Updates
NEW: The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) will launch the FY 2028 ECO One Stop grant round in early 2027. The Expression of Interest (EOI) period for the FY 2028 ECO One Stop grant round closed on October 16. CZM’s Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Grants are included in the ECO One Stop.
- EOI Process - The EOI period for the FY 2028 grant round closed on October 16.
- Informational Webinar - EEA held an informational webinar for potential applicants on September 15 (see the recording [Video]).
- Webinars for Specific Project Types - EEA will also host a set of webinars that provide specific guidance on these popular ECO One Stop project types (webinar recordings will be posted when available):
- Land Use Planning - October 27 - See webinar recording (Video) and webinar slides (PDF)
- Stormwater Management - November 3 - See webinar recording (Video) and webinar slides (PDF)
- Culvert/Small Bridge Upgrade or Removal - Tuesday, November 10, noon-1:00 p.m. - Register
- Dam/Levee Repair, Upgrade, or Removal - Tuesday, November 17, noon-1:00 p.m. - Register
- Questions
- For general questions, or if you applied to the FY 2027 ECO One Stop round and would like feedback on your past application, please contact EcoOneStop@mass.gov.
- For specific questions on CZM’s Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Grants, contact adrienne.pappal@mass.gov.
FY 2027 Grants: The FY 2027 ECO One Stop Grants were announced on August 13, 2026. Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Grants were awarded to Dennis, Ipswich, Martha’s Vineyard Commission, and Yarmouth. To see the full list of projects and communities funded, visit the ECO One Stop grants page.
Eligibility and Project Types
The Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Grants are open to municipalities within the Massachusetts coastal watershed, along with federally recognized Tribes, certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, regional governments or regional planning agencies, and stormwater collaboratives when in partnership with eligible municipalities.
Projects eligible for CHWQ funding should advance one or more of the following project categories—eligible project categories may vary by fiscal year; potential applicants should review each new Request for Responses before developing an application. (Note: For these CHWQ project categories, the ECO One Stop Project Types that must be selected in the ECO One Stop application are given in italics.)
- Assessment, identification, and characterization of stormwater nonpoint source pollution (NPS) impacts to eligible waterbodies within the Massachusetts coastal watershed, specifically surface stormwater discharges, and prioritization of sites for remediation. ECO One Stop Project Type: “Stormwater Management (e.g. green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, structural Best Management Practices)”
- Design, permitting, implementation, and/or retrofits of structural stormwater best management practices (BMPs) to remediate surface stormwater runoff from paved or unpaved roads, bridges, and municipal parking lots that address contaminants of concern impairing water quality in receiving waters. ECO One Stop Project Type: “Stormwater Management (e.g. green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, structural Best Management Practices)”
- Capacity-building activities to support implementation of green stormwater infrastructure (methods that replicate natural processes to trap and filter stormwater prior to reaching local waterbodies), including trainings for municipal staff, bylaw review and development, and case studies. ECO One Stop Project Type: “Stormwater Management (e.g. green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, structural Best Management Practices)” or “Regulatory Updates”
- Data collection and engineering to support future implementation of crossing infrastructure improvements or retrofits for the purposes of habitat restoration, including advancing data collection, assessments, and engineering designs related to a future improvement and/or retrofit of municipally owned crossing infrastructure for priority restoration actions. ECO One Stop Project Type: “Culvert or Small Bridge Upgrade or Removal” or “Wetland Restoration and Enhancement”
To be competitive, applications should also describe past or planned public outreach, supporting meaningful participation and engagement in the development or implementation of project activities to increase participatory decision making in the categories above.
Application Timeline and Process
The Expression of Interest period for the FY 2028 ECO One Stop grant round, which will include Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Grants, closed on October 16. Please see Updates for details on the process, informational webinars, and how to get additional information.
The FY 2028 ECO One Stop Request for Responses (RFR) is expected to be released in early 2027.
Applicants will apply through the EEA Grants Management System once the RFR becomes available. To receive notifications about the FY 2028 ECO One Stop grant opportunity, please email EcoOneStop@mass.gov.
Guidance Documents
Applicants are strongly encouraged to review these resources to inform a proposal to the Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Grants as applicable.
- Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management Grant Viewer - The Grant Viewer provides examples of projects funded by CZM from 2014 to present. Projects listed include those from the Coastal Pollutant Remediation Grant (CPR) Program (formerly available), Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Grant (CHWQ), and Coastal Resilience Grant Program.
