Chesapeake Oyster Innovation Award Program

Overview

Chesapeake Oyster Innovation Award Program

The Chesapeake Bay Trust and Chesapeake Oyster Alliance (a program supported by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation) are excited to continue our partnership, for the Chesapeake Oyster Innovation Award Program for a second year. The purposes of the program are to:

* increase knowledge within priority audiences of the value of oysters, oyster fisheries, and aquaculture efforts,
* advance technologies for increasing oyster population or aquaculture production, and/or
* advance oyster population monitoring techniques and or datasets.

Oyster restoration, research and aquaculture activities provide a range of environmental and economic benefits, such as improvements to water quality through filtration; providing and enhancing habitat for commercial and recreational fish; boosting the economy through seafood production and by providing a way of life for watermen; buffering sensitive coastal shorelines from wave energy; and more.

Oyster aquaculture can reduce pressure on wild oyster stocks and has been implemented as a complement to wild harvest around the globe, while providing some of the same ecological, economic, and cultural benefits.

Eligibility

_We've imported the main document for this grant to give you an overview. You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's [website]().
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_You must be a member of this organization to apply for this award - become a member. Funding partners welcome requests from members of the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance (COA) including community organizations and both for-profit and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. If your organization is not a member of the COA but is interested in becoming a member and thus create eligibility to apply to this program, please contact the CBF or COA._

Application Details

CHESAPEAKE OYSTER INNOVATION
AWARD PROGRAM
CHESAPEAKE BAY TRUST
108 SEVERN AVENUE, ANNAPOLIS, MD 21403
(410) 974-2941 | WWW.CBTRUST.ORG

