DNR's Lake Michigan Coastal Program is now accepting pre-proposals for 2015 grant funding. More information can be found here: http://www.in.gov/dnr/lakemich/6044.htm
The Lake Michigan Coastal Program will accept Pre Proposals for the 2015 Coastal Grants Program Funding Cycle until Friday, September 12th, 2013. Pre-proposals that receive favorable recommendation from the Coastal Advisory Board will then be eligible for full application submission. Funding will be available in July 2015.
In an effort to help celebrate 200 years of statehood (2016) for the State of Indiana, for this grant cycle, seven bonus points will be given to grant applications for land acquisition projects which also intend to take advantage of the DNR's Bicentennial Nature Trust grant program. These two grant programs are eligible to match each other's funding. More information about the Bicentennial Nature Trust may be found here: http://www.in.gov/dnr/heritage/7309.htm
At least one Grant Application Workshop will be held in each of the three coastal counties, Lake, Porter, and LaPorte. The Porter County workshop will be held on Tuesday, July 15, 2014, at the Indiana Dunes State Park Nature Center, starting at 1:00pm. It will be a joint Lake Michigan Coastal Program Grants and Bicentennial Nature Trust Grants workshop. This workshop will also be available on that day for viewing via webinar, here: http://www.webinar.in.gov/dnrdunesnc. A reminder e-mail will also be sent out with a link to the webinar. The workshop webinar will be recorded and posted to both grant program websites. The dates of the workshops for Lake and LaPorte Counties are yet to be determined, but will be announced.
If you would like to request your own workshop and/or meeting to receive personalized technical assistance from LMCP staff, for your own group (e.g. City or Town Park Board, Public Works Department, Planning Commission, or non-profit organization), please feel free to contact Maggie Byrne, DNR LMCP Grant Specialist at mbyrne@dnr.in.gov. DNR LMCP staff also offer free technical assistance in the areas of Natural Areas management, Coastal Planning initiatives, Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution prevention initiatives, and applying for LMCP grants.
Natural Areas management assistance would include advice on restoration of natural areas, invasive plant control, and native plant recommendations. Planning assistance provided includes sustainable land use planning, smart growth principles, conservation development, and incorporating natural resource planning into comprehensive plans, ordinances, sub-area plans, and other planning initiatives. Nonpoint Source Pollution control technical assistance covers a wide variety of subjects, including, but not limited to, surface water runoff management, low-impact development, watershed planning assistance, and implementation of the Clean Marinas program. Technical assistance is also available for grant applicants who wish to formulate a more competitive project proposal.
The Lake Michigan Coastal Grants Program is an annual competitive grants program that awards up to $600,000 to units of local government, regional and state agencies, colleges and universities as well as non-profit organizations. The Program funds may be expended on low-cost construction, land acquisition, planning and coordination, education and outreach, and applied research projects. Projects must be located entirely within the Lake Michigan Coastal area, the northern portion of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties.
The DNR's Lake Michigan Coastal Program was created in order to coordinate efforts between local, state, and federal governments as well as local organizations and to support projects that protect and restore natural, cultural and historical resources in Indiana's Lake Michigan Coastal region.
The LMCP is funded through the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Coastal Resource Management.
For more information, and for Pre-Proposal guidance and materials, visit the program's website: http://www.in.gov/dnr/lakemich/6044.htm Or contact Maggie Byrne, LMCP Grant Specialist.
