Funding for Fiscal Year 2021

The Galveston Bay Estuary Program is formally seeking project proposals to consider for funding for FY 2021. 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 2021 at the June 2019 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 and green infrastructure
  • Waterway trash, marine debris, and/or macroplastics and microplastics

FY 2021 GBEP-WSQ Project Proposal Template

NRU

FY 2021 GBEP-NRU Project Proposal Template

PPE

  • Supporting underrepresented communities
  • K-12 formal education programs
  • Needs/data assessment for formal environmental education, non-formal outreach and education, identifying underrepresented communities

FY 2021 GBEP-PPE Project Proposal Template

M&R

  • Larval transport within the estuary
  • Macroplastics and/or microplastics in water, sediment, and organisms
  • Emerging contaminants in water, sediment, and organisms

FY 2021 GBEP-M&R Project Proposal Template

Please fill out all fields of the appropriate subcommittee proposal form and return to the corresponding Subcommittee Coordinator listed on the form by COB Monday, July 22, 2019.

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 PDF; please contact the appropriate Subcommittee Coordinator if there is an issue).
  • No projects will be accepted after July 22, 2019.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact the GBEP office at 281-218-6461.

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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 are matched (1:1) with state funds from the TCEQ. The partnership between the TCEQ and EPA is important to 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.

The GBEP receives additional state funding, which is leveraged to match other federal grants.

The 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.

GBEP Project Development Process

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.

Subcommittee Review and Selection

The Natural Resource Uses (NRU), Water and Sediment Quality (WSQ), Monitoring and Research (M&R), and Public Participation and Education (PPE) 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 the 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.

Council Review and Work Plan

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 the TCEQ work to develop the fiscal year work plan for the EPA that lays out the program operating costs, project funding, and program needs.