Request for Partnership Proposals/Letters of Interest for the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program FY 2024

NOTE:

This is a call-for preproposals for projects who would like to partner with the California State Coastal Conservancy to apply for US Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant (NCWCG) Program funding.

1. a) This is NOT the official NCWC call for applications.
2. b) Projects hoping to receive NCWCG funding are NOT required to apply through the Coastal Conservancy. As stated below, there are six other state agencies who are also designated to apply for these funds for the projects in California. However, should a project wish to work with the Coastal Conservancy to manage and administer a potential future grant, please read the following announcement, and if you feel your project fits the NCWCG criteria, please submit a brief (~2-4 page) letter of interest via email to gerwein@scc.ca.gov by 5 PM PST on Friday, April 14^th, 2023 (see further details below).

The California State Coastal Conservancy (Conservancy) seeks partners for joint applications to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 round of the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant (NCWCG) Program for coastal wetlands acquisition and/or restoration projects on the California coast or along the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Only seven designated state agencies, including the Conservancy, are eligible to apply for NCWC grants in California. However, the Conservancy can work in partnership with state and local agencies, tribes, and certain non-profits to develop and submit NCWC proposals.  The Conservancy can pass through NCWCG funds to its partners, as subrecipients, to implement projects.  While federal agencies can’t receive NCWCG funds, NCWCG-funded projects can be implemented on federal lands by a subrecipient. A full description of the NCWCG program can be found here:  https://www.fws.gov/coastal/CoastalGrants/.

NCWC provides grants of up to $1,000,000 for the protection and/or restoration of coastal wetlands.  Grants are for project implementation, although it is permissible to utilize no more than 30%, combined, for biological surveys or monitoring, planning, and permitting if those activities are closely tied to implementation. Projects should be ready for implementation in Summer 2024 or 2025.  Projects will be more competitive if the project area is primarily made up of jurisdictional wetlands. The NCWC grant program requires a non-federal match of at least 25% of the total project cost, consisting of either cash or in-kind contributions, and additional points are awarded for match of up to 33% of the total project cost.  The Conservancy may be able to provide some or all the required match, but project partners providing their own match will increase the Conservancy’s capacity to carry out additional projects.  The NCWCG program also prioritizes projects that involve multiple partners providing a cash or in-kind contribution. All projects must ensure long-term (at least 20 years) conservation of coastal resources.

Eligible Activities include:

1. Acquisition of a real property interest (e.g., conservation easement or fee title) in coastal lands or waters (coastal wetlands ecosystems) from willing sellers or partners for long-term conservation;
2. Restoration, enhancement, or management of coastal wetlands ecosystems; or
3. A combination of acquisition, restoration, and management.

Ineligible Activities include, but are not limited to:

1. Projects that primarily benefit navigation, irrigation, flood control, or mariculture;
2. Acquisition, restoration, enhancement or management of lands required as the result of a regulatory or decision-making process to mitigate habitat losses;
3. Creation of wetlands where wetlands did not previously exist;
4. Enforcement of fish and wildlife laws and regulations, except when necessary for the accomplishment of approved project purposes;
5. Research;
6. Planning as a primary project focus;
7. Operations and maintenance, including long-term invasive species management;
8. Acquisition and/or restoration of upper portions of watersheds where benefits to the coastal wetlands ecosystem are not significant and direct; and
9. Projects providing less than 20 years of conservation benefits.

This year’s FY 2024 Notice of Funding Announcement (NOAO), is available here as reference:  https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html, funding opportunity Number: F24AS00005.

If your project is selected by the Conservancy during this initial proposal phase, the Conservancy will work with you to prepare a NCWCG proposal, which may or may not be awarded funding by the USFWS. The Conservancy will not award state funding grants directly through this solicitation.  The USFWS selects proposals for award through a merit-based, national competitive review and ranking process. The deadline to submit NCWC proposals to the USFWS for FY 2024 will be June 23, 2023.  Selected projects are generally awarded 6-8 months after the application is submitted. If projects are awarded a NCWCG, funding should be available for implementation in late Spring of 2024. 

USFWS will need to review and meet all project-related environmental compliance requirements before making funding available. A full description of the NCWCG program can be found here:  https://www.fws.gov/coastal/CoastalGrants/.

