Explore the Coast Grants
Photo: Viva Verde Education Program
Explore the Coast Grant Program
The Conservancy’s Explore the Coast Grant program encourages all Californians to explore and experience our spectacular coast.
There is no minimum grant size but the maximum grant award is $50,000. If funding is available, the Conservancy will offer these grants every year. Since 2013, the Conservancy has awarded over $6 million in 200 separate grants (updated Fall 2019).
Explore the Coast grants fund a wide range of programs that bring people to the coast. Several projects fund transportation for school groups from inland areas to the ocean or San Francisco Bay, particularly people from underserved communities and those with disabilities who otherwise have fewer opportunities to visit the coast. Many projects provide environmental education about the ocean, coast, and San Francisco Bay to K-12 students, targeting schools in low-income communities. This grant program seeks to fund projects that meet one or more of the following priorities:
- Provides a coastal experience for people that may face challenges getting to or enjoying the coast (such as lower-income people, people with disabilities, English as a Second Language (ESL) communities, students from Title 1 schools or others).
- Creates opportunities for people to visit the coast for the first time.
- Provides a valuable recreational, environmental, cultural, or historic learning experience.
- Increases stewardship of coastal resources.
Advisory Board
The Explore the Coast Grant Program benefits from the guidance of an Advisory Board, which represents the interests and needs of communities served by this grant program. The Advisory Board counsels Conservancy staff on the application process, review of applications, and ongoing delivery of the Explore the Coast grant program. To learn more about the Advisory Board and its current members, click here.
Funding
Funding for Explore the Coast grants comes from the Environmental License Plate Fund, from the Coastal Access Account and other sources.
Programs that teach Californian’s to value the state’s coastal resources or programs that combine education with beach maintenance and habitat restoration projects should also consider applying for a Coastal Commission Whale Tail Grants.
Grant News
- Request for Partnership Proposals/Letters of Interest for the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant ProgramNOTE: This is a call-for preproposals for projects who would like to partner with the California State Coastal Conservancy in order to apply for US Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation (NCWC) Program funding. a) This is NOT the official NCWC call for applications. b) Projects hoping to receive NCWC funding are NOT […] (Read more on Request for Partnership...)
- Coastal Conservancy Awards $14.7 Million for Coastal Protection, Restoration and AccessOakland, CA – This week, the Board of the California State Coastal Conservancy awarded $14.7 million to 13 projects to protect and restore the California coast and San Francisco Bay, and increase public access to these natural resources. The projects were: NORTH COAST A grant of up to $200,000 to Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District […] (Read more on Coastal Conservancy Awards...)
- Request for Disbursement FormThe Request for Disbursement Form can be found here. Please download it, fill it out, and submit the document with an original signature, printed single-sided in Portrait orientation. Please note that because an original signature is required, electronic copies of RFDs will not be accepted. See RFD instructions for more information. Please also refer to the COSTS AND DISBURSEMENTS section of […] (Read more on Request for Disbursement...)
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