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Grants to Montana Nonprofits and Agencies for Projects to Mitigate Pollution in Water Resources

319 Nonpoint Source (NPS) Project Program


Grant Writers
Agency
State
GrantWatch ID#
125323
Funding Source
Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Array ( )
Geographic Focus
USA: Montana
Important Dates
Deadline: 10/06/23 5:00 PM Save
Grant Description
Grants to Montana nonprofit organizations and government agencies for projects to decrease and prevent pollution throughout the state. Applicants are advised that required registrations must be completed prior to submitting a grant application. Funding is intended for the design and implementation of projects that reduce and prevent nonpoint source pollution in impaired waterbodies while improving water quality and restoring natural stream, lake, and wetland processes.

Through the 319 Project Program, DEQ provides approximately $1,000,000 each year to local watershed groups, conservation districts, educational institutions, and government entities to design and implement on-the-ground projects that reduce and prevent nonpoint source pollution. Increasingly, DEQ is focusing funding on projects that will restore natural processes (e.g., stream channel migration, floodplain connectivity, native riparian revegetation) and are likely to result in measurable improvements in water quality.

This 319 Nonpoint Source Project Program Call supports two types of projects:

  • On-The-Ground Projects
  • Mini-Grant Programs

Projects must meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Address nonpoint source pollution.
  • Implement actions consistent with recommendations in the current Montana Nonpoint Source Management Plan.
  • Implement activities or practices identified in a DEQ-accepted Watershed Restoration Plan (exception made for mini-grants)
  • Address impairments identified on Montana’s 2020 List of Impaired Waters. In some instances, projects on streams that are not listed as impaired may be acceptable. These projects must reduce pollutant loading to an impaired, downstream receiving water OR protect existing uses from becoming impaired.
  • Be completable within three years. (Note: In some instances, sponsors may be encouraged to apply for funding for design and permitting, and then come back and apply for funding for actual construction in a subsequent year.)
  • Projects addressing stream flow through improved water use efficiency must include reasonable assurance that unused water will remain in the stream (e.g., through a change of use to instream flow, or a signed commitment from the water right holder).
  • Projects involving grazing management (e.g., riparian fencing, creation of riparian pastures) must include a grazing management plan as a task deliverable.
  • Projects involving riparian or wetland buffer creation must have a minimum buffer width of 35 feet, as measured from the water’s edge. If the buffer must be less than 35 feet in some places to accommodate bridges, water gaps or other infrastructure, the buffer should be made proportionately wider in other areas.

For additional priorities, see https://deq.mt.gov/files/Water/WQPB/Nonpoint/319-2024/2024_CALL_FOR_APPLICATIONS_080723.pdf#page=12

For bigger picture considerations, see https://deq.mt.gov/files/Water/WQPB/Nonpoint/319-2024/2024_CALL_FOR_APPLICATIONS_080723.pdf#page=24
Full Grant Text RFP
Recipient
Additional Eligibility Criteria
The following entities may be eligible to receive funding:
• Nonprofit organizations having a tax-exempt declaration of 501(c)(3) from the Internal Revenue Service.
• Governmental entities. A governmental entity is a local, state, federal, or tribal organization that has been established and authorized by law.

Additional Geographic Information:

Interactive Projects Map: https://gis.mtdeq.us/portal/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9267e33898664f95a5feba149b1e23a0
Ineligible
The following activities are NOT eligible for funding:
- Development of a Watershed Restoration Plan (WRP).
- Activities required as a condition of a point source (MPDES) discharge permit.
- Watershed characterization studies.
- Pollutant source identification.
- Water quality monitoring, except for monitoring the effectiveness of a current, 319-funded project.
- Statewide education and outreach campaigns.
- Projects whose primary purpose is to protect infrastructure from natural stream channel migration.
- Use of non-native plant species in restoration projects.
- Rip-rap, except in instances where it is necessary to protect a new bridge or culvert designed to restore aquatic organism passage.
- Projects designed to address violations of state and federal law (e.g., projects that stem from a 310 violation or an Army Corps violation).
- Projects that result in a net loss of wetlands or wetland function.
Pre-Application Information
Timeline:
- Monday, 8/7/2023: Issue of FY2024 Call for Applications
- Until Wednesday, 10/4/2023 at 5:00 pm: DEQ will ensure staff availability for answering questions, reviewing draft applications, and providing other assistance.
- Friday, 10/6/2023, 5:00 pm: Signed applications and all attachments due to DEQ by 5:00 pm
- Thursday, 11/2/2023: Agency Review Panel discussion
- Friday, 11/17/2023, 5:00 pm: Notice of Intent to Award is sent to project sponsors
- 11/20/2023 through 1/31/2024: Contract development
- August 2024: Funding becomes available

All project sponsors must meet the following minimum qualifications:
• Have a current UEI number. Unique Entity Identifier. Each project sponsor is required to have a current UEI number. The UEI number replaces the old DUNS number. If your organization had a DUNS number, you should have received a notification from the federal government indicating that your DUNS number has been changed to a UEI number. If you did not receive this notification, or if you never had a DUNS number, you will need to go to the federal government’s System for Award Management (SAM - https://sam.gov/content/home) to obtain your UEI number.
• Be registered with the federal System for Award Management (SAM). The SAM registration website is https://sam.gov/SAM/.
• Be registered with the Montana Secretary of State. All applicants must be registered with the Montana Secretary of State to do business in the state of Montana. Registration with the Secretary of State may be completed via the following website: https://sosmt.gov/business/start-maintain-grow/
• Have the necessary liability insurance.
• Comply with the Workers Compensation Act.
• Have sufficient technical and managerial resources available to facilitate completion of the project.

All project sponsors must thoroughly read the Call for Applications. All project sponsors are encouraged to contact a member of the DEQ Nonpoint Source staff prior to submitting their application (see “Contacts” tab below).

Project sponsors are required to meet a minimum 40% cost share (also known as match) for the project.

Payment is on a reimbursement basis.
Additional Funding Information

Estimated Total Program Funding:

$1,000,000
Estimated Size of Grant
Recommended: $10,000 to $250,000 per project.
- On-the-Ground Project Requirements and Priorities: $10,000-$250,000
- Mini-Grant Programs: Recommended Range for Funding Requests: $30,000-$60,000
Term of Contract
Projects must be completable within three years.
Contact Information
Electronic documents smaller than seven megabytes (7 MB) may be delivered via email to Mark Ockey: mockey@mt.gov. Electronic documents larger than seven megabytes (7 MB) must be delivered using the State of Montana’s File Transfer Service: https://transfer.mt.gov/.

Please contact Mark Ockey at the email address listed above or 406-465-0039 to arrange consultation with one of DEQ’s Nonpoint Source and Wetlands Program staff.

Watershed Protection Section
DEQ Headquarters
1520 E 6th Avenue
Helena, MT 59601
Call: 406-444-2544
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