Letter of Interest Submittal:

To indicate your interest in partnering with the Conservancy on a NCWC proposal, please submit a brief (~2-4 page) letter of interest via email to joel.gerwein@scc.ca.gov. The letter should include the following information:

1) 1-2 sentence summary of proposed project,

2) location of the project and its relevance to NCWCG’s coastal wetland restoration goals,

3) description of the need for the project,

4) description of the proposed project and how it addresses the need,

5) estimated project cost and description of potential match,

6) approximate timeline for project implementation (include information of the status of project design and environmental review for restoration projects),

7) indicate whether you have a willing seller for acquisition projects, and

8) list of potential project partners and their roles in the project.  Include a map showing the project area and providing the approximate acreage of the project area and acreage of coastal wetlands within the project area.

Letters of Interest must be received by 5 PM PST on Friday, April 14^th 2023.

Eligible Applicants: Non-federal public agencies, tribes, and certain nonprofit organizations are eligible for funding. To be eligible, a nonprofit organization must qualify under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Questions? Questions about the application process and potential projects may be directed to Joel Gerwein, External Grants Manager, 510-286-4170, joel.gerwein@scc.ca.gov

Coastal Stories 2023 Request for Proposals (RFP) Now Open!

The Coastal Conservancy announces its 2023 Coastal Stories grant program Request for Proposals.

Through this program, we intend to make the outdoors more inclusive and welcoming for all Californians by fostering representation of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), people with disabilities, immigrant communities, low-income communities, and other historically excluded groups in outdoor spaces – through storytelling.  Learn more about the Coastal Stories program here. 

All projects must present a story connected to publicly-accessible outdoor spaces within our jurisdiction in a way that will reach the public. We seek to fund projects that plan, develop, and implement storytelling installations or materials (such as murals, signage, monuments, or guides) that represent communities and voices of historically excluded communities. We encourage proposals for community-led projects that show strong community and landowner partnerships and that use creative forms of historical, ecological, and cultural storytelling.

 The Conservancy held an informational webinar on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, from 12 PM-1 PM to walk through the Coastal Stories Grant Program and address common questions regarding the application.  A recording can be found here. 

If you would like a 30-minute consultation with a staff member, please email CoastalStories@scc.ca.gov along with your project idea and location(s).

The Request for Proposals (RFP) can be downloaded here. 

Pre-proposals are due by 5 pm on Friday, March 31, 2023, via email to grants@scc.ca.gov.

 Applicants invited to submit a full proposal or asked to provide further information on their project will be contacted by May 18^th, 2023.

The RFP was updated February 23, 2023 because the anticipated funding source requires prioritization of matching contributions.

Return to Coastal Stories program page here.

Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Awards over $13 million in Grants for Coastal Access, Restoration, and Resilience

Coastal Conservancy Awards over $13 million in Grants for Coastal Access, Restoration, and Resilience

12/1/2022, Pacific Grove, CA – Today, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy approved grants for 17 projects, totaling over $13 million, for coastal access, restoration, and climate resilience.  Included in the grants approved today were $3.5 million for the Regionally Advancing Living Shorelines in San Francisco Bay Project, $1 million to improve public access at Garrapata State Park in Big Sur, and over a quarter million dollars of voluntary income tax check-off funding for three separate projects to aid in recovery of the southern sea otter.

The Board also approved the Conservancy’s Strategic Plan for 2023-2027.  The plan provides an overall vision for our agency and quantified objectives to measure the effectiveness of our work.

Each year, the Coastal Conservancy issues millions of dollars in grants for projects that restore and protect the California coast, expand public access to it, and enhance its resilience to climate change.  Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis.  More information on our grants and how to apply can be found on the Grants page of our website (scc.ca.gov/grants).

NORTH COAST

1. A grant of up to $226,300 of Coastal Conservancy and US Fish and Wildlife Service National Coastal Wetland Conservation grant funds to the Humboldt County Resource Conservation District to prepare designs, environmental analyses, and permit applications for the restoration of tidal wetlands in Wadulh Lagoon on the Mad River Slough on Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County.
2. A grant of up to $350,000 to Friends of the Dunes to restore 80 acres of dune habitat to increase sea-level rise resiliency on the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wadulh Unit on the north spit of Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

