Recreation & Access

The Connecticut Land Conservation Council’s Transaction Assistance Grant (TAG) Program seeks to accelerate the pace of land conservation by providing financial assistance to land trusts for transaction-related project costs. TAG responds to immediate conservation needs and is designed to get funding on the ground efficiently and effectively. Applications for TAG grants are accepted monthly, with applications due on the last day of a given month as long as funds are available.

This program provides funding for a variety of transportation projects such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities; construction of turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas; community improvements such as historic preservation and vegetation management; environmental mitigation related to stormwater and habitat connectivity; recreational trails; safe routes to school projects; and vulnerable road user safety assessments.

This fact sheet for Conservation Commissions in Connecticut reviews the role of these commissions for enhancing the climate resilience of their communities. The resource was developed by CIRCA and covers the authority and duties of conservation commissions as well as detailing specific strategies and approaches.

Awards small grants in support of grassroots efforts and community-based environmental work in New England. The Grassroots Fund utilizes participatory grantmaking to move resources to New England grassroots groups working at the intersections of Environmental Justice. The program is geared toward groups who have some experience implementing a project in their community. Grants support groups to deepen their work by further developing a community vision, lowering barriers to participation, identifying new stakeholders, and working to bring more voices and lived experiences into core decision-making processes.

Supports the development of urban agriculture and innovative production activities by funding Planning Projects and Implementation Projects led by nonprofit organizations, local or Tribal governments, and schools.

The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program was established in 2014 and is funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. ORLP is a nationally competitive, dollar-for-dollar matching grant program. It was created to aid disadvantaged, urban communities that lack access to close-by outdoor recreation. Funds can be used for the acquisition and/or development of, or substantial renovation of, public parks and other outdoor recreation spaces.

Projects may include any or all manner of outdoor recreation activities such as hiking, camping, unstructured play, picnicking, cycling, field and court sports, fishing, bird watching, swimming pools, paddling, and skating, as well as for outdoor recreation facilities and some supporting facilities and infrastructure like restrooms/bathhouses, or parking areas, when part of an overall recreation project.

New York Sea Grant and Connecticut Sea Grant will provide grant preparation and writing capacity to New York and Connecticut communities that are pursuing funding for sustainability and resilience focused projects. This program aims to help communities develop successful sustainability and resilience focused project grant proposals and for municipalities and community organizations to develop capacity for navigating the funding landscape. 

The Trust funding interests include: Community development (affordable housing, economic development), Community-based health care (primary care access and delivery), Education (early education, K-12 public schools), the Environment (land and water conservation, parks and gardens), and Social services (hunger, immigration, seniors, youth development).

Local Waterfront Revitalization Program provides grants to municipalities along New York’s coasts or designated inland waterways to advance the preparation or implementation of strategies for community and waterfront revitalization through the following grant categories: 1) Preparing or Updating a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP), 2) Updating an LWRP to be more Resilient to Climate Risk,s 3) Preparing an LWRP Component, including a Watershed Management Plan, and 4) Implementing a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program or a completed LWRP Component.

The Land Trust Alliance, with support from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Legislature, is pleased to announce a twentieth round of competitive land trust grants through the New York State Conservation Partnership Program. Up to $3,075,000 is available in the 2023-2024 grants round, across five categories: Capacity & Excellence, Professional Development, Conservation Catalyst, Stewardship & Resource Management, and Transaction grants. Please note some of these categories require a letter of intent with an earlier deadline, and depending on the grant type, the type of match required may differ, so be sure to read the RFA carefully.

This grant program, supported by the State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), is designed to advance projects that target both aquatic and terrestrial invasive species across the state, with six funding categories that address invasive species spread prevention; early detection and rapid response; research; management planning; and education and outreach.

This NYSDEC funding through the NYS Environmental Protection Fund is for municipalities to acquire private land and establish new or extend existing community forests through the use of fee title or conservation easements on areas of 10 acres or more.

This program provides funding for the acquisition, planning, development, and improvement of parks, historic properties, and heritage areas.

Grants are awarded for projects that address Nonpoint Source impacts in surface waters including creation and implementation of approved Watershed Based Plans.

DEEP was awarded this funding from the EPA under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to administer to brownfield sites in Connecticut to perform environmental assessment and cleanup activities.

The Urban and Community Forestry Planning Grant Program offers funding for municipalities and non-profit organizations to pursue planning projects such as tree inventories, management plans, or other monitoring programs that will help communities to make informed management decisions.

The Green Fund seeks innovative proposals from committed organizations and individuals for activities that advance our mission which is to promote environmental quality, public health and equity in our community by providing grants and other incentives that contribute to a more environmentally sustainable future and reduce air, water and land pollution.

The Connecticut Society for Women Environmental Professionals Grant Program provides funding for local projects in Connecticut that benefit the environment. Grants of up to $2,000 will be awarded. Any application meeting the grant guidelines that is not successful in one cycle may reapply during any following cycle. The applications will be judged based on the environmental benefits of each project, in comparison to others. “Environmental benefits” can vary widely and successful applications have ranged from property clean-ups to environmental education.

Awards small grants in support of grassroots efforts and community-based environmental work in New England. The Grassroots Fund utilizes participatory grantmaking to move resources to New England grassroots groups working at the intersections of Environmental Justice. The program is geared toward groups who have some experience implementing a project in their community. Grants support groups to deepen their work by further developing a community vision, lowering barriers to participation, identifying new stakeholders, and working to bring more voices and lived experiences into core decision-making processes.

Sustainable CT’s Community Match Fund is an innovative program that provides fast, flexible funding and support for engaging your community on wide-ranging sustainability projects. Eligible projects receive dollar-for-dollar matching funds from Sustainable CT.

