Geographic Programs – San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund

The goals of the SF Bay Restoration Program are to improve water quality and restore wetlands in the San Francisco Bay and its watersheds. Funded projects will reduce polluted run-off, restore impaired waters and enhance aquatic habitat. The SF Bay Restoration Program identifies eleven (11) program priorities as follows: the Wetlands Regional Monitoring Program, subtidal habitat restoration, the SF Bay Regional Monitoring Program for water quality, nutrient management, large-scale wetlands restoration, implementation of the PCBs TMDL , urban green stormwater infrastructure, the Bay Restoration Regulatory Integration Team, PFAS studies, shoreline resilience projects, and beneficial reuse of dredged material projects. Congressional appropriations to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the SF Bay Program are intended to fund eligible applicants with grants that invest in America’s infrastructure and deliver environmental and public health benefits.

State, local government agencies, districts, and councils; regional water pollution control agencies; State coastal zone management agencies; Federally and non-federally recognized tribes; public and private universities and colleges, public or private non-governmental, non-profit institutions are eligible to apply, unless restricted by the authorizing statutes. Non-profit organizations must have documentation of non-profit status from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service or their state of incorporation, except that non-profits organizations as defined in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 or superseding legislation are ineligible. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy.

The outcomes from the SF Bay Restoration Program will ultimately benefit the urban resident and business populations of the nine county San Francisco Bay Area, as well as the State of California in general.

The SF Bay Program has historically required the grants be awarded on a competitive basis. EPA will review and evaluate applications in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements.

Approximately 180 days from receipt of application, through selection and notification, and development and approval of work plan, to award of funds.