Introduction and Program Goals
At A Glance
The Oyster Innovation Program will
The Chesapeake Bay Trust (Trust) is partnering with the Chesapeake
support projects to advance proof-of-
Oyster Alliance (COA), a multi-year collaborative initiative funded by the
Chesapeake Bay Foundation (hereafter referred to as ‘funding partner’). concept oyster and/or aquaculture
COA is designed to foster collaboration, innovation and acceleration education and restoration initiatives.
around ongoing oyster restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay. The
Eligible Applicants
goals of COA can be viewed here. The source of funds for this award
Only official Chesapeake Oyster Alliance
program is the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Partners may apply.
Oyster restoration, research and aquaculture activities provide a range
of environmental and economic benefits, such as improvements to Eligible Project Locations
water quality through filtration; providing and enhancing habitat for Maryland and Virginia.
commercial and recreational fish; boosting the economy through
seafood production and by providing a way of life for watermen; Request Amounts
buffering sensitive coastal shorelines from wave energy; and more. Up to $10,000.
Oyster aquaculture can reduce pressure on wild oyster stocks and has
Deadline
been implemented as a complement to wild harvest around the globe,
Thursday, September 19, 2024, at 5:00
while providing some of the same ecological, economic, and cultural
PM EST
benefits.
Submit Your Application
The purposes of this award program are to 1) increase knowledge
within priority audiences of the value of oysters, oyster fisheries, and Follow the instructions online at
https://us.grantrequest.com/application.aspx
aquaculture, 2) advance technologies for increasing oyster population
?sid=1520&fid=35592
or aquaculture production, 3) advance oyster monitoring techniques
and/or datasets.
Narrative Questions
The Trust is committed to the advancement of diversity and inclusion in Contact
its award-making and environmental work. As a result, the Trust Amber Cameron
strongly encourages applications directly from underrepresented 410-974-2941 ext. 124
groups, and for projects that increase awareness and participation of acameron@cbtrust.org
communities that are traditionally underrepresented, such as
communities of color. For a full description of the Trust’s efforts to engage under-engaged groups, see our
strategic plan and our Diversity and Inclusion statement. The funding partner is also committed to Diversity,
Equity, Inclusion & Justice. Read more about the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s commitment to putting this into
action.
Funding partners acknowledge that there are debates occurring among various stakeholder groups in the
oyster realm, from siting issues to cultural issues. While these stakeholder groups disagree on certain topics,
they do agree on a number of key points including: the ecological and economic importance of oysters to the
Chesapeake system, the rich cultural history of the Chesapeake oyster, and the desire to increase the
number of oysters in the Bay for economic, cultural, and ecological reasons. This program seeks to support
projects which serve to help advance the commonly held stakeholder goals.
PLEASE READ: The Trust recognizes that application processes can be complicated and time-consuming; the
Trust continues to work to simplify our application processes where possible. Any COA Partner is eligible to
receive guidance on the application process, either during Office Hours or a one-on-one meeting. Please
contact Program Officer Amber Cameron at acameron@cbtrust.org or 410-974-2941 x124.
Applicants are encouraged to contact Trust staff to discuss applications at least two weeks prior to the
deadline. The Trust cannot guarantee project development assistance within two weeks of the deadline.
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Eligible Applicants and Project Locations
Funding partners welcome requests from core Partners of the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance (COA), which is
comprised of community organizations, academic institutions, and both for-profit and 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organizations. This does not include the Reef Builder Tier at this time.
If your organization is not a member of the COA but is interested in becoming a member and thus create
eligibility to apply to this program, please contact Tanner Council at TCouncil@cbf.org.
This program funds projects occurring in Maryland and Virginia.
Eligible applicants will have and maintain in full force and effect during the term of the proposed project
liability insurance coverage in connection with the performance or failure to perform services proposed.
Eligible Project Types
Applicants can request funds from one of the following tracks:
• Track 1: Education – projects that increase knowledge within priority audiences of the value of
oysters, oyster fisheries, and aquaculture;
• Track 2: Technology – projects that advance technologies for increasing oyster population or
aquaculture production; and/or
• Track 3: Monitoring – projects that advance oyster population monitoring techniques and/or
datasets.
Projects that increase knowledge and implementation of effective, appropriate oyster and aquaculture-
related practices common in other estuarine systems are encouraged. In particular, this program seeks
proposals in which a small amount of investment can make a notable difference in supporting a COA
Partner and helping to advance stewardship and restoration goals within the Chesapeake Bay.
Examples of project types include but are not limited to:
• projects that educate residents about the value of oysters and/or aquaculture through the
development of scientific web-based content (e.g. short videos, infographics, etc.),
• new designs for oystergrowing systems for restoration or aquaculture or other initiatives that
increase or improve the overall health of the Bay’s oyster population, and
• development and piloting of innovative, low-cost technologies for remote reef or oyster farm
