Grant priorities include:

• proposals that seek to advance previously funded NCRF projects to the next category in the project pipeline (i.e., “pipeline projects”)
• restoration-implementation projects that can begin construction within one year of the award date

Award decisions will be made based on regional circumstances and needs, but all proposals must address the following priorities:

• Nature-Based Solutions: Projects must focus on identifying or implementing natural, nature-based or hybrid solutions, such as restoring coastal marshes, reconnecting floodplains, rebuilding dunes or other natural buffers, or installing living shorelines.
• Community Resilience Benefit:Projects must show clear benefits in terms of reducing current and projected threats to communities from natural coastal hazards, including, but not limited to sea-level rise, lake-level change, coastal erosion, increased frequency and intensity of storms, and impacts from other chronic or episodic factors.
• Fish and Wildlife Benefit: Projects must help to improve habitats for fish and wildlife species.
• Community Impact and Engagement: Projects will be prioritized that provide risk reduction or job creation benefits to underserved or tribal communities (both federally recognized tribes and those tribes that are not federally recognized) and that directly engage community members in project design and implementation. NFWF encourages projects that are informed by Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, that promote tribal co-stewardship, that protect or enhance habitat for subsistence species, and/or that contribute to tribal food security. Projects should engage community-level partners to help design, implement, and maintain projects; secure maximum benefits for communities; and ensure sustainability and long-term maintenance.
• Transferability and Sustainability: NFWF encourages projects that seek to re-shape our thinking on what constitutes coastal community resilience to climate impacts as experienced across different landscapes. This may include developing solutions that are scalable and transferable to other communities or that can catalyze further action toward resilience.

NFWF’s regional coastal resilience assessments identify areas, called Resilience Hubs, where natural resource restoration efforts will have the greatest impact for human community resilience and fish and wildlife. Projects do not need to be located in an area identified by NFWF as a Resilience Hub to be eligible, but applicants may find this tool useful to assess projects based on the dual benefits to habitats and human communities.

Click on the next section to learn more about this funding opportunity’s eligibility requirements.

Eligibility requirements include:

• Projects must be located within the coastal areas of U.S. coastal states, including the Great Lakes states, and U.S. territories and tribal lands. For the purpose of this funding opportunity, the eligible project area is defined as all coastal Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 8 watersheds that drain to the sea and any adjacent HUC 8 watersheds that are particularly low-lying or tidally influenced (“coastal areas”); a map of the NCRF geographic footprint can be found here.
• All projects under this program must demonstrate dual benefits to both coastal communities and habitats. The NCRF supports projects that will result in the creation and/or restoration of natural systems to increase the resilience of communities from coastal hazards and improve habitats for fish and wildlife species.
• Applicants must apply under one category that best describes the purpose and activities that will be implemented during the project. NFWF will not fund projects across combined categories, i.e., proposals seeking funding to both design and construct a restoration project.

Click on the next section to learn more about the matching requirements for this funding opportunity.

Non-federal match is not required but is encouraged to demonstrate broad support for the project. Match can be any combination of in cash and/or in-kind goods and services, e.g.,  external/partner services, volunteers or grantee in-kind, etc., and there is no priority given to higher cash percentages. The ratio of matching contributions offered to grant funding requested is only one criterion considered during the review process. More information about how to document non-federal match, including a description of acceptable sources of matching funds, is available here.

Click on the next section to learn more about the eligible costs for this funding opportunity.

Eligible costs fall under the following four categories:

• Community Capacity Building and Planning
• Site Assessment and Preliminary Design
• Final Design and Permitting
• Restoration Implementation

Ineligible Uses of Grant Funds:

• Equipment: Applicants are encouraged to rent equipment where possible and cost-effective or use matching funds to make those purchases. Please contact program administrators if your project can only be completed using NFWF funds to procure equipment and they will consider applications for funding essential equipment on a case-by-case basis.
• Federal funds and matching contributions may not be used to procure or obtain equipment, services, or systems that uses telecommunications equipment or services produced by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation as a substantial or essential component or as critical technology of any system.
• NFWF funds and matching contributions may not be used to support political advocacy, fundraising, lobbying, litigation, terrorist activities or Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations.
• NFWF funds may not be used to support ongoing efforts to comply with legal requirements, including permit conditions, mitigation and settlement agreements. However, grant funds may be used to support projects that enhance or improve upon existing baseline compliance efforts.

Click on the next section to learn more about this funding opportunity’s project timeline.

For this funding opportunity, a project cannot have a start date prior to June 1, 2024 or an end date after December 31, 2028. Any expenses incurred prior to an official award letter and signed contract are taken solely at the risk of the applicant. Restoration Implementation projects must include 1 year post monitoring after expected construction completion in their period of performance.

Click on the next section for this funding opportunity’s application deadline and forms.

Pre-Proposals are due by 11:59 pm ET on April 10, 2024.
Full Proposals by invite only are due by 11:59 pm ET on July 2, 2024.

All application materials must be submitted online through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Easygrants system. A Tip Sheet is available for quick reference while you are working through your application. The Tip Sheet can be downloaded here. Grant awards are announced in late November to early December 2024.

Additional information to support the application process can be accessed on the NFWF website’s Applicant Information page.

Click on the next section to access the Contact Information for this funding opportunity.

For general questions, email:

NCRF Program Team

For questions related to project Ideas in the Great Lakes, email:

Aislinn Gauchay, Program Director – Great Lakes, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

For assistance with online Easygrants system, contact:

Easygrants Helpdesk

Voicemail: (202) 595-2497

Please include your name, proposal ID #, email address, phone number, program you are applying to, and a description of the issue.