As part of the Commonwealth’s enduring commitment to restoring the Chesapeake Bay, DEQ has announced the innovative $20 million Pay-For-Outcomes Nonpoint Source Pollution Reduction grant program. This one-year pilot program will provide payments based on the number of pounds of pollution actually removed or prevented. DEQ intends that the Pay-For-Outcomes program will help identify cost-effective means of reducing nonpoint source pollution and encourage innovation. In doing so, Virginia will continue its commitment to improving the environmental quality of the Chesapeake Bay.

Any business, nonprofit, government entity, or individual may apply for grants ranging from $100,000 to $7.5 million to reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution entering Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay watershed. The proposals may rely on Best Management Practices already commonly used in Virginia or may offer novel technologies based on sound science. The applicants will offer a price per pound of pollution reduced, and payments will be based on actual reductions. A panel of scientific experts will review the proposals and rank each primarily on cost per pound of pollution reduction but with consideration to habitat and resilience benefits, readiness to proceed, and other factors.

Applications are due Feb. 3, 2025. A mandatory pre-application webinar will be held on January 6, 2025.

A recording of the optional Oct. 1, 2024 pre-application webinar is available to view here.

Pay-For-Outcomes Nonpoint Source Nutrient Reduction Program Request for Applications (RFA)

Application materials are available in the Resources tab. A mandatory pre-application webinar will be held on January 6, 2025 with registration details to follow. The application period begins on January 7, 2025. All applications are due by February 3, 2025.

Please follow all instructions when completing and submitting applications.  The Application (Attachment 1) should be returned in an Excel format with all other attachments and documents returned in a pdf format. Please consult the Application Checklist to ensure all necessary attachments and documents are provided. Please consult the RFA for additional information including Table C (Scoring Criteria).  For questions or issues, please contact NPSPilot@deq.virginia.gov.

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