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National Coastal Resilience Fund

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The National Coastal Resilience Fund restores, increases and strengthens natural infrastructure to protect coastal communities while also enhancing habitats for fish and wildlife. Established in 2018, the National Coastal Resilience Fund invests in conservation projects that restore or expand natural features such as coastal marshes and wetlands, dune and beach systems, oyster and coral reefs, forests, coastal rivers and floodplains, and barrier islands that minimize the impacts of storms and other naturally occurring events on nearby communities.

Partners

Coastal communities and ecosystems are under threat from rising sea-levels, more intense storms, and changing rainfall patterns. While 40 percent of Americans call the coast home and coastal communities contribute $9.5 trillion in goods and services annually to the U.S. economy, these areas are increasingly being affected by flooding and other coastal hazards. In 2021, the U.S. experienced 20 extreme weather and climate-related disaster events causing a total of $145 billion in disaster costs, the third-highest year on record. 

New research shows with sea-level rise and increasing development in coastal areas, the annual cost of flooding in the U.S. will jump by more than 26 percent by 2050, with underserved communities shouldering the greatest burden.  At the same time, the U.S. is losing valuable coastal ecosystems that help to buffer communities from these impacts and provide important habitats for fish and wildlife. According to a 2009 study, the U.S. loses 80,000 acres of coastal wetlands each year and these losses are mounting as wetlands and other important coastal habitats continue to be “squeezed” by rising sea levels on one side and increasing development on the other. 

The National Coastal Resilience Fund supports the implementation of nature-based solutions to enhance the resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems to these threats. We strategically invest in projects that construct or restore coastal habitats that increase the capacity of communities and habitats to withstand and recover from disruptions and adapt to changing environmental conditions. Nature-based solutions include natural and hybrid (“green-gray”) solutions, such as restoring coastal marshes, reconnecting floodplains, rebuilding dunes or other natural buffers, and installing living shorelines. Additionally, NFWF prioritizes investments that address the disproportionate risks faced by underserved communities and projects that are community led or incorporate direct community outreach and engagement.  

A Regional Focus

The National Coastal Resilience Fund is a national program with a regional focus. It supports targeted investments that help communities address their specific resilience needs and priorities. The National Coastal Resilience Fund invests in projects that:

  • Benefit coastal communities by reducing threats from coastal hazards (such as rising sea- and lake-levels, more intense storms, increasing flooding and erosion, and melting permafrost) to property and key assets, such as hospitals and evacuation routes; and
  • Benefit fish and wildlife by enhancing the ecological integrity and functionality of coastal ecosystems 

A Scientific Approach

The National Coastal Resilience Fund uses Regional Coastal Resilience Assessments to identify open space areas where nature-based solutions may maximize fish and wildlife benefits and human community resilience to flooding.  NFWF also supports socioeconomic assessments, monitoring and evaluation of our on-the-ground restoration projects to evaluate the efficacy of nature-based solutions and improve and refine our approach to building resilience along our coasts.  
 

Application Information


National Coastal Resilience Fund 2024 Request for Proposals View Now
2024 NCRF Applicant Easygrants Walkthrough View Now
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) View Now
NCRF Technical Reviewer View Now
NCRF Field Liaison Support View Now
Coastal Resilience Evaluation and Siting Tool (CREST) View Now
NOAA's Digital Coast Resources (NCRF) View Now
10 Tips for Grantees View Now
Interim Programmatic Report Guidance View Now
Final Programmatic Report Guidance View Now
National Coastal Resilience Fund Fact Sheet Download the PDF
November 2023 Grant Slate Download the PDF
October 2023 Grant Slate Download the PDF
December 2022 Grant Slate Download the PDF
August 2022 Grant Slate Download the PDF
2021 Grant Slate Download the PDF
2020 Grant Slate Download the PDF
2019 Grant Slate Download the PDF
2018 Grant Slate Download the PDF
Coastal Resilience Success Stories View Website
Coastal Resilience Assessment Fact Sheet Download the PDF
Map: National Coastal Resilience Fund Footprint View Website
Staff Representatives

Program Director, Coastal Resilience

Program Manager, Coastal Resilience

Program Manager, Coastal Resilience

Program Manager, Coastal Resilience

Program Coordinator, Coastal Resilience