Coastal Resilience Funding Opportunities for Defense Communities
Defense communities are those towns, cities and regional areas that are home to military installations, often, but not always adjacent, and economically tied to military missions. Military leadership collaborate with state, regional and local government, and private organizations to ensure military readiness and support families throughout the community. Coastal resilience, the ability for a community to withstand hazards such as hurricanes, extreme weather and flooding, has become an increasingly important concern to defense communities located on or near the coast. To increase coastal resilience, communities are building or retrofitting stormwater infrastructure, protecting against shoreline erosion, and preserving groundwater using natural and nature-based infrastructure.
Federal Grant Programs
FUNDING PROGRAM | FUNDING AGENCY / PARTNERS | DESCRIPTION | ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS | ELIGIBLE PROJECTS | COST SHARE (% federal / % non-federal) | AWARD RANGE | APPLICATION TIMING | WEB ADDRESS |
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REPI Challenge | Departmetn of Defense | Cost-share for partnership projects that use natural resource conservation or nature-based infrastructure to improve climate resilience off-base and contribute to mission readiness | State, regional, local, territorial government, private conservation organization Must work with a military installation | Community Capacity Building and Planning Site Assessment and Preliminary Design Final Design and Permitting Restoration and Monitoring: easement acquisition to protect natural habitats | 50/50 (%DoD / %non-DoD) **REPI can be used as non-federal match | $500,000 - $25 milion | Pre-proposal required July, proposal September, announced January | LINK |
OLDCC Military Installation Sustainability | Department of Defense | Grants to conduct targeted studies or planning processes that support resilience of installation and supporting community. Examples transporttion, landuse/encroachement, housing, stormwater managment tabletop exerciseds with military and civilian leadership to respond to disruptions. | State, regional, local, territorial, tribal government Must work with a military installation | Community capacity building and planning processes | 90/10 | $85,000 - $1 million | Service can nominate in March call or out of cycle Community application is open | LINK |
OLDCC- Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) | Department of Defense | Grants to address deficiencies in community infrastructure, supportive of a military installation. Projects are publicly-owned, construction-ready , but have not begon construction and are endorsed by the local installation commander. | State, regional, local, territorial, tribal government and non-profit utilities. Must work with a military installation | Construction ready projects including off shore and shoreline infrastructure, flood control, wastewater, transportation | 70/30, no match required in small, rural areas | $500,000 - $15 million | Applications open in May and due in July | LINK |
National Coastal Resilience Fund | National Fish and Wildlife Foundation / National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) / DOD / other partners | Grants to support coastal resilience projects that create or restore natural systems to help protect coastal communities from climate and extreme weather impacts. | State, regional, local, territorial, tribal government, non-profit org. educational institutions, for-profit organizations. | Community Capacity Building and Planning Site Assessment and Preliminary Design Final Design and Permitting Restoration and Monitoring | No match required | $100,000 - $10 million depending on project type | Pre-proposal required April, proposal June announced in November | LINK |
Emergency Coastal Resilience Fund | National Fish and Wildlife Foundation / National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) | Grants to support coastal resilience projects that create or restore natural systems to help protect coastal communities from climate and extreme weather impacts after a Presidential disaster declaration | State, regional, local, territorial, tribal government, non-profit org. educational institutions, for-profit organizations. | Community Capacity Building and Planning Site Assessment and Preliminary Design Final Design and Permitting Restoration and Monitoring | No match required | Varies depending on disaster declaration | LINK | |
America the Beautiful Challenge | National Fish and Wildlife Foundation / DoD/DOI/USDA | Grants to support new and large-scale conservation and restoration projects that span public and private lands | States, territories and Tribes for DOI projects. non profits, local governments, and educational institutions for buffer project and private lands projects. | Conservation and restoration on public and private lands, capacity building and planning for underserved communitites, conservation in national forests and to buffere DoD facilities, and outreach and engagement with private landowners. | Match vaires by program | $200,000 - $5 million depending on project type | Pre-proposal April, proposal July, announcement November | LINK |
