The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have announced grants totaling more than $144 million in support of natural infrastructure projects to enhance the resilience of coastal communities and improve habitats of fish and wildlife across the United States.

The grants will leverage an additional $97 million in matching funds for a total investment of $242 million.

Awarded through NFWF’s National Coastal Resilience Fund in collaboration with NOAA, the U.S. Department of Defense, and private-sector partners, including Shell USA, TransRe, Salesforce, and Oxy, the funding will support 109 natural infrastructure projects in 31 coastal states and U.S. territories to restore coastal habitats, including salt marshes in New England and tidal wetlands in California, and help Alaskan coastal communities prepare for and reduce the risks and effects of rising seas, coastal flooding, and more intense storms caused by climate change. The grants are in addition to the $44.7 million directed to 27 projects in October.

“The NCRF supports…the implementation of sustainable designs, plans, and practices that integrate natural features into successful coastal resilience outcomes,” said NFWF executive director Jeff Trandahl. “This year’s grant slate continues our significant investments in nature-based solutions that are critical to increasing the resilience of vulnerable communities and protecting and restoring essential habitats for fish and wildlife.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Vipersniper)