Past Grants

American Farmland Trust

For the third and final year of the pilot project, Clean Water for the Chesapeake Bay – Mobilizing Farmers to Improve Water Quality in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Designed as a risk-management tool, the Best Management Practices Challenge for Planned Nitrogen Reduction benefits the 29 regional farmers who, committed to reducing their fertilizer use, were guaranteed reimbursements if yields were lower. A certified nutrient management specialist was hired and more precise computerized systems with infrared sensors were employed to determine the amount of nitrogen already in the ground. As part of the “best practices,” these findings may be useful in scaling up environmentally sound practices, thus reducing nutrient runoff into the Bay.

American Farmland Trust

Toward support of Clean Water for the Chesapeake Bay, a project designed to reduce nutrient runoff into the Chesapeake Bay and to improve its water quality. The focus of the three-year campaign is to engage local farmers in adopting best practices, and developing and supporting policies to increase agricultural-inclusive actions. With participation of seven local farmers in Maryland, a demonstration project using Best Management Practices Challenge Tools, American Farmland Trust will introduce the computerized systems to determine how to calculate more exact amounts of fertilizer needed. This measured approach is expected to reduce the amount of nitrogen spread on the fields, thus lowering nutrient runoff.

Blue Water Baltimore (formerly Baltimore Water Alliance)

For a challenge grant to launch an inaugural membership campaign for Blue Water Baltimore, a merger of five Baltimore watershed associations. By creating a consolidated organization with a common mission, the newly formed organization will be able to increase its capacity, be cost efficient, reduce duplication, attract and retain specialized staff, expand volunteer opportunities, undertake more effective fundraising, and work toward creating a stronger and more united voice for local watersheds.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation

In support of the 2011 Environmental Legislative Summit. The summit will focus on issues that include implementation of a stormwater utility program to address failing systems, sustained funding for the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund, continued smart-growth strategies, and wind energy.

Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN)

Additional funding for staffing support of the Maryland Open Government Campaign, the goal of which is to make existing environmental laws more effective, encouraging Maryland leaders to enact changes in the state’s enforcement program, and to build a network of informed Maryland citizens working toward internal institutional reforms. By acting as a “watch-dog” group, CCAN will use grassroots mobilization to organize public comments and testimonies at permit hearings. It will also identify and recruit well-informed experts in public health, biological sciences, and climate issues to represent citizens in affected communities, and to voice their concerns about noncompliance among known polluters and lack of enforcement.