2021 Coastal Resilience Grants

Via the NH Department of Environmental Services
For Immediate Release
May 24, 2021

Coastal Program Announces

2021 Request for Proposals for New Hampshire Coastal Resilience Grants

PORTSMOUTH – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Coastal Program is soliciting 2021 Coastal Resilience Grant (CRG) applications for coastal community and habitat resilience projects. For the purposes of the CRG opportunity, “coastal resilience” is the capacity of a coastal community or coastal system to thrive in a changing climate – not only measured by the capacity to bounce back quickly from shocks and stresses like storms, but also, and perhaps more importantly, measured by the capacity to leap forward to create new ways of working that enable sustained achievement of community goals and social, economic, and environmental well-being over the long-term.

The CRG funding opportunity supports (i) projects that build neighborhood, grassroots, or municipal capacity for coastal resilience work; (ii) projects that integrate the 2020 NH Coastal Flood Risk Guidance into local plans and regulations, and (iii) projects that seek to increase resilience of site-specific physical assets.

Eligible applicants include coastal municipalities, quasi-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and state agencies. Projects must take place within one or more of the 17 Coastal Zone communities¹. Total anticipated federal funding available for 2021 NH Coastal Resilience grant projects is $120,000. Applicants must request a minimum of $10,000 and no more than $40,000 per project. A ratio of 4:1 federal grant funds to non-federal match through cash or in-kind services is required. Funds are made available to the NHDES Coastal Program through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management, under the Coastal Zone Management Act.

For instructions, evaluation criteria, and to access the Application Form, visit the Coastal Resilience Grant webpage. Applications must be submitted using the NHDES Application Form no later than 4:00 PM EDT on Friday, July 30, 2021. An informational webinar about the CRG funding opportunity will take place on Thursday, June 3, 2021 from 9:30 to 10:30 AM EDT. Those interested can register for the webinar in advance. A recording of the webinar will be made available on the CRG webpage for those who are unable to attend.

This funding opportunity marks the sixth year that the NHDES Coastal Program has offered competitive grant funds for coastal resilience projects. Between 2014 and 2020, 19 projects were funded throughout the New Hampshire coast totaling more than $850,000 in federal grant funds and more than $400,000 in match commitment from grantees. Projects previously funded by the CRG opportunity are summarized on the CRG webpage.

Please contact NHDES Coastal Program Resilience Coordinator Kirsten Howard at (603) 559-0020 or kirsten.b.howard@des.nh.gov with inquiries about the 2021 request for proposals.