Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund

New Grant Program to Assist Disadvantaged Communities in the Sound

The Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund (LISCIF) is a new grant program formed by a partnership with Restore America’s Estuaries, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Long Island Sound Study. Funding for LISCIF is provided by EPA through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will help meet the goals of the Justice40 initiative which calls for 40% of certain Federal investments to flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. The purpose of LISCIF is to build capacity for organizations located in communities affected by disproportionate environmental and human health risks. Additionally, the Fund seeks to provide technical assistance for organizations in historically underserved areas and support proposals which ultimately improve access to the Long Island Sound, while reducing overall environmental health risks.  

Alignment with Long Island Sound CCMP

The first round of LISCIF will award competitive funding to projects in the Long Island Sound watershed within the New York and Connecticut portions of the watershed.

The outcomes of project proposals must meet Implementation Actions of the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan (CCMP). The CCMP consists of the following themes:

• Clean Waters and Healthy Watersheds  
• Thriving Habitats and Abundant Wildlife 
• Sustainable and Resilient Communities   
• Sound Science and Inclusive Management   

Eligible projects and activities will be community driven and address challenges/risks faced by communities experiencing environmental justice issues.   Environmental justice is a cross-cutting principal of all the CCMP themes.

What Projects are Eligible for Funding   

• Projects that result in quantifiable pollutant prevention or reduction.   
• Restoring habitat within the Important Coastal Habitat Types targeted by LISS.  
• Projects that foster a diverse balance and abundant populations of fish, birds, and wildlife.    
• Public engagement, knowledge and stewardship.  
• Projects that enhance community resilience and sustainability.   
• Planning and design that sets–the-stage for implementation of water quality projects, eligible habitat restoration projects and resilience projects.   
• Community-based science projects.  
• Data management and integration projects.   
• Other similar activities that the applicant proposes, and EPA approves consistent with section 119 of the Clean Water Act.