monitoring.
A more robust list of project types that are eligible can be found in the appendices below. You may also
refer to this list of Previously Awarded Projects.
Project Audience: For education, monitoring, and technology initiatives, there are always opportunities to
communicate outcomes with a variety of audiences. The Trust encourages projects that engage audiences
who are identified as historically under-engaged or under-served through indicators such as, but not limited
to, socioeconomic status (communities in which median household income is equal to or less than 75% of
state-wide median household income or have high poverty and unemployment rates
(https://www.census.gov)), communities that were at any point historically redlined or graded as
“hazardous” by the Home Owners’ loan corporation, or other relevant characteristics as identified in the EPA
Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool. The Trust encourages projects that engage audiences
that are not typically engaged in oyster and restoration work, as well as audiences that are identified as
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historically under-engaged.
Project Timeline: You will have 12 months to complete your project from the time you receive the award.
Requests to extend the project completion period will be reviewed and considered on a case-by-case basis.
A final report of each project is required at the end of the project timeline. These reports may be shared
with other COA Partners or the public at-large to spur similar innovation within the Bay watershed and
beyond.
If you have an idea that is not listed above, but meets one or more of the program’s three goals, contact
Amber Cameron at (410) 974-2941 ext. 124 or acameron@cbtrust.org to discuss your idea before applying.
Funding Availability
Funding Availability: The Trust has $150,000 available for this program. Applicants may request up to
$10,000. Individual COA members may NOT submit applications for a joint project that would exceed the
$10,000 maximum request per project.
Project Timeline: Projects must be completed within 12 months upon receipt of the award. Requests to
extend the project completion period will be reviewed and considered on a case-by-case basis.
Online Application Submission Instructions
The Trust uses an online system for the application process, and if awarded, project management. To apply for
an award, go to: https://www.grantrequest.com/FormQuiz.aspx?sid=1520&aid=96476 and click on “Get
Started” to begin a new application. This will open a new window asking you to log in or create an account in
our online system. If you have applied in the past, sign in with your email address and password. If you have
forgotten your password, click on “Forgot Password” to reset your password. If you have not used our online
system before, click on “New Applicant” and follow the instructions.
By submitting an application, applicants acknowledge that: 1) they are compliant with federal employment and
non-discrimination laws and 2) they have not been debarred, convicted, charged or had a civil judgment rendered
against them for fraud or a related offense by any government
agency or been terminated for cause or default by any government
agency (federal, state, or local). In addition, all final products will Watch our video on how to apply
and how to submit an application
be provided to the funding partners for use and distribution at the
using our online system at
sole discretion of the funding partners.
https://cbtrust.org/grants/.
PLEASE READ: The online funding opportunity will close
automatically and promptly on Thursday, September 19, 2024, at 5
PM EST. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit at least a few days prior to the deadline given potential for high
website traffic on the due date. The Trust cannot guarantee the availability of technical assistance for our
online system on the deadline date.
Online Application Form
You will be asked to provide the following minimum information on the online application form.
You will be asked to provide the following information in the online application form. Refer to the online
application for details.
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Eligibility Quiz: This three-question quiz is meant to assist you in
determining if your project meets the requirements of this award
Definitions
program and that your staff/organizational structure best supports a
successful application. The Executive Officer is the individual
that oversees the organization (e.g.,
Applicant Information Tab: Provide the organization’s name, Executive Director, Chief Executive
mailing address, phone number, organization type, mission, EIN Officer, Mayor, President or Vice
President, Principal (for schools), etc.)
number, and UEI number. Provide the Executive Officer and Project
and has the authority to sign/execute
Leader’s name, title, address, phone, and email address.
award agreements on behalf of the
organization. The Executive Officer
• Both an Executive Officer and a Project Leader, two separate information is tied directly to all the
individuals, must be identified for all applications. organization’s applications and should
• The Executive Officer and Project Leader must both be able not vary from application to
application. If the Executive Officer
to make decisions on behalf of the organization either as a
could be listed as the Project Leader
board member, an employee, or other approved position
in a future proposal, we recommend
recognized by the organization but not a contractor of the listing a Board Member or other
application. higher-ranking position of the
organization as the Executive Officer
• To avoid conflict of interest issues, individuals associated
in order to reduce the variation in the
with for-profit entities to be engaged in the project cannot
Executive Officer across applications.
serve in either role.
The Program Leader is the individual
Project Information Tab: Provide a project track; project title; will be responsible for all project
project abstract; the watershed, county, and legislative district in coordination and correspondence
