Coordinator by COB Friday, July 21, 2020.
Please note the following:
- The 1,000-word maximum on the Full Project Summary will be strictly enforced.
- Only Microsoft Word versions of a proposal will be accepted (No PDFs).
- No projects will be accepted after July 21, 2021.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact the corresponding Subcommittee Coordinator.
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How the Galveston Bay Estuary Program funds projects
Federal, state, and partner contributions are critical to the success of the GBEP. The Estuary Program is funded annually with EPA funds from Section 320 of the Clean Water Act, which is matched (1:1) with state funds from TCEQ. The partnership between TCEQ and EPA is important to the successful implementation of The Galveston Bay Plan since some plan actions fulfill the tenants of the Clean Water Act and Texas Water Code and support the missions of both agencies.
GBEP receives additional state funding, which is leveraged to match other federal grants.
GBEP provides technical support to its partners in developing and securing funding for a variety of project types and applies for external funding when applicable. Awards received include Coastal Impact Assistance Program, which was administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in partnership with the Texas General Land Office, and the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
The Estuary Program project development and funding is unique in that the staff members work closely with stakeholders to take a project from concept to implementation. This process is one of the strengths of the Estuary Program as it has garnered diverse and vital partnerships and helped leverage resources from multiple entities and organizations.
The fiscal year for the State of Texas is September 1 through August 31. Throughout the year the Galveston Bay Council and its subcommittees meet to develop projects that are aligned with the Galveston Bay Plan.
The Water and Sediment Quality (WSQ), Natural Resource Uses (NRU), Public Participation and Education (PPE), and Monitoring and Research (M&R) subcommittees meet quarterly during the year to discuss each group’s priority focus and determine what projects or issues need to be addressed. The subcommittees also work in concert with the Galveston Bay Council, the Budget and Priorities subcommittee (B&P), and Estuary Program staff to develop priority needs. The B&P subcommittee consists of the chairs of each of the subcommittees and the Council Chair and Vice Chair as well as former Council Chairs. This body also meets regularly to review and assess the needs of the program and the other subcommittees.
Starting in early summer, the committees meet to set priority needs that will help determine project planning for the upcoming fiscal year funding.
By early fall, each subcommittee meets to review project proposals based on the priorities set throughout the year. A project proposal submission form is made available for each subcommittee and the public at large. Projects are presented in the September subcommittee meetings.
After subcommittee members have reviewed the proposals, projects are selected either by consensus or ranking depending on the approved process in each subcommittee.
Once the projects are selected by each subcommittee, the projects are then reviewed by the B&P subcommittee. This body is tasked with providing a balanced fiscal year budget for the program that takes into consideration program needs, operating costs, and project funding.
In October, the Council is presented the GBEP budget that includes the proposed projects. Once the Council has approved the projects and proposed GBEP budget, the Estuary Program, and TCEQ work to develop the fiscal year work plan for the EPA that lays out program operating costs, project funding, and program needs.