The BBP Communication and Education (C&E) Grant Program provides financial support for projects that advance the goals of the BBP Communication and Outreach Plan and the BBP Strategic Plan which it supports. The goal of the program is to fund innovative projects which increase public understanding of the bay’s ecology and human impacts, promote stewardship of the bay’s valuable resources, and encourage public participation in protecting and restoring the bay. The BBP announces its Communication and Education Program “Grant Funding Opportunities” through our website, news releases, and social media outlets. The latest grants under this program were awarded in 2017.
2017 Communication and Education Grant Program Projects
Greening Your Landscape While Protecting the Watershed ($6,668.10)
Grant recipient: Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority
Brick Utilities provided a series of educational workshops about using rain barrels and rain gardens to reduce stormwater runoff and nonpoint source pollution in the Metedeconk River, which is used as a source of drinking water, and in the Barnegat Bay. The 75 rain barrels built in the workshops can capture up to 105,000 gallons of stormwater each year and prevent polluted run off from entering the Metedeconk River and Barnegat Bay.
Experience Jersey-Friendly Yards! ($10,000)
Grant recipient: Ocean County Soil Conservation District
Through the use of tools and resources provided by the Jersey-Friendly Yards website, this project produced 3 Jersey-Friendly public demonstration gardens (locations: Cattus Island County Park, Island Heights Library, and Pine Beach Admiral Point Park), 10 Jersey-Friendly home gardens, and a series of Jersey-Friendly Yards workshops for watershed residents.
Conserve Water and Reduce Pollution at the Native Garden ($4497.66)
Grant recipient: Borough of Beach Haven
The Borough installed a water-bottle refilling station and educational signage at a muncipal bayfront park popular with both residents and summer visitors. The signage provides information about water conservation, ways to reduce sources of plastic trash, and the environmental benefits of native plants.
2015 Communication and Education Grant Program Projects
Streaming the Rivers and Creeks in the Barnegat Bay Watershed ($4,668)
Grant recipient: Bob Birdsall (Birdsall Nature Photography) and Terry O’Leary (Cedar Hollow Consulting, Naturally!)
The project provided watershed residents and visitors with the opportunity to virtually explore each of the 19 principal Barnegat Bay tributaries; increased awareness of the impact of land use choices on the natural and cultural resources of the watershed; and encouraged participation in protection/restoration actions.
Everything Eventually Ends Up in the Water ($4,271.17)
Grant recipient: Boating Education and Rescue (B.E.A.R.)
B.E.A.R. educated diverse audiences, including both residents and tourists, about the causes and effects of nonpoint source pollution and marine debris, and organized stewardship actions to address these problems.
Barnegat Bay Turtle Gardens: Supporting Living Shorelines to Safeguard Terrapins for Sea-Level Rise ($6,260.83)
Grant recipient: Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey:
The project promoted terrapin nesting habitat enhancement and raised awareness of the benefit of living shorelines for terrapins and other coastal wildlife.
From Lawn to Garden – Going Green, Saving Green ($9,800)
Grant recipient: Ocean County Soil Conservation District
The project demonstrated the value of low-maintenance landscape best practices through native plantings at OceanFirst bank branches; educated community members about the importance of healthy soil restoration techniques and water conservation practices; and promoted involvement in efforts to restore the health of the Barnegat Bay watershed.
The Beneficial Indigenous Plants Project ($10,000)
Grant recipient: Visitation Relief Center
The project educated residents of Brick Township about the benefits of low-maintenance landscaping with native plants and encouraged residents who were restoring landscapes damaged by Superstorm Sandy to plant native species adapted to local conditions, including periodic flooding.
2013 Communication and Education Grant Program Recipients
Harvest the Bay ($10,000)
Grant recipient: Island Beach State Park
The park developed and presented a series of hands-on educational programs in both English and Spanish focusing on the fisheries of Barnegat Bay and their current decline.
Businesses for a Healthier Barnegat Bay ($8,250)
Grant recipient: Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey
The foundation organized a forum for businesses and corporations with the goals of increasing awareness of the ecological and economic importance of the bay and encouraging involvement in restoration efforts.
Extending Environmental Education to a Non-English-Speaking Population: Discovery Fridays in Spanish ($5,000)
Grant recipient: Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts & Sciences LBIF offered its already successful Discovery Fridays programs in Spanish.
Shellfish in the Classroom ($1,875)
Grant recipient: ReClam the Bay
ReClam the Bay expanded this successful existing educational program to bring lessons about water quality and a hands-on experience growing shellfish to more classrooms throughout the watershed.
A Pathway to Possibilities ($1,000)
Grant recipient: Meadows of Lake Ridge Homeowners Association The association improved soil conditions and planted native species along a sidewalk and common pathway within the senior community, and educated residents about the advantages of low-impact landscaping.
