The National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways Program (NPS Chesapeake Gateways) offers competitive grant opportunities to advance the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 within the full 41-million-acre Chesapeake Bay watershed! In September 2023, NPS Chesapeake Gateways awarded 22 grants totally nearly $2.3 million.
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Article 1: Expanding Access to Black and Indigenous Narratives of the Potomac
$47,731 grant to the Accokeek Foundation Inc. - Maryland - Building on previous work to recognize and interpret the significance of the Piscataway Park landscape to the Piscataway people, the Accokeek Foundation Inc. will curate a collection of oral histories focusing on BIPOC fishing industry workers to create effective interpretive materials. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 2: Springfield Woods Local Leader Legacies
$150,000 grant to Baltimore Green Space - Maryland - This project will honor community member Butch Berry’s vision, which included telling stories of the people whose lives were enriched by the forest and the rich Black history of the neighborhood. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 3: Four Mile Run All-Ability Water Access Point
$106,885 grant to Four Mile Run Conservatory Foundation - Virginia - Located in an under-utilized portion of Four Mile Run Park, this project will help meet the growing need for healthy recreation opportunities in Alexandria. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 4: Seeing is Believing - Linking 5th Grade Hampton City Students with Local Culture and Nature through Outdoor Environmental Education
$149,520 grant to the James River Association - Virginia - This project advances a curriculum which connects 5th grade students and teachers in 21 elementary schools with nature and culture, through a professional development session, in-class lessons and hands-on field experiences, and community environmental days. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 5: Development of a Comprehensive Parks Master Plan for Moulton Park
$109,621 grant to Jefferson County Parks & Recreation Commission - West Virginia - This project supports development of a comprehensive master plan for the park and its recent 82-acre expansion. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 6: Connecting the Public to Rappahannock Tribal History and Stewardship of Natural Resources
$147,807 grant to the Rappahannock Tribe - Virginia - Through this project the tribe will restore the lodge building (Lodge) at the Cat Point Creek unit of the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge and create an Indigenous Environmental Education Center, bringing together Rappahannock Tribal citizens and non-native people for environmental education and outdoor recreation opportunities. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 7: Susquehanna Discovery Center & Heritage Park - Master Plan & Interpretive Framework
$150,000 grant to Susquehanna National Heritage Area - Pennsylvania - This project unites land conservation, historic preservation, inclusive storytelling, heritage tourism, and economic development on one landscape in the Susquehanna/Chesapeake watershed. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 8: Weeds to Woods Naturally Urban Workforce Development Program
$150,000 grant to Backyard Basecamp, Inc. - Maryland - Through this program, 16 Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) youth will gain experience for access to green careers, learn about Maryland’s ecological history, develop facilitation and life skills, and earn certifications in Wilderness First Aid and CPR. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 9: Baltimore Tree Trust and Baltimore Peace Movement’s Memorial Tree Plantings
$49,852 grant to Baltimore Tree Trust, Inc. - Maryland - This project will interview the 28 families, and stories will be available via a QR code on each tree as well as reflected through local artwork. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 10: Enlace: Engaging and Empowering Latino Youth through Environmental Experiences and Education
$125,517 grant to EcoLatinos, Inc. - Maryland - This project enlaces Latino youth in Prince George's and Montgomery Counties to their communities, to the greater environmental movement, and to future educational and career opportunities through a year-round, summer and after school program. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 11: Three Cultures Center at Handsell Historic Site
$150,000 grant to Nanticoke Historic Preservation Alliance - Maryland - This project will utilize existing historic structures and support the development of a new Three Cultures Center, in the style of a 19th century barn, with facilities for programming and events, ADA accessible restrooms, and storage. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 12: The Wonder Wagon: A Mobile Nature Center for Fairfax County
$45,798 grant to Fairfax County Park Foundation - Virginia - This project will enhance current programming and allow the Wonder Wagon team to acquire a vehicle, equipment, and supplies, to meet Fairfax County community members where they are - community centers, events, unstaffed parks, and title one schools. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 13: Diversifying Volunteer Programs in the Anacostia Watershed
$147,565 grant to The Friends of the National Arboretum - Washington D.C. - This project will connect with diverse local communities and support several activities, including the following: hiring a volunteer/community outreach manager; meetings with community organizations to identify best practices in community engagement, recruiting, and training volunteers; family fishing evenings with Anacostia Riverkeeper; and a best practices volunteer on-boarding Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 14: Mariners' Lake Access Initiative
$147,884 grant to The Mariners’ Museum - Virginia - This project will support the re-opening of the lake for education, enrichment, and recreation - restoring and expanding access to on-the-water educational and recreational activities. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 15: National Park Trust and Bowie State College Ambassadors Explore the Chesapeake Gateway Region
$35,000 grant to The National Park Trust - Maryland - This project provides an innovative, interdisciplinary learning experience for Bowie State students who will visit more than a dozen natural and historic sites throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed during a 10-day, 700+-mile trip as part of a field course centered around African American and Black History in the Chesapeake Region. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 16: Kingman Rangers Interpretive Program
$50,000 grant to The Living Classrooms of the National Capital Region - Washington D.C. - This project will increase engagement and equitable access to this area for audiences of all ages—especially Black communities east of the Anacostia—through education, recreation, outreach, and special community programming and events. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 17: Bi-Lingual Ranger Community Engagement Pilot Project
$150,000 grant to Baltimore County - Maryland - This project will support a new Spanish-speaking Park Ranger at Marshy Point Nature Center and Loch Raven Fishing Center during the peak season of May – August. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 18: Green Muslims ODIG! for Adults: Our Deen is Green! Meaningful Watershed Education Experience (MWEE) for Grownups
$35,000 grant to Green Muslims - Washington D.C. - Building upon the Our Deen (Faith) is Green! youth outdoor education program, this project will take adults into nature. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 19: Living on the Edge: Uncovering and Sharing the Stories of Bull Run Mountain’s Diversely Peopled Past
$77,000 grant to Virginia Outdoors Foundation - Virginia - This project will allow staff and researchers to uncover more information about the Bull Run families; to engage with a more diverse public via guided hikes, social media and blog posts about the Black and African American history of the Preserve; and cement this research in a publicly accessible format. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 20: Discovering Diversity to Advance Inclusion, Accessibility, and Equity in Charlottesville
$49,976 grant to the City of Charlottesville - Virginia - This project will provide a creative, collaborative process that encourages input from many community partners connected to marginalized populations to develop accurate data for Charlottesville. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 21: Access to Action: Engaging the Latino Community of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
$149,975 grant to Defensores de la Cuenca - Maryland & Washington D.C. - This project will create opportunities for Spanish dominant people to have positive experiences in new spaces and places throughout the greater Baltimore City and Washington, D.C. areas. Read more
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Chesapeake Bay
Article 22: Using eDNA and Storytelling to Understand the Social and Ecological Histories of African Americans in the Chesapeake Bay
$142,500 grant to Black in Marine Science - Maryland - This project will work with Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation (BOCF) to use environmental DNA (eDNA) to bridge social and environmental knowledge throughout the Chesapeake Bay. Read more