3. A grant of up to $482,423 of San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority funding to the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board to augment the Conservancy’s previously authorized grant for operation of the Bay Restoration Regulatory Integration Team to enable operation through September 2024.
4. A grant of up to $3,500,000 to the San Francisco Estuary Institute, Marin and Golden Gate Audubon Societies, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, San Francisco State University, and additional contractors and grantees for monitoring of existing living shoreline projects, development of regional design and constructability guidance, preparation of permit applications, and preparation of preliminary site designs as part of the Regionally Advancing Living Shorelines in San Francisco Bay Project at ten locations in the Central Bay in San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Marin counties.
5. Authorization to disburse up to $500,000 to the City of Oakland to conduct technical feasibility studies and prepare designs for nature-based shoreline enhancement and resilience features to be incorporated into the plans for the Oakland Estuary Park Renovation Project on the Oakland Estuary in the City of Oakland, Alameda County.
6. A grant of up to $2,150,000 to Point Reyes Bird Observatory, Inc. to steward approximately 177 acres of restored wetlands through engaging the local community to maintain and enhance the wetlands and to implement minor property improvements by repairing and maintaining public access amenities in the Novato Baylands in Marin County.
7. A grant of up to $787,500 to Sonoma Land Trust to acquire the 174-acre Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools Property in Sonoma County for habitat preservation; biodiversity protection; climate resilience; improving wildlife corridors; and public access and tribal cultural uses compatible with natural resource protection.
8. A grant of up to $1,395,800 to the Petaluma River Park Foundation for community engagement, park plan development, specific project designs, and environmental review associated with development of Petaluma River Parkin Petaluma, Sonoma County.

CENTRAL COAST

9. A grant of up to $272,540 to Defenders of Wildlife, Sea Otter Savvy, and University of California at Santa Cruz to implement three separate projects toaid in recovery of the southern sea otter.
10. A grant of up to $300,000 to the Ventana Wildlife Society to prepare plans, environmental review documents, and permit applications for a group campground and support facilities for outdoor programming within Andrew Molera State Parkin Monterey County.
11. A grant of up to $1,000,000 to the California Department of Parks and Recreation to improve the California Coastal Trail by renovating several trailheads and trails, installing new signage and drainage/erosion protection improvements, and removing informal trails, in Garrapata State Park in Big Sur, Monterey County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
12. A grant of up to $824,900 to the Cachuma Resource Conservation District and to the Santa Barbara Fire Safe Council for two additional wildfire resilience projects under the Conservancy’s Wildfire Resilience Program – 2022-2023, in Santa Barbara County.
13. A grant of up to $483,600 to the Elkhorn Slough Foundation to use a mobile kiln to sequester carbon by converting non-native invasive tree logs to charcoalat Elkhorn Slough in Monterey County.

SOUTH COAST

14. A grant of up to $250,000 to nonprofit organizations for three community-based restoration projects in coastal wetlands and along coastal stream corridors in the Southern California region, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
15. A grant of up to $530,000 to California Trout Inc. to implement the Santa Margarita River Bridge Replacement and Fish Passage Barrier Removal Project, consisting of removing a box culvert river crossing and replacing it with a bridge that allows fish passage at Sandia Creek Drive in San Diego County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

STATEWIDE

16. A grant of up to $22,000 received from the California Department of Water Resources to augment the Conservancy’s previously authorized grant of $598,000 to Sustainable Conservation for advancing the adoption of programmatic permits to expand the project to include increased outreach to facilitate the use of recently adopted programmatic permits for aquatic habitat restoration and water quality improvement projects throughout California.
17. A grant of up to $50,000 to the Beach Erosion Authority for Clean Oceans and Nourishment to prepare a study of governance and financing options for integrating regional sediment management into sea level rise adaptation planning in California.

Job Posting: Project Support Analyst

“Love the North Coast, and the environment? This might be the job for you!”

The State Coastal Conservancy has an exciting opportunity for you to join us in protecting California’s iconic lands and waters, restoring vital habitats, and increasing inclusive and equitable enjoyment of the coast and shoreline.

The Conservancy works with others on multi-benefit projects located along the coast of California, within coastal watersheds, and/or within the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. The new Project Support Analyst will assist with disbursing state funding and managing projects to acquire and protect natural and agricultural lands, restore and enhance habitats and ecosystems, design and build trails and other recreational facilities, plan and implement climate adaptation projects, implement urban greening projects, provide environmental education, and improve public access for historically underserved communities in the North Coast Region. Tasks will include soliciting and reviewing grant applications, reviewing documents related to projects, writing and presenting staff recommendations for Conservancy Board approval, developing grant agreements in cooperation with legal staff, ensuring that all conditions of the grant agreement are met, reviewing invoices, and monitoring the progress of projects. The new staff member will be part of the North Coast regional team at the Conservancy, and will work with grantees, partner agencies, organizations, tribes, and community groups.