Transformational Habitat Resotation and Coastal Resilience Grants | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) | Grant to rebuild productive and sustainable fisheries, contribute to the recovery and conservation of threatened and endangered species, use natural infrastructure to reduce damage from flooding and storms, promote resilient ecosystems and communities, and yield socioeconomic benefits. | higher education, non-profits, for profit organizations, U.S. territories, and state, local, and tribal governments. | Coastal resilience projects include living shoreline, oyster reef and other natural infrastructure projects | No match required, match recommended | $1 million - $25 million | Proposal November | LINK |
National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grants | United States Fish and Wildlife Service | Grants to protect, restore and enhance coastal wetland ecosystems and associated upland. | State agencies | Acquisition, restoration of coastal wetlands or maritime forests and phased projects | 75/25 (in-kind, cash or combination) | Up to $1 million per state | Due in June, notify in Jan-March | LINK |
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC ) | Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) / State Emergency Management | Grants to support state, local, tribe and territory governments for project planning, development and implementation. Projects must reduce future hazard risk. | State, territory, tribal government is applicant, subapplicant- local govt | All phases of projects including managment, capability and capacity building, project development and implementation and building code adoption and enforcement | 75/25 for typical project, 90/10 for small impoverished communities | Direct technical assistance, projects up to $50 million federal share for national competition | Federal application due Feb from states, state deadlines vary | LINK |
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program | Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) / State Emergency Management | Grants to support projects on public or private property that reduce loss of life and property damage in accordance with hazard mitigation plans and after a Presidential disaster declaration | State, territory, tribal government is applicant, subapplicant- local govt, non-profit | Property acquisition, structure elevation, dry floodproofing, infrastructure retrofit, code enforcement, aquifer and storage recovery, , floodplain and stream restoration, green infrastructure, other | 90/10 | Varies depending on disaster declaration | Varies depending on declared disaster | LINK |
Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant | Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) / State Emergency Management | Grants for planning and projects to reduce or eliminate risk of flood damage to buildings that are insured annually under the National Flood Insurance Program. | State, territory, tribal government is applicant, subapplicant- local govt, non-profit | All phases of projects including managment, capability and capacity building, project development , both localiized flood irsk reducation projects (ex. drainage or NBS) and individual flood mitigation projects (ex. acquisition, elevation, relocation) are included | 75/25 for typical projects, 90/10 for qualifying locations 100% for severe repetitive loss properties. | Specific projects have limits for example up to $50 million for a localized flood risk reduction project | Federal application due Feb, state deadlines vary | LINK |
Continuing Authorities Program (CAP) Section 103: Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Section 204: Beneficial Use of Dredge Material Section 205: Flood Damage Reduction Section 206: Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Section 1135: Improvements to the Environment | Department of Defense / US Army Corps of Engineers | Partnership program to study, design, and construct small coastal storm damage reduction. Water resources and ecosystem restoration projects. Each project must be economically justified, environmentally sound, and technically feasible. | Cities, counties, special authorities, or units of state government | Emergency streambank and shoreline protection for public facilities like roads, bridges, schools, and water/sewage treatment plants that are in danger of failing; Protection of public and private properties/facilities against damages caused by storms through the construction of revetments, groins and jetties; Use of dredged material from federal projects for the reduction in storm damages to property and to protect, restore, or create habitats, including wetlands; Aquatic ecosystem restoration; projects. | For study, no match up to $100,000, costs over 50/50 Final Design 65/35 | Request for program by letter of intent | LINK | |
