Overview
Here you will find program guides and other information about grants and loans for:
- Section 319 Nonpoint Source Grants (prevention, control, and abatement of nonpoint source pollution)
- Section 604b Water Quality Management Planning (water quality assessment and management planning)
- Stormwater
- Water Quality Monitoring
Project summaries for S. 319 and S. 604b grants from past years are also included for reference.
Section 319 Nonpoint Source Competitive Grants Program
This grant program is authorized under Section 319 of the federal Clean Water Act for implementation projects that address the prevention, control, and abatement of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. In general, eligible projects must:
- implement measures that address the prevention, control, and abatement of NPS pollution;
- target the major source(s) of nonpoint source pollution within a watershed/subwatershed;
- contain an appropriate method for evaluating the project results; and
- must address activities that are identified in the Massachusetts NPS Management Plan.
The Notice of Grant Opportunity and Pre-RFR information conference information for the fall FFY2022 319 grant round can be found below in Additional Resources. The period for the formal question and answer period for the Fall FFY2022 Section 319 Water Quality Management Grant RFR ended November 10, 2021. We received four questions different from those already included in the RFR. Applicants are suggested to see Attachment C of the RFR for Frequently Asked Questions.The due date for proposals is December 15, 2021.
Additional Resources
Tools for Developing S. 319 Proposals
These materials will help you plan your project proposal.
Additional Resources
604(b) Grant Program: Water Quality Management Planning
This grant program is authorized under the federal Clean Water Act Section 604(b) for water quality assessment and management planning. Eligible entities include: regional planning agencies, councils of governments, conservation districts, counties, cities and towns, and other substate public planning agencies and interstate agencies. No local match is required.
Additional Resources
604(b) FFY2022 Grant Round
Section 604(b) of the federal Clean Water Act established the Water Quality Management Planning Grant Program, a vehicle by which states can provide funds to eligible entities such as: Regional Planning Agencies, Councils of Government, counties, Conservation Districts, cities, and towns, to conduct watershed or sub-watershed based nonpoint source assessment and planning projects.
For FFY2022, MassDEP will focus Section 604(b) grant funds on nonpoint source assessment and planning projects that result in the following:
- Development of a Watershed-based Plan (WBP) for local watershed planning and to support future 319 grant implementation projects. An online tool to support development of WBPs can be found at: http://prj.geosyntec.com/MassDEPWBP;
- Development of a WBP for the Section 319 Grant's Healthy Watersheds Project, to be used to guide watershed protection and management activities;
- Determination of the nature, extent, and causes of water quality problems and determination of pollutant load reductions necessary to meet water quality standards;
- Development of preliminary designs and implementation plans that will address water quality impairments in impaired watersheds; or
- Development of green infrastructure projects that manage wet weather events to maintain or restore natural hydrology
The FFY2022 Section 604(b) Request for Responses was issued on June 29, 2022 and can be found in the Additional Resources section below. The question period is now open. Questions will be accepted electronically until July 6, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. MassDEP anticipates posting answers on July 13, 2022 in the Additional Resources section of this website.
Important dates for applicants:
Pre-RFR Informational Conference Call: Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 10:00am
RFR posted to MassDEP and COMMBUYS websites: Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Grant Application Deadline: Wednesday, August 17, 2022
Additional Resources
S. 319 and S. 604b Project Summaries
Brief descriptions of past projects conducted with S. 319 and S. 604b grant funds.
Additional Resources
Stormwater MS4 Municipal Assistance Grant Program
This program, introduced in 2017, enables groups of Massachusetts municipalities to expand their efforts to meet requirements for the 2016 Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) General Permits, and to reduce stormwater pollution through coordinated partnerships that emphasize resource sharing.
The FY 2024 Notice of Grant Opportunity and detailed description of the grant program are available below.
Additional Resources
Water Quality Monitoring Grant Program
In the sixth year of this grant program, MassDEP is seeking grant proposals from Eligible Entities for the purpose of supporting ongoing or new monitoring and data collection efforts to increase the amount of external data MassDEP uses for water quality assessments. The State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2024 Notice of Grant Opportunity and the detailed description of the grant program in the SFY 2024 Request for Grant Proposals are available below.
Additional Resources
Sewage Notification Assistance Grant Program
This program, introduced in 2022, assists permittees in expanding their efforts to meet the requirements of MassDEP’s recently promulgated Sewage Notification Regulations (314 CMR 16.00). These regulations were promulgated to Promote Public Awareness of Sewage Pollution.
The FY 2024 Notice of Grant Opportunity and detailed description of the grant program are available below.