The position is located in Oakland, CA.

Applications received without ALL the required items (state application STD. 678 copy of diploma and/or transcripts (official/unofficial), cover letter and SOQ), will NOT receive further consideration for this position. SCC will not review attached resumes in lieu of the Employment History section of the State Application (STD 678). Failure to fill out the Employment History section of the State Application (STD 678) will result in disqualification.

In order to be eligible for this position, candidates must have taken the Staff Services Analyst online exam within the past 12 months To take the Staff Services Analyst exam, click this link or the Staff Services Analyst LEAP exam, click this link. If you are not currently on the Staff Services Analyst eligibility list, please take the online exam.

Candidates on the Staff Serves Analyst list who have a BA or BS are eligible for Range C, salary range $4,588 – $5,744 per month.  If you are new to state employment you will start at the minimum of the salary range.

This advertisement will be used for these and other permanent and/or limited term vacancies that may occur at the State Coastal Conservancy during the life of the certification list. A candidate pool may be established to fill subsequent vacancies.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

To learn more and apply, please visit the CalCareers Posting here.

Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Authorized $14.6m for Coastal Access, Restoration, and Climate Resilience

3/24/2022 – Today, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy approved $14.6 million in grants for restoration, protection, public access, and climate resilience along the California coast and San Francisco Bay.

Included in the approvals were $3,420,000 to Save the Redwoods League to acquire conservation easements on 3,862-acres of the Weger Ranch property within the Big River watershed in Mendocino County, and over $7 million to several organizations, including $5,281,709 to the Yurok Tribe, to construct initial public access improvements and visitor amenities for the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Project.

The full list of projects approved can be found below:

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

1. A grant of up to $320,000 to the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation to enhance habitat, protect and increase endangered plant species populations, and engage the local community in the restoration and conservation of five vernal pool properties on the Santa Rosa Plain, Sonoma County.
2. A grant of up to $836,400 to Acterra for Climate Resilient Communities to implement the pilot phase of the East Palo Alto Rain Garden Project in the city of East Palo Alto, San Mateo County.
3. A grant of up to $281,087 to California Trout, Inc. to augment the Conservancy’s grant of $196,123, authorized on June 18, 2020 for studies and designs, to prepare revised designs of the Sulphur Creek Fish Passage Improvement Project, Napa County to include bridge replacement.

NORTH COAST

4. A grant of up to $3,420,000 to Save the Redwoods League to acquire conservation easements on 3,862-acres of the Weger Ranch property within the Big River watershed in Mendocino County, for the purposes of natural resource and water quality protection, sustainable forest management and open space preservation.
5. Authorization to disburse funds received by the Conservancy from the Ocean Protection Council, the Wildlife Conservation Board California Riparian Habitat Conservation Program, and Save the Redwoods League to restore approximately 11.5 acres of riparian habitat on lower Prairie Creek as part of the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Projectat the former Orick Mill A site in Humboldt County, as follows: up to $5,281,709 to the Yurok Tribe and up to $1,320,427 to Caltrout, Inc.; and authorization to disburse up to $794,000 in funds received by the Conservancy from the Wildlife Conservation Board Public Access Program to Save the Redwoods League to construct initial public access improvements and visitor amenities for the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Project.

CENTRAL COAST

6. A grant of up to $500,000 to Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District to acquire 644-acres of the Johnston Ranch property for natural resource protection and restoration, open space, compatible agricultural preservation, and public access, located adjacent to the City of Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County.
7. A grant of up to $530,000 to the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County to construct an all-access trail and improvements to associated visitor-serving amenities at Antonelli Pond in Santa Cruz County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
8. A grant of up to $2,934,892 to San Mateo County to construct public access improvements and visitor-serving amenities at Tunitas Creek Beach in San Mateo County, of which $2,174,892 will derive from remaining unexpended funds from a Conservancy grant authorized on March 14, 2019 for the acquisition and planning of the project, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

SOUTH COAST

9. Authorization to (1) disburse up to $500,000 to hire contractors to develop and implement participation from tribal communities, community groups, and residents of the greater Los Angeles region to assist in planning the Ballona Wetlands Restoration project; and (2) disburse up to $53,000 to the Friends of Ballona Wetlands to restore disturbed riparian habitat at the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve in Los Angeles County.

