Coastal Conservancy Grants

Photo: Mary Small

The Coastal Conservancy helps achieves its mission through awarding grants to partner organizations to undertake projects that further its goals. For more information about the kind of work the Coastal Conservancy engages in, please see: Conservancy Projects.

Current Grant Opportunities

The Coastal Conservancy accepts grant applications on an ongoing basis. Grants are available to government agencies and nonprofit organizations and funding availability is subject to legislative appropriation.  A list of current opportunities is here.

The general grant application and instructions are posted here.  Information about Proposition 1 grant rounds is posted here.

Community Engagement increases the long-term success of most projects.  Tips for meaningful Community Engagement can be found here.

What the Conservancy Funds

The Conservancy funds projects that help it achieve the goals and objectives of its Strategic Plan (2018-2022). The goals are listed below; refer to the plan for additional detail on specific objectives. Projects that help achieve multiple objectives will receive higher priority for funding. The Conservancy will fund most stages of a project including: pre-project feasibility studies, property acquisition, planning (for large areas or specific sites) and design, environmental review, construction, monitoring, and, in limited circumstances, maintenance.

• Strategic Plan Goals

• Develop the California Coastal Trail as a major recreational amenity, tourist attraction, and alternative transportation system.
• Expand the system of coastal public accessways, open-space areas, parks, and inland trails that connect to the coast.
• Revitalize coastal and inland waterfronts that provide significant public benefits and promote sustainable economic development.
• Expand environmental education efforts to improve public understanding, use, and stewardship of coastal resources.
• Protect significant coastal resource properties, including farmland, rangeland, and forests.
• Enhance biological diversity, improve water quality, habitat, and other natural resources within coastal watersheds.
• Enhance coastal working lands, including farmland, rangeland, and forests.
• Enhance the resiliency of coastal communities and ecosystems to the impacts of climate change.
• Improve public access, recreation, and educational facilities and programs within the Santa Ana River Parkway.
• Protect and enhance natural habitats and connecting corridors, watersheds, scenic areas, and other open-space resources of regional importance in the Santa Ana River watershed.
• Identify and prioritize long-term resource and recreational goals for the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Protect and enhance natural habitats and connecting corridors, watersheds, scenic areas, and other open-space resources of regional importance in the Bay Area.
• Improve public access, recreation, and educational facilities and programs in and around San Francisco Bay, along the coast, the ridgelines, in urban open spaces, and natural areas.
• Protect Bay Area working lands and support farmers and ranchers in implementing stewardship of the natural resources on their lands.
• Provide leadership, partnership, and assistance to organizations engaged in conservation and public access within the Conservancy’s jurisdiction.
• Ensure that the work of the Conservancy promotes environmental equity and justice.
• Implement a sustainable funding strategy for the Conservancy’s projects and programs.
• Organize the Conservancy’s structure to align staff resources with the Conservancy’s sources of funding and Strategic Plan objectives.
• Ensure full transparency and accountability, including external communications about the Conservancy’s purposes, actions, and accomplishments.