VEE continues to seek substantial proposals that produce significant water quality benefits through on-the-ground investments and initiatives. The JRWQIP Strategic Investment Plan will continue to help guide VEE’s funding decisions.

The JRWQIP funding priorities, as noted in the Strategic Investment Plan, are:

• Riparian buffer installation: The implementation of riparian forested or vegetative buffers, with a focus on agricultural and rural lands containing restoration area opportunities which will generate significant pollution reductions. Permanent protection and long term maintenance of the riparian buffers are critical elements of this investment priority.
• Accelerating implementation of agricultural pollution reduction practices: Programs that enhance and accelerate the delivery and implementation of cost-effective farming best management practices along with other agricultural initiatives that reduce agricultural pollution and improve water quality.
• Construction of living shorelines: Living shoreline construction, particularly in the Lower James River region. The provisions of the “Virginia Shoreline and Tidal Marsh Inventory,” consistency with regional and county-level conservation and shoreline management plans, the incorporation of riparian buffers, and permanent protection are important relevant elements.
• Stream restoration: Stream restoration can be expensive, so proposed location, inclusion of riparian buffers, and co-location with other water quality improvement efforts are important factors.
• Investments in the Jamestown region (“Area of Potential Effects”) and surrounding jurisdictions: The “Area of Potential Effects,” or APE, is a region upstream and downstream of Jamestown on both sides of the James River. (See Map of Area of Potential Effects.) Remediation of illicit sewage discharges and failing septic systems as well as cost-effective stormwater management initiatives are potential investments.

Applicants that submit proposals which differ from VEE’s identified funding priorities will be expected to demonstrate the significance and cost effectiveness of the proposal to improving the water quality of the James River.

Current JRWQIP grantees as well as prior applicants are eligible to submit proposals. However, applicants may submit no more than two proposals and applicants wishing to resubmit a previously submitted proposal must receive VEE approval in advance. Proposals seeking funding for implementation costs will continue to receive priority over proposals seeking planning and maintenance costs as will proposals that demonstrate significant and measurable water quality improvements, such as reductions in nutrient, sediment, or toxic pollution. VEE does not provide funding for general support, overhead, indirect costs, capital projects, land purchases, building construction or renovation, endowments or lawsuits.

Proposals with a completion date of one to three years and a minimum funding level request of $100,000 annually for projects located within the James River watershed are eligible. Proposals for projects located outside of the watershed or that do not meet the criteria for the JRWQIP may be eligible for funding under VEE’s other programs. Go to www.vee.org.

Eligible grant recipients include non-profit, tax-exempt charitable organizations and institutions, local governments, soil and water conservation districts, state and federal agencies, state and federally recognized tribes, and educational institutions. Individuals and for-profit entities are not eligible.

VEE has historically leveraged its dollars to achieve maximum environmental improvement. While VEE does not require matching funds for the JRWQIP, it does encourage applicants to seek matching funds from other funding sources, public or private. Projects with matching funds from other funding sources will receive higher priority consideration. VEE does not consider in-kind volunteer services as matching funds.

To submit an application, please see and utilize the JRWQIP Application for Funding Consideration found on the website. VEE must receive an electronic copy of the Application as a Word document signed by the applicant’s chief executive officer or board chair by the submission deadline of June 15. Please submit to jrwqip@vee.org.

The VEE Board of Directors anticipate making grant awards in October 2023. In accordance with the terms and provisions of a signed Grant Agreement, VEE will require grantees to utilize the JRWQIP Restoration Planner created for VEE by the Chesapeake Conservancy and submit periodic reports of progress, expenditures and results, including tracking of JRWQIP grant process via Field Doc, a tool created by Chesapeake Commons (see Field Doc Platform). Chesapeake Commons has designed a specific Field Doc VEE User Guide for tracking VEE JRWQIP grant award implementation. 

VEE will provide funding in installments on a reimbursement basis; VEE does not reimburse for expenses incurred prior to the authorization date of any grant award. The JRWQIP Grant Agreement Template is available on the JRWQIP webpage. applicants should review the provisions of the Grant Agreement Template prior to the submission of any application. 

If you have any questions, contact jrwqip@vee.org

Information and application instructions are contained in the following documents:

• • Solicitation of Proposals
  • Application for Funding Consideration
  • Map of Area of Potential Effects
  • Grant Agreement Template
  • Strategic Investment Plan
  • Restoration Planner
  • Summary of Grant Awards
  • Bay Journal article on VEE’s James River Grants
  • StoryMap
  • Field Doc VEE User Guide
  • Field Doc Training Modules
  • Field Doc Platform