Request For Services: Great Redwood Trail Master Plan And Community Outreach Program

The State of California Coastal Conservancy seeks the services of a consultant firm or team  to conduct tasks needed to support development of the Great Redwood Trail Master Plan and Community Engagement Program.  The consultant will provide technical expertise and develop products that support completion of the Great Redwood Trail Master Plan and Community Outreach Program, and provide Conservancy staff with technical expertise.

Photo: Alicia Hamann

The plan will build off the Great Redwood Trail Feasibility Study which was completed by State Parks under SB 1029. The Feasibility Study assessed the railroad infrastructure and the physical and environmental characteristics of the corridor. At this time there has been little direct community engagement around the Great Redwood Trail. Senator McGuire has held multiple well attended town hall meetings, but there has not been a systematic effort to engage the community in the trail planning. This is a key element to the development of the Great Redwood Trail as the trail spans 3 counties, 6 cities, the ancestral territory of many tribes, and has private property owners on either side of the right-of-way.

Respondents to this Request for Services must submit the information requested below electronically in Microsoft Word or PDF format to: Peter Jarausch, peter.jarausch@scc.ca.gov on or before 5:00 p.m. on April 26, 2022.  Please limit total file size below 20 MB.

The full RFS can be found here.

Schedule

Respondents to this Request for Services must submit the requested information below electronically in Microsoft Word or PDF format to: peter.jarausch@scc.ca.gov, on or before 5:00 p.m. on April 26, 2022.

Key Dates:

The full RFS can be found here.

Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Board Approves $12.6 million for Coastal Restoration, Protection and Public Access 

12/2/2021 – Today, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy approved over $12.6 million in grants for coastal restoration, protection and public access.

Included in the approvals were over $10 million to the City of Fullerton to acquire a 13.7-acre property in the West Coyote Hills area of north Orange County for open space, habitat protection, watershed management, and public access, $120,000 to Mycelium Youth Network for up to four priority climate adaptation projects to be implemented at Metwest High School in Oakland, and $52,000 of voluntary tax check-off funding to Sea Otter Savvy to implement a project to aid in recovery of the southern sea otter.

The full list of project approved can be found below:

NORTH COAST

1. A grant of up to $242,000 to the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to complete the final phase of the Hawk Hill Access Improvements Project within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area at Hawk Hill, Marin County.
2. A grant of up to $1,000,000 to the Marin Resource Conservation District to plan and implement carbon farming projects that improve soil productivity, water sustainability and greenhouse gas sequestration for agriculture and watershed resiliency on ranches in western Marin County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
3. A grant of up to $300,000 to the Yurok Tribe to enhance salmonid habitat in Hunter and McGarvey Creeks, tributaries to the lower Klamath River in Del Norte County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

SF BAY

4. A grant of up to $120,000 to Mycelium Youth Network to identify and plan up to four priority climate adaptation projects to be implemented at Metwest High School.

CENTRAL COAST

5. A grant of up to $52,000 to Sea Otter Savvy to implement a project to aid in recovery of the southern sea otter, consisting of conducting an educational outreach and community engagement program on responsible viewing of wild sea otters to reduce sea otter disturbance in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo counties.
6. A grant of up to $60,000 to augment an existing Conservancy authorization of $400,230 for consultant services to facilitate development of a contemporary Hollister Ranch Coastal Access Program, in Santa Barbara County.
7. A grant of up to $300,000 to the County of San Luis Obispo to renovate the Veteran’s Hall and construct adjacent access facilities in the town of Cayucos.

 SOUTH COAST

8. A grant of up to $66,000 to Nature Collective to remove invasive plant species on 14.5 acres of coastal wetlands at the Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve in San Diego County.
9. A grant of up to $379,350 to the County of Ventura to conduct planning and to develop design criteria, preliminary design plans and alternatives refinement for improvements to the Robles Diversion and Fish Passage Facility in unincorporated Ventura County.
10. A grant of up to $10,134,450 to the City of Fullerton to acquire a 13.7-acre property in the West Coyote Hills area of north Orange County for open space, habitat protection, watershed management, and public access.

