Project Grant 84036901

DESCRIPTION:THE PURPOSE OF THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT, PARTIALLY FUNDED BY THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, IS TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO GREATER BAYBROOK ALLIANCE WITH THE GOAL OF BUILDING NEIGHBORHOOD STEWARDSHIP IN THE MASONVILLE COVE WATERSHED. THIS EFFORT WILL DEVELOP A SYSTEMATIC, COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH TO ACHIEVE LASTING SOLUTIONS TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS IN THE MASONVILLE COVE WATERSHED. THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING, WE STRENGTHEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S ABILITY TO RESPOND TO POLLUTION, TRASH, AND DUMPING BY INCUBATING THE NEW FRIENDS OF FARRING BAYBROOK PARK AND FRIENDS OF MASONVILLE COVE COMMUNITY GROUPS. GBA AND PARTNERS WILL RECRUIT AND SUPPORT RESIDENT LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS. PROVIDE RESIDENTS WITH TRAINING INCLUDING WATERSHED ENVIRONMENTALEDUCATION, POLLUTION IDENTIFICATION, MONITORING, AND MITIGATION/ADVOCACY TOOLS. PROVIDE PEER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. IMPLEMENT MAINTENANCE WITH CAPACITYBUILDING/STEWARDSHIP TRAINING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. PROVIDE ONGOING SUPPORT.ACTIVITIES:TO ACHIEVE THE PROPOSED OUTCOMES, COLLABORATIVE TEAM ACTIVITIES FOCUS ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING. CONDUCT OUTREACH AND ENGAGE NEW STAKEHOLDERS WITH VESTED INTERESTS PROJECT AREAS WHO HAVE INTERESTS IN WATER QUALITY CONCERNS IN THE WATERSHED BUT HAVE NOT YET ENGAGED IN LEARNING OR PROBLEM SOLVING. CONDUCT POLLUTION 101 TRAINING AND TWO OUTFALL SCREENING BLITZ EVENTS PER YEAR IN THE BAYBROOK REGION. TO EDUCATE RESIDENTS ABOUT POLLUTANTS ENTERING OUR STREAMS AND THE BALTIMORE HARBOR, HOW THEY ARE REGRETTING THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND WHAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN DO TO PROTECT THEIR LOCAL WATER WAYS. THE TRAINING CONNECTS RESIDENTS WITH THE PEOPLE AND TOOLS THEY NEED TO EFFECTIVELY ADVOCATE FOR WATERWAY HEALTH IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS. PLAN, ORGANIZE AND ENGAGE RESIDENTS IN ONSITE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONAL CURRICULA AT THE MASONVILLE COVE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER AND FERRING BAYBROOK PARK. ENGAGE RESIDENTS IN ACTIVE LEARNING THROUGH TRAINING, HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES, AND DEMONSTRATIONS TO BUILD ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP, AND LONG-TERM CAPACITY TO ENSURE SUSTAINABLE IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH HOST FOUR COMMUNITY TRAININGS WHICH INCLUDE DEMONSTRATIONS VIA CLEAN-UPS ACROSS THE MASONVILLE COVE WATERSHED. GBA WILL RECRUIT CANDIDATES WITH ORGANIZING AND/OR ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM EXPERIENCE, WITH ATTENTION TO RECRUIT DIVERSE CANDIDATES INCLUDING COMMUNITY MEMBERS. PROVIDE HANDS-ON COMMUNITY PROGRAMS TO EDUCATE AND ENCOURAGE YOUTH AND ADULTS ABOUT THEIR BEHAVIORS AND HABITS THAT IMPACT THE ENVIRONMENT. THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND THE HUMAN IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT, INCREASE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WATERSHED DYNAMICS AND THE TYPES OF POLLUTION AFFECTING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION IN THE FREE COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES. THE MCEEC COMMUNITY PROGRAMS ADDRESS WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN CHANGE THEIR HABITS AND DEMONSTRATE THAT SMALL ACTIONS UNDERTAKEN BY MANY PEOPLE SUCH AS THROWING AWAY TRASH, RECYCLING. SUBRECIPIENT:LIVING CLASSROOM FOUNDATION ON BEHALF OF THE MASONVILLE COVE PARTNERSHIP THE LIVING CLASSROOM FOUNDATIONN WILL PROVIDE PLACE-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION WITH ATTENTION TO THE MASONVILLE COVE WATERSHED DYNAMICS AND WATER QUALITY ISSUES; GATHER AND SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT WATER QUALITY IN THE MASONVILLE COVE WATERSHED; AND DEVELOP AND PROVIDE PEER LEARNING EXCHANGE OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE PATUXENT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. GBA IS AN EXISTING PARTNER TO THE MASONVILLE COVE PARTNERSHIP THROUGH OUR WORK TO EXPAND PEDESTRIAN/BICYCLE ACCESS TO MASONVILLE COVE; THIS PROJECT BUILDS ON OUR CURRENT COLLABORATION. THE MASONVILLE COVE PARTNERSHIP WILL BE A SUBRECIPIENT OF THIS AWARD (LIVING CLASSROOMS FOUNDATION AS THE FISCAL AGENT) IN COMPLIANCE WITH 2 CFR 200.331. BLUE WATER BALTIMORE (BWB) BRINGS DEEP TECHNICAL EXPERTISE ON WATER QUALITY ISSUES AND REMEDIATION