- EEA Climate Grant Viewer - This viewer shows Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Planning and Action grants, as well as other grant programs offered through EEA that work to build local resilience. To find climate vulnerability assessments, select the MVP Grant Program section of the viewer, choose the Planning Grants tab, and then click on a community to open a pop-up box with a link to “More info.”
- Massachusetts Ocean Resource Information System (MORIS) - CZM's official data portal allows users to create customized maps with a variety of data layers related to the Massachusetts coastal zone and nearshore ocean. Data layers include the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Integrated List of Waters, diadromous fish, Massachusetts Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model, and many more.
- Climate Change Impacts to Coastal Stormwater BMPs - Stormwater BMPs in coastal areas are subject to flooding, storm damage, and salt and wind exposure—impacts that are exacerbated by sea level rise, higher groundwater levels, and increased frequency and intensity of storm and precipitation events due to climate change. In 2015, CZM and MassDEP contracted Horsley Witten Group, Inc., (with support from the Woods Hole Group) to assess potential impacts to coastal BMPs due to climate change, evaluate existing coastal BMPs, and develop a set of recommendations for coastal communities. Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Stormwater BMPs and Recommended BMP Design Considerations in Coastal Communities provides results of this project and is intended to help municipalities address the unique challenges of siting, designing, and constructing BMPs on the coast.
- Operation, Maintenance, and Performance Evaluation - In 2005, CZM contracted with the Horsley Witten Group, Inc., to conduct field inspections of stormwater BMPs. They evaluated the maintenance history and condition of each installed BMP and made an overall assessment of its functionality. Coastal Pollutant Remediation Program Stormwater BMP Operation, Maintenance, and Performance Evaluation (PDF) is a summary report that details the findings of these inspections and includes a set of recommendations for improving maintenance, construction, and design of stormwater BMPs. Applicants for CHWQ Grants for stormwater remediation projects must review and incorporate these recommendations as applicable.
What projects have been funded?
Project Summaries
Featured Projects
Who can help me apply for a CHWQ Grant?
CZM can help potential applicants develop project ideas up until the RFR for the grant year is released.
Please contact the following CZM staff and Regional Coordinators with any questions:
Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management
Adrienne Pappal
- Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Manager
- adrienne.pappal@mass.gov
- Phone: (617) 890-9116
Lexie Neffinger
- Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Specialist
- alexis.neffinger@mass.gov
- Phone: (617) 890-9119
Kathryn Glenn
- North Shore Regional Coordinator
- kathryn.glenn@mass.gov
- Phone: (617) 947-9169
Joanna Yelen
- Boston Harbor Regional Coordinator
- joanna.m.yelen@mass.gov
- Phone: (617) 845-7962
Kathleen Mason
- South Shore Regional Coordinator
- katheleen.mason@mass.gov
- Phone: (617) 694-1767
Stephen McKenna
- Cape Cod & Islands Regional Coordinator
- stephen.mckenna@mass.gov
- Phone: (617) 872-1680
Sam Haines
- South Coastal Regional Coordinator
- samuel.haines@mass.gov
- Phone: (617) 694-8235
In addition to providing assistance with developing project ideas, the Massachusetts Bays and Buzzards Bay National Estuary Programs can also help applicants with grant applications.
Massachusetts Bays and Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program Contacts
Upper North Shore
- Hanna Mogensen
- Merrimack Valley Planning Commission
- hmogensen@mvpc.org
- Phone: (978) 374-0519 x16
- Fax: (978) 372-4890
Lower North Shore
- TBD
Metro Boston
- Diana Chin
- Northeastern University Marine Science Center
- di.chin@northeastern.edu
- Phone: (781) 581-7370
- Fax: (781) 581-6076
South Shore
- Alex Mansfield
- North and South Rivers Watershed Association
- alex@nsrwa.org
- Phone: (781) 659-8168 x103
Cape Cod
- April Wobst
- Association to Preserve Cape Cod
- awobst@apcc.org
- Phone: (508) 619-3185
Buzzards Bay
- Sarah Williams
- Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program
- sarah.williams@mass.gov
- Office: (774) 377-6002
- Mobile: (857) 268-0514
Contact Information
For more information about the CHWQ Grant Program, contact:
- Adrienne Pappal at adrienne.pappal@mass.gov or (617) 890-9116
- Lexie Neffinger at alexis.neffinger@mass.gov or (617) 890-9119