Chesapeake Bay Trust — Capacity Building & Outreach Grants

Capacity-building grants for watershed and environmental nonprofits in the Chesapeake Bay watershed (including the entire PA portion). Funds organizational development, board training, fundraising capacity, communications, and volunteer programs.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust is a regional grantmaker dedicated to environmental restoration, education, and outreach across the Chesapeake Bay watershed — which includes essentially all of Pennsylvania east of Pittsburgh and a substantial portion of the H2O Network's geography. Beyond their direct restoration funding, the Trust runs explicit capacity-building grant programs designed to strengthen the organizations themselves rather than fund a single project.Eligible capacity activities have included strategic planning, board governance training, fundraising assessments, executive coaching, communications and brand development, volunteer program development, financial system upgrades, technology and database investments, and DEI organizational learning. Awards typically range from $5,000 to $50,000, and the Trust is unusually willing to fund 'unsexy' overhead investments that other funders avoid — the things that actually let a small organization grow.The Trust runs multiple grant programs throughout the year on a rolling and cyclical basis. Their staff are accessible and will discuss eligibility before an application — a strong cultural fit for grassroots groups.