Planning Assistance to States | Department of Defense / US Army Corps of Engineers | Corps can prepare plans for the development, utilization, and conservation of water including flood control, located within the boundaries of the State. The Corps can provide concept designs only. | State, territory, tribal government and NGOs | Studies of water or water-related resources - Watershed Planning, GIS mapping (water, sewer, and storm), Hydrologic and hydraulic , Shoreline Protection, etc. | 50/50 (can be in-kind) | Request for program by letter of intent | LINK | |
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) | Department of Housing and Urban Development | Funds a variety of community development activities to build stronger and more resilient communities. Must substantially benefit low- and moderate-income communities | Local government, cities with populations of 50,000+ or counties with 200,000+ with substantial community need based on poverty, overcrowding, etc. | Infrastructure, such as stormwater, economic development projects, public facilities installation and improvement, community centers, beautification of public areas, restoration and conservation, etc. | Grants of $300,001 to $750,000 - 5% local matching funds required. Grants of more than $750,001 - 10% local matching funds required. | June application deadline (2021) | LINK | |
Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program (CDBG-DR) | Department of Housing and Urban Development | Provides funding to rebuild affected areas and provide seed money to start recovery. These flexible grants help cities, counties, and States recover from Presidentially declared disasters, especially in low-income areas, subject to availability of supplemental appropriations. | Same as CBDG, but also a disaster declaration | Same as CDBG, with an emphasis on recovery after a disaster | Matching funds not required | Varies depending on declared disaster | LINK | |
Rural Development Water and Environmental Programs | Department of Agriculture | Financial and technical assistance and financing for rural drinking wter and waste disposal systems for communities with a population of 10,000 or less. | Rural public bodies, NGOs, Federally recognized tribes | Several programs including planning grants and loans or loan guaranteers. The emergency community water assistance grant helps eligible communities prepare or recover from an emergency that threatens safe drinking water. | Matching funds not required | Varies by program- for emergency assistance, up to $150,000 for waterlines, up to $1 million for new wells, reservoirs or other water infrastructure. | Open | LINK |
Emergency Watershed Protection Program | Department of Agriculture | Quickly protect infrastructure and land from additional flooding and soil erosion. EWP does not require a disaster declaration by federal or state government officials to begin. The NRCS State Conservationist can declare a local watershed emergency and the program assistance with an eligible sponsor. | Cities, counties, towns, conservation districts, or any federally recognized Native American tribe or tribal organization | Remove debris from stream channels, culverts and bridges; reshape and protect eroded streambanks; correct damaged or destroyed drainage facilities; establish vegetative cover on critically eroding lands; repair levees and structures; repair certain conservation practices, and purchase floodplain easements | 75/25 | Varies depending on emergency | Varies depending on emergency | LINK |
Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program | Department of Agriculture | The WFPO Program provides technical and financial assistance to States, local governments and Tribes (project sponsors) to plan and implement authorized watershed project plans. | Federal, state, local and tribal government sponsorship for projects up to 250,000 acres. | Erosion and sediment control Watershed protection Flood prevention Water quality Improvements Rural, municipal and industrial water supply Water management Fish and wildlife habitat enhancement Hydropower sources | Varies | Up to $5 million | LINK | |
Economic Adjustment Assistance | US Economic Development Administration- Department of Commerce | Annually available supplemental funding to assist distressed communities nationwide with a wide variety of economic needs including disaster recovery | State, Local and tribal government, nonprofits, some other eligible entities | Disaster recovery and economic resiliency programs, post- disaster strategic planning, infrastructure development and key business assistance. | Varies by program | Varies by program | Varies by program | LINK |
Overflow and Stormwater Grants | Environmental Protection Agency | Provides funding for critical stormwater infrastructure projects in communities including combined sewer overflows and sanitary sewer overflows. | States, territories | Installation of separate sanitary and storm sewers; infiltration/inflow correction; stormwater collection systems; Green Infrastructure; or other capital projects the mitigate sewer overflows or stormwater concerns | 80/20 | LINK | ||