which the project is located; and the latitude and longitude with the Trust for the duration of the
project. The email address entered
coordinates of the project location.
here MUST be the same as the email
address you used to log in to the
Timeline Tab: Provide a project start date, project end date, and
online system. The Project Leader is
project timeline that includes major tasks and their associated start the primary point of contact for the
and end dates. application, and the email address
used to submit the application via the
Deliverables Tab: Provide estimated metrics for your proposed online system must be that of the
Project Leader. Applications in which
project such as project participants and outreach and restoration
the email address associated with the
outputs.
Project Leader in the applicant
information tab of the online
Volunteers Tab: Provide a description of volunteer activities, the opportunity does not match the email
number of volunteers, and total number of volunteer hours. address used to submit the
application will not be considered for
Project Partnerships Tab: Provide a list of project partner funding. The Trust cannot conduct any
official correspondence with
organizations or contractors, individuals, their areas of expertise,
contractors or other project partners.
and their role(s) in your project.
If at any time the Project Leader
cannot continue in the position, the
Applicants are encouraged to upload a letter of commitment for the
organization must contact the Trust
project from each partner describing in detail the partner’s role or and assign a new qualified Project
contribution to the project. Applications including strong letter(s) of Leader.
commitment often receive higher scores. If not submitted with the
application, letter(s) of commitment may be required prior to the release of any awarded funding. For
guidance on this, see the Trust’s Letter of Commitment and Guidance Policy.
Narrative & Supporting Documents Tab: Use the link below to download the required narrative questions
template for the track you are applying to. Complete all questions and upload the completed document into
the online application as a Microsoft Word or PDF file.
Narrative Questions Template
Budget Tab:
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1. Financial Management Spreadsheet – Application Budget Upload
a. You will be asked to upload your budget using the “Application Budget” worksheet of the
Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Financial Management Spreadsheet (FMS), an excel file template. The
template can be found by visiting https://cbtrust.org/forms-policies/ where you can watch a
video with instructions on how to complete the FMS.
2. Financial Management Spreadsheet – Application Budget Information
a. This online application component will ask you to enter budget category and request totals.
These totals will be automatically calculated in the FMS Application Budget, so you will only
need to copy and paste the values from the FMS to the Online Application.
3. Additional Budget Justification
a. This online application component will ask you to provide a descriptive budget narrative to
justify and explain costs. If the success of the work is contingent upon award of other funds,
make this clear in your budget justification section.
Terms and Conditions Tab: Agree to the specified terms and conditions for the program to which you are
applying.
Demographics Tab (optional): Provide voluntary demographic information. Provide information about your
organization’s current diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) efforts and future goals.
Evaluation Criteria
Scoring Criteria Description and Scoring Guidance Scoring
Project Goals
Consistency with How well does the applicant’s proposal meet one or more of the three Scale of
Request for Proposals tracks of the program? Are all required application components 1 to 10
(RFP) included for sound evaluation of the application?
How the Project is Innovative
Innovation Is the proposed project a new idea in the oyster world, and/or to the Scale of
Chesapeake region? Does the proposal effectively describe what new 1 to 15
information can be produced/shared from the project that advances
the goals of the program?
Project Plan
Likelihood of Project What is the likelihood of success if this project were to be selected for Scale of
Success funding? Success should be defined as the accomplishment of the 1 to 20
outcomes and outputs proposed. Is there a clear plan for producing
outputs and achieving the outcomes proposed? Are methodologies
sound and consistent with best practices? Have any potentially
mandatory permits been obtained or planned?
Who is Engaged
Partnerships Are the people and groups needed to do this work included in and Scale of
supportive of the project? Are any partners missing that should have 1 to 10
been engaged? Is the community to be served involved appropriately in
the project; i.e., was community buy-in obtained, were community
needs and desires assessed? Are other COA members involved as
partners, where appropriate? Have appropriate letters of commitment
for the project from Partners or the Community been included?
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Priority Audience Based on applicant provided information, is the audience being engaged Scale of
in the project identified as historically under-engaged or under-served 1 to 5
through indicators such as, but not limited to, communities that were at
any point historically redlined or graded as “hazardous” by the Home
Owners’ loan corporation, socioeconomic status (communities in which
median household income is equal to or less than 75% of state-wide
median household income or have high poverty and unemployment
rates (https://www.census.gov)), or other relevant characteristics as
identified in the MD EJScreen Tool?
Impact
Demonstration Value Will others be able to take lessons from this project, and perhaps Scale of
and Transferability replicate it? Will the results of this project be shared with appropriate 1 to 15
stakeholders, partners, and/or other COA members? If so, how will that
be accomplished?