Amy Hutzel Appointed New Executive Officer of the State Coastal Conservancy

The State Coastal Conservancy is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Executive Officer, Amy Hutzel.

Amy Hutzel

Ms. Hutzel previously served as the Conservancy’s Deputy Executive Officer and has been with the agency for over twenty years, during which she has been instrumental in many key projects including the restoration of thousands of acres of former salt ponds in the San Francisco Bay, the creation of the Conservancy’s flagship Explore the Coast and Explore the Coast Overnight grant programs to expand coastal access, and establishing the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority. She also led the development and implementation of many of the Conservancy’s equity-focused initiatives: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Guidelines, the ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan, the Beach Wheelchair Grant Program, and the updated Coastal Access Project Standards.

“The State Coastal Conservancy has had a remarkable impact on the California coast in the last 4 decades.” said Ms. Hutzel, “I am honored to take on this role at a time when our work is so essential. Together with the incredible Conservancy staff, I will work to accelerate projects that work with nature to adapt to climate change impacts and increase equitable access to the coast for all Californians.”

“The Coastal Conservancy plays a vital role in achieving the State’s goals for biodiversity, climate resilience, and equitable access to California’s natural wonders. Amy has proven herself as an exceptional leader at the Coastal Conservancy already and I could not be more excited for her to take the reins at this key agency.” said California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot

Each year, the State Coastal Conservancy issues tens of millions of dollars in grants to non-profit organizations, public agencies, and tribes for projects that restore and protect the California coast, increase public access to it, and increase communities’ resilience to climate change. In addition to its annual appropriations from Natural Resource Bonds, on September 23, 2021, Governor Newsom signed a budget bill that includes a total of $500 million for coastal resilience to be appropriated to the Conservancy in Fiscal Years 2022-23 and 2023-24. The Executive Officer and staff of the Conservancy also manage the work of the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, which allocates approximately $25 million each year for restoration projects on the San Francisco Bay shoreline.

“We’re thrilled for Amy to serve as the Executive Officer at the Conservancy,” said Doug Bosco, Chair of the State Coastal Conservancy’s Board, “The Board and I know Amy as a dedicated and collaborative leader with an exceptional track record of delivering complex projects. She will bring her energy and enthusiasm to this role, and a clear vision for what this agency can achieve.”

Ms. Hutzel has been with the State Coastal Conservancy for over 20 years, serving as Deputy Executive Officer, Bay Area Program Manager, and Project Manager. Prior to joining the Conservancy, she worked at Save The Bay and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

As Executive Officer, she will work closely with the Boards of the Conservancy and the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, lead the Conservancy’s 70 members of staff, and support hundreds of climate adaptation, public access, and habitat protection and restoration projects throughout the California coast, in the San Francisco Bay Area, and in coastal watersheds. Amy lives with her husband and two children in San Francisco.

Coastal Stories Grant Program Launched to Support Inclusive Storytelling about the California Coast

The Coastal Conservancy has launched a new grant program that intends to make the outdoors more inclusive and welcoming for all Californians by fostering representation of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and other historically excluded groups in outdoor spaces – through storytelling.

Our Coastal Stories Grant Program seeks to fund projects that plan, develop, and implement storytelling installations or materials (such as murals, signage, monuments, or guides) that represent communities and voices that have been historically excluded in the storytelling of California’s coast and publicly accessible lands. These communities may include but are not limited to BIPOC people, people with disabilities, immigrant communities, low-income communities, and other historically excluded communities.

All projects must present a story connected to publicly-accessible outdoors spaces within our jurisdiction,  in a way that will reach the public. We encourage proposals for projects that are community-led, that show strong community and landowner partnerships, and that use creative forms of historical, ecological, and cultural storytelling.

Learn more here.

Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Awards $14 million for Coastal Access, Protection, and Restoration

Yesterday, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy authorized over $14 million in funding for restoration, preservation, and public access to California’s coast and coastal watersheds.

The projects approved included $495,000 to design and permit access amenities and a new ADA-compliant bathroom at Lechuza Beach in Malibu, $755,820 to remove fish barriers and restore habitat on Davy Brown Creek in the Santa Maria River watershed, and $1,721,088 to nonprofit organizations and public agencies for 45 projects that create coastal experiences for communities facing barriers to coastal access. These 45 grants are part of the Conservancy’s Explore the Coast grant program, which aims to help more Californians, particularly those that have been historically excluded, access and enjoy the coast.

