2 new N.O.A.A. grant programs will help coastal communities and their managers create on-the-ground plans to make them more resilient to the effects of extreme weather events, climate hazards, and changing ocean conditions.
This builds on NOAA's commitment to provide information, tools, and services to help coastal communities reduce risk and project for future severe events.
NOAA's National Ocean Service is supporting the effort with $5 million in competitive grant awards through the 2015 Regional Coastal Resilience Grant Plan and N.O.A.A. Fisheries is administering the companion $4 million Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency Grants Plan.
"Coastal communities around the country are becoming more vulnerable to natural disasters and long-term environmental changes," said Holly Bamford, Ph.D., assistant N.O.A.A. administrator for NOAA's National Ocean Service performing the duties of the assistant secretary of business for conservation and management. "These new grant opportunities will help support local efforts to build resilience of U.S. coastal ecosystems and communities, while finding new and innovative ways to mitigate the threats of severe weather, climate change and changing ocean conditions."
The National Ocean Service 2015 Regional Coastal Resilience Grant Plan will help coastal communities and organizations prepare for and recover from adverse events while adapting to changing environmental, economic, and social conditions. The grants will be awarded to organizations to project and implement resilience strategies regionally to reduce current and potential future risks. Proposals are due by July 24.
The N.O.A.A. Fisheries' Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency Grants Plan will focus on developing healthy and sustainable coastal ecosystems through habitat restoration and conservation. The winning proposals will demonstrate socioeconomic benefits associated with restoration of healthy and resilient coastal ecosystems, support healthy fish populations, and demonstrate collaboration among multiple stakeholders. Proposals are due by July 2.
Each grant suggestion may request between $500,000 to $1 million in federal funds for the Regional Coastal Resilience Grant Plan and $200,000 to $2 million for the Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency Grants Program. Eligible backing applicants include nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, regional organizations, private (for profit) entities, and local, state, and tribal government.
Details on the grant programs can be found at the N.O.A.A. Fisheries Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency Grants webpage (http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/funding/coastalresiliency.html) and the N.O.A.A. Ocean Service Regional Coastal Resilience Grant Plan webpage (http://www.coast.noaa.gov/resilience-grant/). To apply visit http://www.grants.gov/
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