NOAA and National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Offer Grants

OSWEGO COUNTY – The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), offers another round of grant funding for communities within the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary.

The application deadline for this second round of grants from the Sanctuary Community Fund has been extended to Friday, Jan. 9. Community partners are invited to apply for funding for projects that support the promotion and protection of Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary.

“Living around a marine sanctuary is a unique opportunity and we need to carefully balance its protection, while celebrating and educating others about our heritage,” said Oswego County Legislator Mary Ellen Chesbro, District 10, chairwoman of the Oswego County Legislature’s Economic Development, Tourism and Planning Committee. “This Fund was created to address that challenge. It provides support in communities around eligible national marine sanctuaries to help promote stewardship, preservation and engagement while protecting watershed areas.”

Ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, grant support focuses on the development of public resources and best practices to protect sanctuary waters. Ideal projects increase conservation efforts and public access, raise awareness about the sanctuary and its heritage, increase community learning and public outreach.

“To ensure the long-term success of Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary, we need to plan ahead,” said Oswego County Administrator Philip Church, member of the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council. “Raising awareness about this tremendous opportunity is as important as the projects we look forward to seeing come out of it.

“For agencies and organizations that have great ideas for our sanctuary but don’t have the resources to put their plans in motion, this is the chance they’ve been waiting for,” he continued. “We hope our community partners will take advantage of this grant program and help us promote and protect our sanctuary.”

Eligible applicants include formal or informal educational institutions, non-profits, Indigenous or Indigenous-serving organizations, and/or non-federal government entities (tribal, state, or local government). Past engagement roles and actions will not impact an organization’s eligibility for a grant award; however, foreign entities/organizations and/or individuals are not eligible.

For more information about the Sanctuary Community Fund, including answers to Frequently Asked Questions and a video and instructions about how to apply, go to https://marinesanctuary.org/sanctuary-community-fund/.

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