Intended to streamline grant funding opportunities for new conservation and restoration projects around the U.S., the America the Beautiful Challenge consolidates funding from multiple federal agencies and the private sector to enable applicants to conceive and develop large-scale projects that address shared funder priorities and span public and private lands.

Acres for America is the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) premier land conservation program and was established to provide urgently needed funding for projects that conserve important large-scale habitats for fish, wildlife, and plants through voluntary land acquisitions and perpetual conservation easements.

The NEP Coastal Watersheds Grant Program is a nationally competitive grants program designed to support projects that address urgent and challenging issues threatening the well-being of coastal and estuarine areas within determined estuaries of national significance.

The Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) is requesting project applications to restore and conserve habitat necessary to support coastal, estuarine-dependent, and diadromous fish species along the U.S. Atlantic Coast. Federal funding available through the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) program will be used to support the top ranked proposals. To ensure available funding is being directed most effectively, projects should be geared toward meeting ACFHP’s conservation objectives described in its Conservation Strategic Plan.

The goals of this funding opportunity are to enhance collaboration with recreational, subsistence, cultural, and non-commercial fishing communities, and to protect and restore habitat. Healthy habitat leads to more fishing opportunities and increased climate resilience, and there are numerous opportunities to advance habitat conservation by working together.

The Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF) will be seeking proposals to restore the health and living resources of Long Island Sound (Sound) with approximately $12 million in funding in 2024. The program is managed by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Long Island Sound Study (LISS). Major funding is from EPA through the LISS with additional funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Avangrid Foundation.

With support from the Nature Conservancy and Sustainable CT, East Haddam organized a Community Resilience Building process and workshop, the results of which were compiled into this summary. The team engaged with community members to determine the present hazards and vulnerabilities and identify resilient solutions.

This project restored 46 acres of the Great Meadows Marsh in Connecticut that was degraded from dredge material that was dumped on site, poor drainage, and sea level rise. The marsh was also overrun with invasive plants and mosquitoes. A controlled fire was started to kill the invasive reeds growing in the marsh. Then a construction crew removed invasive plants and the dumped dredge material. Lastly, channels were carefully dug for tidal flushing which will allow the marsh to keep pace with sea level rise. Soil hummocks were constructed for Salt Marsh Sparrow habitat. Now the area continues to be monitored, assessed for resiliency, and provides a field for innovative solutions to be tested in.

Partners

Trustees: USFWS, NOAA, State of Connecticut; Project Partners: Audubon Connecticut, Town of Stratford

This comprehensive study and plan, funded through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Long Island Sound Futures Fund, identifies initial strategies to maintain and enhance the local watershed resources of Crab Meadow. It is meant to be a land management tool to guide the implementation of best practices. The plan was developed in consultation with many partners and stakeholders.

Increased development and the historic construction of a dam on Sunken Meadow Creek in the 1950’s led to reduced tidal exchange, increased water levels in the creek, poor water quality, and the proliferation of invasive species. In 2008 a number of partners (NYS OPRHP, NOAA, NYSDEC, LISS, TNC, Save the Sound, USFWS, LI Botanical Society) came together to work to restore the degraded marsh habitat around Sunken Meadow Creek, increase tidal flow, improve aquatic organism passage, limit invasives, and improve water quality. A restoration feasibility study was completed in 2010. In 2012 Superstorm Sandy blew out the dam on Sunken Meadow Creek, naturally kick-starting restoration. Following Superstorm Sandy, the project partners were able to quickly capitalize on available funding and grants, due to their prior planning efforts. A bridge was built across the Creek where the dam blew out, salt marsh habitat was restored at three locations, green infrastructure was installed in one of the parking areas to capture and treat stormwater runoff, fish passage feasibility on the creek was investigated, and education and outreach was conducted to thousands of people. These projects were completed in 2019. Now, with funding through Long Island Sound Futures Fund, Audubon NY is leading a large-scale marsh restoration project at Sunken Meadow Creek to restore important high-marsh habitat for at risk species, like the Saltmarsh Sparrow, and to increase the resilience of the marsh in the face of rising sea levels. Audubon will be working to finalize the designs and secure permits over the next two years, with on-the-ground restoration expected in 2026.

Save the Sound’s Sound Health Explorer displays information on water quality for Long Island Sound beaches, embayments, and open waters.

This NYSDEC tool provides information on shellfish closures in NY’s marine waters and can be used to help resource users understand where it is safe to harvest to shellfish.

This interactive map provides information on boat ramps and saltwater fishing access points on Long Island in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

User-friendly access to expert-reviewed interactive maps on key topics such as marine life and habitat, marine-based industry, use and resources in the northeastern United States. The Data Explorer allows the user to define and view any combination of data hosted on the Portal on one map.

This interactive map can help you find your way to over 350 diverse shoreline sites in Connecticut that provide a variety of opportunities for coastal enjoyment.

Guide that lists various beach-related actions/activities, permitting pathways, and other considerations

The purpose of the Long Island Sound Blue Plan is to identify and protect places of traditional use and ecological significance, and to minimize conflicts, now and in the future. Contains data layers with policy and planning areas, ecologically significant areas, and significant human use areas.

In this Coastal Resiliency Network webinar, Barbara Kendall from the NYS Department of State provides an overview of Local Waterfront Revitalization Programs (LWRP) and then representatives from four NYS coastal communities discuss their experiences developing and implementing their LWRPs. The Coastal Resilience Network, led by the New York State Association of Conservation Commissions (NYSACC) with assistance from NY Sea Grant, is a collaborative open forum for communities in coastal Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties to discuss and learn about opportunities to increase their resilience to sea level rise, flooding, and extreme events.