Long-term Will the project have lasting impact? Will additional resources be Scale of
Sustainability needed to maintain the value of the project, and if so, has this issue 1 to 10
been addressed in the proposal?
Budget
Cost Effectiveness / Is the budget appropriate and cost effective? Are the line items Scale of
Budget budgeted justified in the project narrative? Are project partners being 1 to 15
resourced appropriately? Can the work described be done with the
amount of funds requested/proposed as match? In-kind and cash match
is not required but is highly encouraged.
Total Score Possible 100
Application Review Process
Each application is reviewed by a Technical Review Committee (TRC), composed of individuals who are subject
matter experts in the fields supported by this RFP and represent communities engaged by projects funded by
this RFP. The TRC will include COA Partner representatives; upon committal of reviewing, their respective
organizations will not be permitted to apply for this award program this year. The TRC ranks and scores all
applications based on the criteria listed in the “Evaluation Criteria” section and meets to discuss the application
merits. The TRC then recommends a suite of applications for awards and declines to the Trust’s Board of
Trustees.
The funding partners reserve the right to fund projects and budget items that advance their missions and meet
specific funding priorities and criteria.
To allow applicants to set expectations prior to investing time in applying, the Trust provides historical
application approval rates for the same or similar programs. The average approval rate from the last three
rounds of this program is 85%, including both fully and partially funded applications.
Awards and Notifications
The FY25 Chesapeake Oyster Innovation Grant Program awards will be announced in November 2024.
The final outcomes of these awards are intended to be shared with the public in the spirit of the Chesapeake Oyster
Alliance – to drive innovative new approaches and technology among all oyster practitioners and accelerate
advancements in oyster industry, restoration, and research in the Chesapeake Bay. Projects that align with this
intention will be prioritized and all final products will be provided to the funding partners for use and distribution at
the sole discretion of the funding partners. However, we understand some ideas and projects may be proprietary
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or subject to future patents. If that is the case, please indicate as such in your proposal in the “Innovation and
Demonstration value” section of your narrative.
All applicants will receive a letter via email stating the funding decision. An application may be declined,
partially awarded, or fully awarded. If approved the Trust will send an award agreement with award conditions
and due dates of project deliverables and final reports. The Trust will mail the first award payment to the
requesting organization following satisfaction of any award contingencies, including upload of the signed award
agreement and/or submission of the first deliverable. Ten percent (10%) of the total grant awards will be held
until the final report is submitted and approved. Awards made to for-profit entities will be made as
deliverables-based contracts and will be paid as deliverables are submitted and approved. In cases where the
awardee fails to submit a project deliverable or final report by the due date, the Trust reserves the right to
terminate the award agreement and require a refund of funds already transferred to the awardee.
When the project is complete, awardees are required to complete final reports that may include, but are not
limited to, submission of all receipts for supplies, invoices for subcontractors/contractors, and copies of
timesheets for personnel time used (timesheets must include date, name, time worked per day, and coding to
tie the time worked to the award). All financial back-up documentation from the awardee must be grouped
and numbered to correspond to the budget line item reported as spent. Organizations with outstanding final
reports will not be awarded additional grants.
Appendix A: Additional Examples of Eligible Project Types
The following list of project types is intended to provide examples and is not exhaustive. You may also
refer to this list of Previously Awarded Projects.
Track 1: Education
1. Projects that facilitate information sharing across jurisdictions to accelerate oyster tourism
through oyster industry tourism training in areas where it has not yet been fully established.
2. Development of outreach materials specifically for chefs/wholesalers/retailers promoting local
Chesapeake oysters, and/or oyster shell recycling.
3. Projects that educate residents about the value of oysters and/or aquaculture through the
development of scientific web-based content (e.g. short videos, infographics, etc.).
4. Projects that advance civic engagement regarding oyster relevant topics. While funding cannot
support advocacy directly, projects that educate elected officials and engage residents in civic
discourse are appropriate.
5. Projects that educate youth through the development of new curriculum materials, or by
providing Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs).
Track 2: Technology
1. Projects that test creative reuse of materials, new equipment design, or alternative substrates.
2. Projects that employ “off-the-shelf” technology or tools for improving restoration efforts.
3. New concepts for community oyster-growing projects, oyster restoration projects, aquaculture
gear or techniques, or other initiatives that enhance either the wild or farmed oyster
population in Bay waters.
Track 3: Monitoring
1. Development and piloting of innovative, low-cost technologies for monitoring oyster
populations, water-quality, habitat, or biodiversity associated with oyster reefs or farms
(e.g., monitoring tools for hatcheries, setting tanks, or in-situ locations; or equipment which
can be used to monitor the efficacy of oyster reefs in establishing/enhancing fish habitat).
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