New Grantee Tip Sheet

Getting Your Grant In Place – What to Expect

  1. Official award notification should have already been received via email.
  2. Your Grant Administrator will be Emily Graham (). Emily will be in touch with specific instructions about how to get your grant agreement in place and begin receiving funds (if she hasn’t already).
  3. Grantees must submit required financial documentation to their Grant Administrator or through Easygrants before a grant agreement can be executed.
  4. NFWF Grant Administrators will generate grant agreements and send email notification of instructions about how to access the prepared agreement in the Easygrants system. Grantees will review the agreement and notify the Grant Administrator of any changes that need to be made.
  5. Once the agreement has been reviewed, please print TWOcopies of the grant agreement, sign and return to NFWF for counter signature. NFWF signs and returns one to grantee for their file.
  6. Grantees may submit a request for the first payment to their NFWF Grant Administrator, Julia Ela.
  7. If steps 1-6 are completed, two weeks from the request for payment, NFWF will wire transfer or mail a check for the first requested payment for project activities.

Arranging for Payments

Before requesting funds, please refer to the following points and contact Emily Graham with any questions.

  • Grantees should invoice NFWF quarterly, beginning when you mail signed copies of your grant agreement to the Foundation.
  • Payment requests should be submitted via mail or e-mail using the attached payment request form. We do not yet have a functional online payment system.
  • Funds may be requested on an advance or reimbursable basis, and both options can be combined on the same invoice.
  • Remember that a payment request also serves as a progress report. If requesting reimbursement, please detail the activities for which you incurred expenses. For advances, tell us how the previous installment was spent and provide a breakdown of planned work that includes anticipated costs. Payments cannot be made if there are reporting requirements that have not been met.
  • Note that 10% of the award is held in reserve until receipt and approval of final reports.
  • Normal turnaround time is 1-2 weeks; if you miss a deadline, the wait may be 3-4 weeks but not more than 30 days.

Completing your Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP)

Many projects are required by the EPA to complete a QAPP before data collection can begin. Elizabeth Nellums () will let you know if your project requires a QAPP and, if it does, will provide you with a QAPP e-toolkit and introduce you to our Quality Assurance specialists at Ecology and Environment. At no cost to you, they can walk you through the process step by step to ensure you have the most complete and comprehensive QAPP possible. More information is available at

Participation in Networking Events

Each year NFWF’s Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund co-hosts several events designed to provide networking and information sharing among its grantees. As a condition of funding, we request that you make every effort to participate in these events when requested and provide fact sheets, posters and/or presentations if applicable. The events include:

  • Chesapeake Watershed Forum
  • Stormwater Partners Retreat
  • Agriculture Networking Forum

Registering Your Project in the Chesapeake Commons

NFWF requests that you also register your project in the Chesapeake Commons to contribute to the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund’s “Story Map” of project awarded in 2013.

NFWF’s Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund Team

Jake Reilly, Program Director, 202-595-2610,

Elizabeth Nellums, Program Manager, 202-595-2442,

Emily Graham, Grant Administrator, 202-595-2603,