Environmental Justice Grants | Environmental Protection Agency | Supports community-driven projects designed to engage, educate, and empower communities to better understand local environmental and public health issues and develop strategies for addressing those issues, building consensus in the community, and setting community priorities. | Non-profit organizations, us territories, tribal governments and organizations | Projects must be associated with at least one qualified environmental statue. Project emphasis areas include water quality, stormwater and green infrastructure, emergency preparedness and disaster resiliency, and environmental education. | No match required | May/June | LINK | |
Climate Resilience Regional Challenge | NOAA | Collaborative projects that increase the resilience of coastal communities to extreme weather and other impacts of climate change. Projects will address risk reduction and regional collaboration and equity, and build enduring capacity for adaptation. | Coastal states and tribes, ctities and other subdivisions of government, institutions of higher education, NGOs. | Two tracks- (1) Collaborative Building and Strategy Development and (2)Implementation of resilience and Adaptation Actions Must address risk reduction, enduring capacity, equity and inclusion. | No match required | Track 1: $500,000 - $2 million Track 2: $15 -75 million | August- required letters of intent. February application due | LINK |
State Grant Programs
FUNDING PROGRAM | FUNDING AGENCY / PARTNERS | DESCRIPTION | ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS | ELIGIBLE PROJECTS | COST SHARE (% federal / % non-federal) | AWARD RANGE | APPLICATION TIMING | WEB ADDRESS |
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319 Water Quality programs | State Departments of Natural Resources or Environmental Protection | Nonpoint Source Implementation Grants fund the implementation of projects that reduce pollution and improve water quality, following a watershed-based plan | Local government regional and State agencies; authorities/utilities (e.g. sewer, water); regional commissions; resource conservation councils; local school systems and State universities | Project that implements part or all of a watershed plan. Best management practices (BMPs). Need to identify pollutant and measurable improvement. | 60/40 | Varies by state | March/April application Summer/fall award and begin projects | North Carolina: LINK South Carolina: LINK Georgia: LINK Florida: LINK Alabama: LINK Mississippi: LINK |
Coastal Incentive Grants (GA) | Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division | Grants to address local and regional coastal resource protection priorities, balance economic development while protecting natural and cultural resources and support research in areas of specific coastal management needs. | Local government in the 11 coastal county service area, state affiliated research and educational institutions and regional and state agencies. | Research, Planning, Education/outreach, and Construction/ Acquisition projects addressing oceans and wetlands issues, coastal resilience, non-point source pollution, public access and land conservation. | 50/50 | up to $80,000 per year | Pre-application December, full application February, notify April, start October | LINK |
North Carolina Land and Water Fund (NC) | North Carolina Division of Land And Water Stewardship | Grants for land acquisition, restoration, innovative stormwater projects and planning to improve water quality, sustain diversity and protect historic sites and military installations. | Local government, state agencies, and non-profit corporation with a conservation purpose | Land acquisition, restoration including living shoreline projects, planning projects, innovative stormwater research projects | No matching required | February application due | LINK | |
Resilient Florida Program Grants: Statewide Flooding and Sea level Rise Resilience Plan State Funded Grants | Florida Department of Environmental Protection | Grants to address the impacts of flooding and sea level rise that the state faces, eligible applicants may receive funding assistance to analyze and plan for vulnerabilities, as well as implement projects for adaptation and mitigation. | Cities, Counties and other eligible entities identified in the statue. | Implementation projects that address risks of flooding or sea level rise identified in a vulnerability assessment that meet the requirements of Section 380.093(3), F.S. | 50% cost share, unless qualified as a financially disadvantaged community | July 1st – September 1st | LINK | |
Planning Grants | Florida Department of Environmental Protection | Grants to address the impacts of flooding and sea level rise that the state faces, eligible applicants may receive funding assistance to analyze and plan for vulnerabilities, as well as implement projects for adaptation and mitigation. | Cities, Counties and municipalities. | Vulnerability assessments; Adaptation plans; Resilience planning; Peril of Flood compliance; Comprehensive Plan amendments; Projects to adapt critical assets to the effects of flooding and sea level rise. | No cost share requirement | | July 1st – September 1st | LINK |
