National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program (US)

The Program provides eligible State and Territory agencies with cost sharing awards for projects that protect and restore valuable coastal wetland resources.

The Program is co-administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Coastal Program and the Office of Conservation Investment.

Program Goals 

• The primary goal of the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program is the long-term conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems. The Program accomplishes this goal by helping eligible States and U.S. Territories protect, restore, and enhance their coastal wetlands and expand or improve opportunities for public recreation and education. Results are measured in acres protected, restored, and enhanced.

Funding Information

• Estimated Total Program Funding: $20,000,000
• Award Ceiling: $1,000,000
• Award Floor: $50,000.

Eligible Activities

• Eligible grant activities include:
  • Acquisition of a real property interest in coastal lands or waters from willing sellers or partners (coastal wetlands ecosystems), providing that the terms and conditions will ensure the real property will be administered for long-term conservation.
  • The restoration, enhancement, or management of coastal wetlands ecosystems, providing restoration, enhancement, or management will be administered for long-term conservation.

Ineligible Activities

• Ineligible activities include but are not limited to:
  • Projects that primarily benefit navigation, irrigation, flood control, or mariculture;
  • Acquisition, restoration, enhancement, or management of lands to mitigate recent or pending habitat losses resulting from the actions of agencies, organizations, companies, or individuals;
  • Creation of wetlands by humans where wetlands did not previously exist;
  • Enforcement of fish and wildlife laws and regulations, except when necessary for the accomplishment of approved project purposes;
  • Research;
  • Planning as a primary project focus (planning is allowable as a minimal component of project plan development);
  • Operations and maintenance;
  • Acquiring and/or restoring upper portions of watersheds where benefits to the coastal wetlands ecosystem are not significant and direct; and
  • Projects providing less than 20 years of conservation benefits.­­

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible Applicants :
  • State governments
• Eligible Recipients:
  • Participation is limited to State and Territory agencies designated as eligible by the Governor. The eligible agency is usually a natural resource or fish and wildlife agency. If you are uncertain of your eligibility, please contact your Regional Office of Conservation Investment.
  • Eligible States and Territories are those bordering the Great Lakes, and those bordering the Atlantic, Gulf (except Louisiana), and Pacific coasts. Louisiana is not eligible because it receives separate funding through the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act.
  • The complete list of eligible States and Territories is: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawai’i, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode
  •  Island, South Carolina, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.