Matching Funds Program

As of June 1, 2017, CIRCA is currently not accepting Matching Funds applications.

If additional funding becomes available, the following information will be relevant for future applications:    

CIRCA has considered requests from Connecticut municipalities, institutions, universities, foundations, and other non-governmental organizations for matching funds for projects that address the mission of the Institute. CIRCA matching funds are intended for grant proposals in preparation.  You are not eligible to apply if primary funds have already been awarded.  

To be funded, a successful Matching Funds Request Form must have a commitment of primary funding within 6 months of the CIRCA award announcement, or have received a waiver from the CIRCA Executive Steering Committee. CIRCA Matching Funds will provide up to 25% of the primary funder’s contribution other than municipal or State of Connecticut funds to enhance the likely success of project proposals that advance CIRCA research and implementation priorities. Proposals are required to leverage independent funding awarded through a competitive process. 

Project proposals should develop knowledge and/or experience that is transferable to multiple locations in Connecticut and have well-defined and measurable goals. Preference will be given to those that involve collaboration with CIRCA to address at least one of the following priority areas:

  • Improve scientific understanding of the changing climate system and its local and regional impacts on coastal and inland floodplain communities;
  • Develop and deploy natural science, engineering, legal, financial, and policy best practices for climate resilience;
  • Undertake or oversee pilot projects designed to improve resilience and sustainability of the natural and built environment along Connecticut’s coast and inland waterways;
  • Create a climate‐literate public that understands its vulnerabilities to a changing climate and which uses that knowledge to make scientifically informed, environmentally sound decisions;
  • Foster resilient actions and sustainable communities – particularly along the Connecticut coastline and inland waterways – that can adapt to the impacts and hazards of climate change; and
  • Reduce the loss of life and property, natural system and ecological damage, and social disruption from high‐impact events.

Contact Information

Those requesting Matching Funds should consult the CIRCA office via email at CIRCA_matchingfunds@uconn.edu with any questions. Please see our growing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.

Matching Funds requests will be accepted on a rolling basis. Awardees must confirm availability of the primary funding source related to the proposal within six months. The Matching Funds Program is cost reimbursable.

Notification of Award

Please Note: All awards are required to provide a final report to the Institute that will include:

  • Project overview and summary;
  • Project goals and methods;
  • Project outcomes;
  • Explanation of how project advanced CIRCA mission and priority areas (if specified in application);
  • Final project schedule & budget; and
  • Copies of final project documentation and/or maps and photos of completed project. CIRCA reserves the right to edit the final report in its entirety for publishing on the CIRCA website and/or including in print materials.

Past Recipients

CIRCA has received many qualified requests for matching funds and has selected several recipients. Collectively their work will help increase resiliency around the State of Connecticut!

See Recipients

 How to Request Funds

  1. Complete the online request form. 
  2. Complete the following two attachments to be submitted on the second page of the online request form.
    • Attachment 1. Detailed Budget and Workplan: Please provide a detailed budget and workplan * With major deliverables and project dates. If the application is preliminary and requires subsequent further approval, please describe the associated timeline. Responses should be limited to 1-2 pages in length. CIRCA reserves the right to request additional information.
    • Attachment 2. Appendix: Please describe your project and indicate how your project will help advance the mission of CIRCA. If you plan to collaborate with CIRCA, please include description of how you intend to collaborate in your response. If your project satisfies a priority area of CIRCA, please indicate which priority area(s) and describe how. Responses should be limited to 1-2 pages in length. CIRCA reserves the right to request additional information.

The information and materials submitted to CIRCA for consideration under this funding program are subject to the terms of the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") and all applicable rules, regulations and administrative decisions regarding their disclosure to third parties. The information and materials submitted are exempt from disclosure until a determination has been made whether to fund a specific proposal. If an individual or entity is interested in preserving the confidentiality of any part of its proposal, whether funded or not, it will not be sufficient merely to state generally in the proposal that the proposal is proprietary or confidential in nature and not, therefore, subject to release to third parties. Instead, those particular sentences, paragraphs, pages or sections that an individual or entity believe to be exempt from disclosure under the FOIA must be specifically identified as such and accompanied by a explanation and rationale sufficient to justify each exemption consistent with § 1-210(b) of the FOIA. The rationale and explanation must be stated in terms of the reasons the materials are legally exempt from release pursuant to the FOIA. UConn, DEEP, and CIRCA will identify as protected from disclosure such materials to the extent permitted by FOIA and all applicable rules, regulations and administrative decisions. Any final determination on the status of a specific document withheld from disclosure may be determined by the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission and the courts, if applicable.