Twelfth Call for Applications for Clean Water Projects in the Lamoille Basin
Funding for eligible water-quality projects in Vermont’s Lamoille River watershed, from early assessment through implementation and maintenance.
Twelfth Call for Applications for Clean Water Projects in the Lamoille Basin
The Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NRPC), Clean Water Service Provider for Vermont’s Lamoille River Basin (Basin 7), has opened its twelfth call for projects that improve water quality. Eligible work can range from assessment and design to implementation and ongoing operations and maintenance. Proposals must align with Vermont’s Clean Water Service Delivery Act and satisfy the program’s eligibility rules. (Official call PDF)
The call was issued October 8, 2026. Applications are due November 12, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. The supplied brief lists the opportunity as open. It does not specify a per-project award range or maximum, so applicants should confirm the available award details through the official call or application process. (Official call PDF)
At a glance
| Item | Published information |
|---|---|
| Program | NRPC’s twelfth clean-water project call for Basin 7 |
| Location | Lamoille River Basin, Vermont |
| Funding type | Project grant |
| Eligible work | Assessment, project development, design, implementation, operations, and maintenance |
| Potential recipients | Qualified watershed nonprofits, conservation districts, regional planning commissions, other nonprofits, and municipalities; some projects may qualify through contracted services |
| Application route | Round-specific online form with applicable supporting materials |
| Deadline | November 12, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. |
| Award size | No per-project range or maximum is specified in the supplied brief |
| Status | Open, according to the supplied brief |
What the funding supports
The program can support several stages of water-quality work: assessment, project development, preliminary or final design, implementation, and operations and maintenance. Applicants should identify which stage the requested funds would cover and explain how it advances the project’s water-quality purpose. The call includes work in agriculture, roads, stormwater, forestry, shoreland, wetlands, and restoration. Being in one of these fields alone does not establish eligibility; the work must also meet the water-quality and other program rules. (Official call PDF)
This range of eligible stages is useful for projects at different levels of readiness. For example, an assessment or design proposal should explain what decision or later work it enables; an implementation proposal should define the work to be completed; and a maintenance proposal should identify the project component that needs continued upkeep. These are ways to make a proposal clear, not additional requirements stated by NRPC. Funding is for eligible projects in Basin 7 that improve water quality and align with Vermont’s Clean Water Service Delivery Act. (Official call PDF)
Who should apply and what qualifies
Potential grant recipients named in the call are qualified watershed nonprofits, conservation districts, regional planning commissions, other nonprofits, and municipalities. The supplied information does not further define “qualified,” so an organization uncertain about its status should consult the call or ask CWSP staff before investing in a full application. A project without one of the named sponsors may still qualify through contracted services, but the brief does not guarantee that route for every project or describe its terms. Discuss the project structure with CWSP staff using the contact information in the official call. (Official call PDF)
Projects must be non-regulatory. Work required by a permit or agricultural water-quality statute is excluded. A portion that exceeds those requirements may qualify, so proposals combining required and additional work should distinguish the scopes and costs. The brief does not explain how to allocate shared costs; ask CWSP staff how to document them rather than assuming the entire project is eligible. (Official call PDF)
How to Apply
Apply through the online form for this round. Upload the supporting items that apply to the project. The call lists landowner support, DEC screening, phosphorus-calculator or floodplain-tool outputs, a project budget, an area map, and a schedule among the materials. The word “applicable” matters: the brief does not say every item is required for every proposal. Use the form’s instructions and official call to decide what to provide for the specific project. (Official call PDF)
A practical preparation sequence is to confirm the project is in Basin 7, describe its water-quality benefit, identify the applicant or sponsor, and check that the work is non-regulatory. Then define the work stage, assemble the applicable supporting materials, and make sure the map, budget, and schedule refer to the same scope. This sequence is optional advice, not a separate NRPC checklist.
