C-HAWQ 2026 Blue-Green Accelerator — Grant Application
C-HAWQ · Coastal Habitat & Water Quality Initiative
2026 Blue-Green Accelerator Grant Application
This application portal is available by invitation only to Florida municipalities that have been contacted by the C-HAWQ team. Please enter the invitation code from your outreach email to continue.
Too many incorrect attempts. Please contact contact@chawq.org to request access.
Don't have an invitation code? Contact C-HAWQ to express interest in the 2026 cohort.
2026 Grant Program — Now Accepting Applications
C-HAWQ Blue-Green Accelerator Municipal Champion Application
$200,000 in fee-free technical assistance for Florida municipalities ready to restore their coastal habitat and water quality.
Award Value: $200,000 in Expert Technical Assistance | Florida Municipalities Only
1
Municipality
2
Your Vision
3
Project Scope
4
Impact
5
Commit & Submit
Section 1 of 5
About Your Municipality
Please provide your municipality's official information.
Primary Point of Contact
Authorized Official
The person with authority to sign the final grant agreement (Mayor, City Manager, or equivalent).
Section 2 of 5
Your Vision & Problem Statement
Help us understand the specific water quality or habitat challenge your community is facing — and what success looks like. Your story drives our mission.
Example: "Our canal system has been classified as impaired due to high nitrogen loads from internal sediment recycling. Dissolved oxygen levels regularly drop below 2 mg/L in summer months, leading to fish kills..."
Example: "We want a swimmable canal system" or "We need to restore 50 acres of mangroves to mitigate storm surge and rebuild fishery habitat."
The Hurdle — Why hasn't this been resolved yet?
Select all obstacles that apply to your municipality's situation:
Section 3 of 5
Project Scope & Technical Needs
Tell us which C-HAWQ services would be most valuable, and share any prior work that has been done on this issue.
Requested Services
Select all C-HAWQ services your municipality requires (check all that apply):
This helps C-HAWQ build on existing work rather than duplicating it. Attach any key documents to your Letter of Support if possible.
Section 4 of 5
Community Impact & Feasibility
Help us understand the scale of this project's benefit and whether solutions found here could serve as a replicable model for Florida communities.
Section 5 of 5
Commitment, Grant Terms & Letter of Support
Please review the grant agreement terms and upload your signed Letter of Support to complete your application.
5.1 — Nature of the Grant: In-Kind Technical Assistance
▼
The Applicant acknowledges that the C-HAWQ 2026 Blue-Green Accelerator Grant, valued at $200,000, is awarded as non-cash technical assistance. This award comprises professional services including scientific consultation and data analysis, engineering and alternative design modeling, regulatory assessment and pre-permitting coordination, and environmental testing and laboratory services. The Grantor shall manage all third-party vendor payments and expert honorariums directly. No funds shall be transferred to the Municipality's accounts.
5.2 — Municipal Point of Contact (The "Project Champion")
▼
To ensure the success of the technical assistance, the Municipality agrees to designate one Primary Project Champion (typically a Director of Public Works, Chief Resiliency Officer, or similar). This individual must: (1) have authority to provide access to municipal sites and historical data; (2) commit to bi-weekly progress meetings with C-HAWQ's technical team; and (3) coordinate internal stakeholder reviews (e.g., City Council updates) to ensure project alignment throughout the engagement.
5.3 — Data Sharing and Intellectual Property
▼
All raw data, water quality samples, and environmental findings generated during the grant period shall be Open Access — shared freely between the Grantor, the Municipality, and designated academic partners — and acknowledged as public record. C-HAWQ reserves the right to use anonymized data for broader regional scientific reports or case studies, consistent with its commitment to radical transparency.
5.4 — Neutral Evidence & Alternative Analysis
▼
The Municipality understands that the goal of this grant is to provide neutral, science-based evidence. C-HAWQ does not guarantee that resulting findings will align with previously held municipal preferences if the scientific data suggests a different course of action. The Municipality agrees to review all provided alternatives in good faith as a basis for future capital improvement planning.
5.5 — Permitting and Future Funding Responsibilities
▼
While C-HAWQ will provide expert guidance and assist in initiating the permitting process, the Municipality acknowledges: (1) C-HAWQ does not guarantee the issuance of permits by state (FDEP, WMD) or federal (USACE) agencies; and (2) the Municipality remains solely responsible for the costs of physical construction, long-term maintenance, and final permit fees following the conclusion of this technical assistance engagement.
5.6 — Indemnification & Site Access
▼
The Municipality shall grant C-HAWQ's technical team — including professors, scientists, and contractors — safe and timely access to relevant municipal lands and waterways for the purpose of assessments and testing. The Municipality agrees to hold C-HAWQ harmless for findings made in good faith during the assessment process.
Letter of Support Required
Upload a signed Letter of Support on official municipal letterhead from your Mayor or City Manager. A template letter is included in the grant RFP document. Accepted file types: PDF or DOCX. Maximum size: 10 MB.
Drop your Letter of Support here
Signed letter on official municipal letterhead
Browse Files
✓
Application Submitted!
Thank you for applying to the C-HAWQ 2026 Blue-Green Accelerator. Your application has been received and saved. Our selection committee will review your submission and reach out within 10 business days.
A confirmation email has been sent to your provided email address. Direct any questions to contact@chawq.org.