The grants awarded this week will not only enhance the health and accessibility of the California coast, but will help to make it more resilient to the challenges of rising seas and a changing climate.

NORTH COAST

1. Authorization to transfer fee title to nine Conservancy-owned parcels in the Bodega Bay area to the County of Sonoma; approval of the implementation/disposition plans for the property transfer; and authorization to disburse up to $34,000 to Sonoma County Regional Parks to prepare surveys and Phase 1 environmental site assessments of the parcels.

CENTRAL COAST

2. A grant of up to $165,000 to Trout Unlimited to augment an existing Conservancy grant authorized on May 24, 2018, to replace a concrete creek crossing with a fish-friendly box culvert on Cachagua Creek, a tributary to the Carmel River in Monterey County.
3. A grant of up to $216,636 to the Regents of the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) to conduct invasive plant removal to enhance native riparian habitat on the Santa Clara Riverin Ventura County.
4. A grant of up to $980,000 awarded to the Conservancy by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under its National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program to the Elkhorn Slough Foundation to augment a Conservancy grant authorized on December 19, 2019 to complete Phase 2 of the Elkhorn Slough Tidal Marsh Restoration Projectin Elkhorn Slough, Monterey County.
5. A grant of up to $212,812 to San Mateo County Harbor District to construct new public restrooms, realign a small segment of the California Coastal Trail, reconfigure the parking lot, and install other visitor-serving amenities at Pillar Point Harboradjacent to Surfer’s Beach in San Mateo County.
6. A grant of up to $100,000 to the County of Santa Cruz to develop a facilities and management plan for public access and natural resource protection for the north coast region of Santa Cruz County.
7. A grant of up to $755,820 to Earth Island Institute to remove two fish barriers, replace them with bridges, and restore habitat on Davy Brown Creek, located in the Santa Maria River watershed, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
8. A grant of up to $825,000 to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County for the acquisition of three conservation easements on the 7,681-acre Attiyeh Ranchin northern San Luis Obispo County.

SOUTH COAST

13. A grant of up to $200,000 to San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) to enhance and restore 4.6 acres of riparian upland habitatat Ocean Knoll Canyon in the City of Encinitas, San Diego County.
14. A grant of up to $35,780 to Orange County Coastkeeper to conduct monitoring and outreach to protect endangered bird species and associated habitat located near the Santa Ana River Mouthin the cities of Newport Beach and Huntington Beach.
15. A grant of up to $180,680 to the Environmental Center of San Diego to prepare environmental assessments, permit applications, and draft engineering designs to provide additional public access at Princess Streetin La Jolla, San Diego.
16. A grant of up to $3,500,000 to augment the Conservancy grant of $4,900,000, previously authorized to the Crystal Cove Conservancy to restore 17 historic cottages on North Beach of the Crystal Cove Historic District at Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County.
17. A grant of up to $200,000 to the Sierra Health Foundation to work with tribal entities to conduct planning to further tribal access, tribal participation in land management, and land acquisition by tribal entities at multiple sites in Orange County.
18. A grant of up to $330,040 to Amigos de los Rios to implement the Monrovia High School Watershed Discovery Projectin Monrovia, Los Angeles County.
19. Authorization to terminate the Coastal Conservancy’s Calleguas Creek Watershed In-lieu Fee Programby disbursing $2,453,773 million for the purchase of 58.11 jurisdictional wetland and riparian buffer credits from the Santa Paula Creek Mitigation Bank.
20. A grant of up to $495,000 to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to prepare final engineering designs and construction specifications, and prepare and submit permit applications needed to: 1) update and repair existing public beach access amenities, including two beach stairways, and to 2) install new Americans with Disabilities Act compliant public access amenities, including a restroom, at Lechuza Beachin the City of Malibu.
21. A grant of up to $1,342,500 to the Riverside County Regional Park and Open Space District for construction of a segment of the Santa Ana River Trailas part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Prado Dam Alcoa Dike construction project, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
22. A grant of up to $310,000 to Coastal Quest to conduct stakeholder outreach and engagement for coastal resiliency planning for state parkson the San Diego County coast.

STATEWIDE

19. $1,721,088 to nonprofit organizations and public agencies for 45 projects that facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the California coast. Participants are drawn from throughout the State and will visit coastal locations from Del Norte County south to San Diego County.