The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States but faces challenges like nutrient pollution, habitat loss, and the impact of climate change. What can individuals or communities do to help ensure that the Bay and local watersheds are healthy and safe, offering recreational water activities such as swimming and fishing?
Enter the Chesapeake Bay Trust (CBT), a forty-year-old nonprofit established by the Maryland General Assembly with the mission of improving the watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland Coastal Bays, and the Youghiogheny River. To accomplish this the Bay Trust works through its diverse grant programs to empower people to get involved in projects for their own communities, ensuring our natural resources and neighborhoods are thriving and healthy for generations to come.
The Bay Trust administers over 25 grant programs, awarding more than 500 grants last year alone to support a large and diverse range of communities, empowering these groups by providing grants and technical assistance. In Fiscal Year 2025 the Bay Trust made a record $38.8 million in awards. Programs range from its education grants which support local groups in providing K–12 students with meaningful watershed experiences, such as field trips that foster appreciation for local wildlife and nature; the Veterans Engagement Grant Program, which connects veterans and active-duty service members with accessible outdoor experiences, such as hunting, fishing, and other activities that support well-being and connection to nature; and The Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps Program, which provides leadership and training opportunities for young adults pursuing environmental careers.
Grants made by the Bay Trust include resources from a variety of sources: the
Chesapeake and Coastal Bay license plate, donations made through the Chesapeake Bay and Endangered Species Fund on the Maryland State income tax form, donations from individuals and corporations, and partnerships with private foundations and federal, state, and local agencies.
The Bay Trust leverages resources from these sources in the most cost-effective way: 90% of the Trust’s expenditures are directed to its restoration and education programs, and the Bay Trust has consistently received the top rating, four stars, from Charity Navigator to acknowledge its efficiency.
To learn more and discover how you can help, visit the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s
website: https://cbtrust.org.
Chesapeake Bay Trust works through its diverse grant programs to empower people to get involved in projects for their own communities