The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation project review form is required when applicable. Cultural-resource assessment requirements can affect project schedules and budgets. The brief does not specify which projects need the form, so confirm its applicability through the official call and the relevant review process. If assessment may be needed, account for that possibility in the schedule and budget instead of assuming the work can proceed immediately. (Official call PDF)
How proposals are reviewed and funded
Review considers estimated phosphorus reduction, cost-effectiveness, project lifespan, maintenance costs, fit with the basin plan, and co-benefits. Use these factors to organize the project information: explain the estimated reduction and its basis, show the project budget, describe expected lifespan and maintenance costs, identify the basin-plan fit, and state relevant co-benefits. The brief gives no scoring weights or formula, so these factors should not be presented as a guaranteed ranking method. (Official call PDF)
Applicants below the cost-effectiveness thresholds should consult CWSP staff before applying. The thresholds and calculation method are not included in the supplied brief. Ask staff how the project should be assessed and which calculator or tool output is relevant; do not invent a threshold or treat an uncertain early estimate as a confirmed disqualification. (Official call PDF)
The Basin Water Quality Council recommends awards at or after its regular meetings. NRPC then contracts or subgrants to capable eligible sponsors, or arranges project management through its procurement process. No meeting date, award announcement date, contract terms, or project start date is given in the brief. Applicants needing those milestones for a schedule should ask NRPC rather than assume a decision date. (Official call PDF)
Timeline and deadline
The twelfth call was issued October 8, 2026, and proposals are due November 12, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. The supplied brief says the call is open. It does not identify the time zone for the deadline. Check the online form or official call for the applicable time zone and submission instructions, and leave time to complete uploads. The buffer is practical advice, not a published program rule. (Official call PDF)
Later review and contracting dates are unconfirmed. The Council’s recommendations occur at or after regular meetings, but no meeting or award date is stated. The brief also gives no contract, start, or completion deadline. If these dates affect landowner coordination, cultural-resource review, seasonal work, or a contractor schedule, ask NRPC what timing applicants should plan around. (Official call PDF)
Preparation advice and common mistakes
These are optional ways to make an application easier to review, not extra published requirements. Keep the project description, map, budget, and schedule aligned. For work with multiple components, label each one so a reviewer can connect its location, cost, timing, and expected water-quality benefit. Explain the work in concrete terms rather than relying only on a broad label such as “restoration” or “stormwater.”
Check the regulatory boundary early. Separate work required by a permit or statute from additional work, and ask CWSP staff about shared costs or uncertain cases. Presenting required work without identifying the eligible excess portion could obscure what the grant would fund; the call excludes compelled work while allowing portions beyond those requirements to qualify. (Official call PDF)
Use the review factors to explain the proposal’s evidence and costs. Describe the estimated phosphorus reduction, project lifespan, maintenance costs, basin-plan fit, and co-benefits. Include relevant outputs from the phosphorus calculator or floodplain tool when applicable. The call identifies these review factors and possible uploads, but the brief does not prescribe a narrative format or a minimum level of detail. (Official call PDF)
If a calculator output covers only one phase or one part of a multi-part project, identify that scope so the estimated phosphorus reduction can be understood alongside the budget. Tie budget lines to activities and timing, and account for the maintenance costs considered in review. If lifespan or maintenance needs are not yet settled, ask CWSP staff what level of estimate is useful instead of inventing a precise duration or future cost. This is preparation advice; the brief publishes no template or minimum detail.
Before submission, check that each applicable upload is readable and matches the current scope. Confirm the mapped area matches the project description and the budget aligns with the schedule, including any cultural-resource assessment that applies. This consistency check is advice; the published instructions are to use the online form, provide applicable materials, and include the Historic Preservation form when applicable. (Official call PDF)
Frequently asked questions
Is there a stated award range or maximum?
No range or maximum appears in the supplied brief. Check the official call or ask CWSP staff before choosing a requested amount. Do not infer this round’s award size from a different grant program. (Official call PDF)
Can an unsponsored project qualify?
Some projects may qualify through contracted services. The brief does not guarantee eligibility or give the contracting terms, so discuss the project structure with CWSP staff before relying on that option. (Official call PDF)
Must every listed supporting item be uploaded?
The call identifies materials to upload as applicable to the project. It also requires a Vermont Division for Historic Preservation project review form when applicable. Follow the online form’s instructions and verify any unclear item in the official call. (Official call PDF)
When will awards be announced?
The Council recommends awards at or after regular meetings; the brief provides no meeting or announcement date. NRPC then contracts or subgrants with capable eligible sponsors or arranges project management through procurement. Ask NRPC for expected timing. (Official call PDF)
Official sources
- Twelfth Call for Applications for Clean Water Projects in the Lamoille Basin (PDF) — the NRPC call document for this opportunity.
Award size, cost-effectiveness thresholds, the deadline time zone, later decision and contracting dates, and detailed contracted-service terms remain unconfirmed in the supplied brief. Verify them in the official call, online form, or with CWSP staff before relying on them.