Galveston Bay Estuary Program Fiscal 2028 Project Proposal

The Galveston Bay Estuary Program, a program of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, is soliciting proposals for Fiscal 2028 projects addressing conservation and management priorities under The Galveston Bay Plan, 2nd Edition, with proposals due July 24, 2026.

Proposals must address one or more of four priority areas: Ensure Safe Human and Aquatic Life Use, Protect and Sustain Living Resources, Engage Communities, and Inform Science-based Decision Making. Projects addressing subcommittee priorities and EPA Areas of Special Interest (nutrient pollution reduction, coastal resiliency investments, or trash reduction) will receive preferential consideration. Eligible lead implementers are federal, state, or local government entities, councils of government, public school districts or universities, nonprofits, or other entities partnered with an eligible pass-through recipient. Title VI compliance regarding limited English proficiency outreach is required if applicable.

The program permits scalable projects with annual funding for FY 2028 (September 1, 2027–August 31, 2028), FY 2029 (September 1, 2028–August 31, 2029), and FY 2030 (September 1, 2029–May 31, 2030). No matching funds are required. Grant payments are made on a reimbursement basis for allowable costs as defined in 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E, with reimbursements occurring only after a signed grant agreement is executed. Applicants must detail direct costs (salary and wages, fringe benefits, travel, supplies, equipment, contractual, construction, and other), indirect costs using either a predetermined negotiated rate, a de minimis rate of 15 percent of Modified Total Direct Costs, or partial reimbursement rate, and leveraging information from in-kind or cash sources.

Proposals must be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word format to the appropriate Subcommittee Coordinator based on primary subcommittee assignment: Water Quality and Subsidence, Natural Resources Use, Partnerships and Public Education, or Monitoring and Research. Projects must begin no earlier than September 1, 2027, and end no later than May 31, 2030. Subcommittee review begins August 12, 2026, with subcommittee recommendations in September 2026, Budget and Planning Subcommittee final recommendation on September 30, 2026, and Galveston Bay Council approval on October 14, 2026. No pre-submittal meetings are scheduled, but questions may be directed to subcommittee coordinators.