The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program

Overview

The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program seeks to develop nation-wide community stewardship of local natural resources, preserving these resources for future generations and enhancing habitat for local wildlife. Grants seek to address water quality issues in priority watersheds, such as erosion due to unstable streambanks, pollution from storm water runoff, and degraded shorelines caused by development.

The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program focuses on the stewardship and restoration of coastal, wetland and riparian ecosystems across the country. Its goal is to meet the conservation needs of important species and habitats, providing measurable and meaningful conservation and educational outcomes. The program requires the establishment and/or enhancement of diverse partnerships and an education/outreach component that will help shape and sustain behavior to achieve conservation goals.

Program Priorities - Proposals should address at least one bullet under each of the five following bolded priorities: 

On-the-ground wetland, riparian, in-stream and/or coastal habitat restoration

• Address key species and habitats and link directly to established watershed and conservation plans, including establishment of urban wildlife corridors, fisheries and daylighting of streams. 
• Address stressors through restoration techniques and green infrastructure practices that manage stormwater and rural run-off and link directly to stormwater management plans, source water protection plans and water supply planning efforts1 or demonstrate the linkage between restoration and stormwater management and the quality, quantity and safety of local water and waterways 
• Collect and analyze local waterway samples that could be used to determine the effectiveness of current stream/wetland restoration and green infrastructure efforts and inform future planning and decision-making 
• Develop/implement trash and litter prevention programs designed to keep urban waterways and riverfronts clean 
• Develop public open spaces, create or enhance community parks, improve and protect community tree canopy, enhance brownfield sites beyond required remediation 

Environmental Outreach, Education & Training -  Projects must integrate meaningful outreach, education and/or training into the proposed on-the-ground activities that advance local watershed and conservation goals:

• Engage the public – particularly youth – in hands-on, outdoor conservation experiences that build awareness of the importance of protecting and recovering priority and/or at risk species and habitats and promote stewardship 
• Engage communities in restoration at public areas – such as schools, parks, birding trails and more – for public health and recreation 
• Establish or advance a community science or water quality monitoring program that involves community members and/or addresses community water quality priorities2
• Improve understanding of damaging trash and litter impacts in local waterways that affect community health and local economies 

Community Partnerships - Projects must involve five or more partners (public and private entities) including the applicant:

• Directly engage a diverse group of community partners to achieve ecological and specific educational outcomes including partnerships among upstream and downstream communities
• Demonstrate that the project will advance existing local watershed or conservation plans and/or propose to foster and coordinate a diverse stakeholder partnership that develops and/or implements new plans
• Identify plans to provide training, partnership meetings and presentations to build support for the project during and beyond the project period 

Measurable Results - Projects must result in specific, measurable ecological, educational and community benefits:

• Identify measurable activities and metrics which clearly link to watershed and community outcomes 
• Document a high level of community engagement to support fish and wildlife habitat, urban and community forestry, water quality-related recreational activities and improve understanding across diverse audiences of how fish and wildlife conservation, clean water and healthy forests contribute to community well-being 

Sustainability - Projects must include a plan for maintenance and care of the project beyond the grant period:

• Describe a commitment to community strength and long-term capacity to remain engaged as partners 
• Address any priority and/or at-risk species, habitats or conservation actions identified in State Wildlife Action Plans or other recovery or conservation plans 
• Directly connect outcomes to community benefits of watershed restoration such as clean water, public health benefits, local economic development and jobs 
• Fulfill or advance priorities identified through local planning efforts, including watershed, disaster and sustainability plans 
• Develop restoration and stewardship approaches that contribute to pre and post disaster planning, resiliency of community water assets and link to local hazard mitigation, resilience and/or emergency management plans

The ratio of matching contributions offered is considered during the review process, and projects are required to meet or exceed a 1:1 match ratio to be competitive. Matching contributions must be non-federal in nature and may include in-kind contributions of staff and volunteer time, work performed, materials and services donated, cash or other tangible contributions to the project objectives and outcomes.

Awards range from $25,000 to $50,000 with an average size of $40,000 and 40-50 grants awarded per year.

Grants should span 12 to 18 months with a start date in late summer/early fall 2023.