Coastal Partnership Initiative Grant Program | Florida Department of Environmental Protection | Grants to build resilient communities, protect coastal resources, public access and working waterfronts. | Public colleges/ universities, regional planning councils, national estuary programs and nonprofit groups also may apply for funds if an eligible local government agrees to participate as a partner. | Vulnerability assessments; Resilience planning, restoring wetlands, community-based projects like coastal clean-ups and invasive plant control, nature trails, boat/kayak launches, information kiosks, and other small construction projects. | 50/50 cash or in kind, non-federal | Depends on federal appropriation. | November | LINK |
State-based Finance Programs
FUNDING PROGRAM | FUNDING AGENCY / PARTNERS | DESCRIPTION | ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS | ELIGIBLE PROJECTS | APPLICATION TIMING | WEB ADDRESS |
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Clean water state revolving fund | Georgia Environmental Finance Authority | Low interest loans to support local water resource management, such as water and sewer financing. | Local governments, districts, state authorities or other political subdivisions. | Low interest loans, debt purchase or refinance, and subsidies for a wide range of water infrastructure projects including stormwater, green infrastructure, waste water and watershed projects. | Quarterly – March 1, June 1, September 1 and November 1 | LINK |
Mississippi Water Pollution Control (Clean Water) Revolving Loan Fund (WPCRLF) Program | Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality | Low interest loans to support local water resource management, such as water and sewer financing. Small/low income communities may qualify for subsidy (“principal forgiveness”) | Local governments, districts, state authorities or other political subdivisions. | Low interest loans, debt purchase or refinance, and subsidies for a wide range of water infrastructure projects including stormwater, green infrastructure waste water and watershed projects. | Quarterly deadlines | LINK |
Alabama State Revolving Fund | Alabama Department of Environmental Management | Low interest loans to support local water resource management, such as water and sewer financing. | Public bodies including counties, state agencies, incorporated cities and towns, boards and authorities. | Low interest loans, debt purchase or refinance, Guarantees or insurance, and subsidies for a wide range of water infrastructure projects including stormwater, green infrastructure waste water and watershed projects. | Preapplications accepted on a rolling basis | LINK |
Florida State Revolving Fund | Florida Department of Environmental Protection | Low-interest loans for planning, designing and constructing water pollution control facilities. Small, disadvantaged communities may also be eligible for grants to reduce loan amount. | Local governments, districts, state authorities or other political subdivisions. | Low interest loans, debt purchase or refinance, and subsidies for a wide range of water infrastructure projects including stormwater, green infrastructure waste water and watershed projects. | Applications accepted on a rolling basis | LINK |
South Carolina State Revolving Fund Program | South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and the SC Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA), Office of Local Government (OLG) | Low-interest loans for building or repair to wastewater collection and treatment and stormwater quality improvement projects. | Municipalities, counties, and special purpose districts | Low interest loans, debt purchase or refinance, and subsidies for water infrastructure projects including and stormwater, waste water. | Applications accepted on a rolling basis | LINK |
North Carolina Clean Water State Revolving Fund | North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality | Low-interest loans for building or repair to wastewater collection and treatment and stormwater quality improvement projects. | Local Government Units (counties, cities, towns, sanitary districts, etc.) | Low-interest loans, principal forgiveness loans and 0% loans for wastewater collection and treatment, reclaimed water, or stormwater BMP, stream restoration and energy efficiency at treatment works. | Twice a year, March and September | LINK |
Other resources to search for funding:
- REPI Resilience Project Funding Guide – The purpose of this Resilience Project Funding Guide is to share information on available complementary federal and non-federal resilience programs.
- Nature-Based Solutions Funding Database – National Wildlife Federation’s interactive database for communities interested in pursuing federal funding and/or technical assistance for nature-based solutions.
- Recovery and Resilience Resource Library – Developed by FEMA in collaboration with our federal interagency partners to navigate the numerous programs available to the United States and its territories to help recover from a disaster.
- Inflation Reduction Act Tracker – The Environmental Defense Fund partnered with Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law to create a database and progress tracker for all climate change-related provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), along with valuable information about programs, protections, incentives, and tax credits.