Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund (Grants Gateway Outcome 1) (DNR Trust Fund): Status and Deadlines for Maryland Applicants

What it funds: Implementation-ready restoration that cuts nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment, such as wetland, stream and buffer restoration, tree planting, stormwater practices and living shorelines. Climate resilience is one of the co-benefits the state scores, and a Pay for Performance track pays for verified outcomes.
Who can apply: Local jurisdictions, nongovernmental organizations and colleges and universities; for-profits and aggregators may apply only to the Pay for Performance track. Projects must be in the Maryland portions of the Chesapeake Bay or Atlantic Coastal Bays watersheds (tree planting anywhere in Maryland).
Match: No match is required, but leveraged funds lower the state's cost per pound of pollution reduced, the main scoring measure.
Award: Minimum request $500,000 (email DNR first if below); available funding has ranged from $15 million to $35 million per solicitation over the past five years, and FY2027 awards totaled $31.5 million for 25 projects.

How Maryland applicants apply

Apply in DNR's Grants Gateway portal (webportalapp.com/sp/grants_gateway): create a profile, complete the common application, project details and FY28 budget template, and upload a signed transmittal letter, current designs and any permits. Nutrient and sediment reductions must be estimated in FieldDoc. Contact Katie Stahl, katie.stahl@maryland.gov, 410-260-8745.

The program on dnr.maryland.gov

Dates

November 9, 2026 · DNR webinar: How to Use FieldDoc in your Grants Gateway Application (1 p.m.)in 10 days · source
November 15, 2026 · Last day for site visits, pre-proposal meetings and technical assistance (site visits are required for stream restoration and pre-proposal meetings for Pay for Performance)in 16 days · source
December 11, 2026 · Applications due by 11:59 p.m. in the Grants Gateway portalin 42 days · source
June 1, 2027 · Award notifications expected June–July 2027 (expected)in 214 days · source

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What has changed

July 15, 2026FY2028 solicitation issued, with applications due December 11, 2026. (dnr.maryland.gov)
June 11, 2026Governor announced $31.5 million in FY2027 Trust Fund grants for 25 projects at 188 sites, citing resilience to climate impacts among the benefits. (news.maryland.gov)
July 15, 2025FY2027 solicitation issued, with applications due December 12, 2025. (dnr.maryland.gov)
July 8, 2025DNR announced $29 million in FY2026 Trust Fund grants for 27 projects at 160 sites. (news.maryland.gov)

Sources

Checked against the funder’s own pages on October 29, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the funder before you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

As of October 29, 2026: Open. FY2028 applications opened July 15, 2026 and are due December 11, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Site visits, pre-proposal meetings and technical assistance must happen by November 15, 2026; funding starts July 1, 2027.

Implementation-ready restoration that cuts nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment, such as wetland, stream and buffer restoration, tree planting, stormwater practices and living shorelines. Climate resilience is one of the co-benefits the state scores, and a Pay for Performance track pays for verified outcomes.

Local jurisdictions, nongovernmental organizations and colleges and universities; for-profits and aggregators may apply only to the Pay for Performance track. Projects must be in the Maryland portions of the Chesapeake Bay or Atlantic Coastal Bays watersheds (tree planting anywhere in Maryland).

No match is required, but leveraged funds lower the state's cost per pound of pollution reduced, the main scoring measure.

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