This incremental award provides $405,757 of federal funding

The Environmental Protection Agency Region 1 awarded $502,807 in total federal funding to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation on October 1, 2026, through a Cooperative Agreement to implement support for the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. The award is authorized under CFDA 66.437 (Geographic Programs – Long Island Sound Program).

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation will develop and disseminate a competitive Request for Proposals for the Long Island Sound Futures Fund, provide technical assistance to applicants and subrecipients through one-to-one outreach, webinars, shared learning opportunities, geographically focused assistance, and guidance materials, manage grant proposal evaluation, deliver a virtual grant announcement event, conduct education about Futures Fund investments and impact, engage federal and nonfederal partnerships, and administer subrecipient grant agreements through the award lifecycle. Subrecipients will be selected through competitive grant process and will deliver projects aligned with the Long Island Sound Partnership Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan objectives focused on habitat restoration, water quality, and community resilience in the Long Island Sound watershed.

The period of performance runs from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2031. Work is performed in Connecticut. The $502,807 represents an incremental award that included a prior $405,757 obligation followed by an additional $97,050 obligation. Total obligations under the cooperative agreement reach $8,936,140.

The purpose of this agreement is to provide assistance to the national fish and wildlife foundation to implement its project to support the long island sound comprehensive conservation and management plan to protect and restore long island sound by: 1) develop the request for proposals and associated materials; 2) disseminate the request for proposals through multiple venues; 3) provide multiple forms of technical assistance to applicants and subrecipients including one-to-one outreach, webinars and shared learning opportunities, geographically focused technical assistance, and guidance materials.; 4) manage and complete grant proposal evaluation; 5) deliver a grant announcement event; 6) deliver and support multiple forms of education about long island sound futures fund investments and impact; 7) engage federal and nonfederal partnerships; and 8) administer subrecipient grant agreements and the recipient cooperative agreement from inception to closure.activities:specifically, under this cooperative agreement the recipient will: 1) develop futures fund request for proposal and associated materials; 2) disseminate request for proposal through multiple venues; 3) provide applicant and subrecipient technical assistance; 4) develop and manage grant proposal evaluation; 5) deliver virtual grant announcement event; 6) deliver and support multiple forms of education about futures fund investments and impact; 7) engage federal and nonfederal partnerships; and 8) administer subrecipient grants and recipient cooperative agreements.subrecipient:subawards will be selected through a competitive grant process and will meet the objectives of the long island sound partnership comprehensive conservation management plan.outcomes:specifically, under this cooperative agreement the recipient will produce the following deliverables: 1) annual competitive grant program request for proposals and associated materials; 2) a comprehensive applicant pool; 3) technical assistance; 4) final slate of grant awards; 5) grant announcement event; 6) informational materials and presentations; 7) enhanced federal and nonfederal partnerships; and 8) subrecipient and recipient award administration.