The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have announced 27 grants totaling $44.7 million in support of projects designed to enhance the resilience of coastal communities and improve habitats for fish and wildlife.

Awarded through the National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF), the grants will support planning, assessment, and the final implementation of conservation projects across the United States to restore or expand natural features such as coastal marshes and wetlands, dune and beach systems, oyster and coral reefs, coastal forests and rivers, floodplains, and barrier islands that minimize the impacts of storms, sea level rise, and other coastal hazards on nearby communities.

Established in 2018, NCRF is a partnership between NFWF, NOAA, the U.S. Department of Defense, Shell USA, TransRe, and Oxy. Using funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and other sources, the latest awards leveraged more than $25.2 million in matching funds, for a total conservation impact of nearly $70 million.

“As coastal communities face increasing threats from storms and other coastal hazards, it is vital we continue to support the type of nature-based solutions like those funded through this grant slate, that both protect communities and enhance fish and wildlife habitat,” said NFWF executive director and CEO Jeff Trandahl. “These grants ensure communities have the resources they need to assess, plan, and implement nature-based coastal resilience solutions that benefit people and wildlife.”

For a complete list of NCRF grants, see the NFWF website.

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Joesboy)