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Grant & Award Opportunities

Stream and Wetland Restoration Grant

The department recovers compensation for injury to Tennessee’s natural resources in the context of formal enforcement. See Tenn. Code Ann § 69-3-116 (providing for recovery of damages caused by violations of the Tennessee Water Quality Control Act). Recovered funds are then applied to restoration projects to offset natural resource damages. Surface water restoration is focused on restoring surface waters of the State, including both streams and wetlands.
The purpose of the Stream and Wetland Restoration Grant Program is to leverage improvement opportunities in selecting and funding projects that best ensure benefits to natural resources with a nexus to those injured and compensated for through enforcement. Projects funded through this program may not be used as a mechanism for fulfilling any compensatory mitigation liabilities or requirements for impacts authorized through the State’s Aquatic Resource Alteration Permit and 401 Water Quality Certification programs or required to correct an unpermitted alteration. However, with appropriate documentation to ensure both obligations are separately satisfied, a compensatory mitigation project could be combined with a grant-funded project, provided that the compensatory mitigation does not count as a match. “Mitigation” means the restoration, creation, enhancement, and/or preservation of aquatic resources to compensate for unavoidable impacts as provided by Tenn. Comp. Rules and Regs. 0400-40-07-.04(7)

Eligible Applicants
Grant funding through the Stream and Wetland Restoration Grant Program is available to nonprofit corporations, state agencies, federal agencies, and municipal entities.

Click here for more information

USDOT Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program Funding Opportunity

The Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program (WCPP) is a competitive grant program with the goal of reducing Wildlife Vehicle Collisions (WVCs) while improving habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species.

Click here for more information: https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/wildlife-crossings/pilot-program

Green Infrastructure Funding Microsite

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) launched a new funding microsite for communities interested in pursuing federal funding and/or technical assistance for nature-based solutions and green infrastructure projects. The interactive database allows users to search and sort the more than 70 types of federal grants that fund nature-based solutions based on factors such as eligible recipients, project purpose, and the match required. It also provides information about the typical application cycles, and contact information for each program.

Access the database here: FundingNatureBasedSolutions.nwf.org

Organizations and Businesses that provide Annual Environmental Grants

Clif Bar Family Foundation

  • Awarded two times per year, entry deadline March 1 & Aug 1.

Wells Fargo

  • Awarded annually, grant opens Feb 1

EPA Grants

Patagonia

  • Corporate Grants

  • Media Grants

  • ​Awarded annually, grant opens May 1

International Paper

  • Memphis TN must receive an invitation to apply

Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation

  • Will update soon

Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

First Foundation

  • Nashville area only, not sure about environmental grants

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