Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities Selected for Funding

NOAA has run two rounds of the Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities funding opportunity under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. In the first round of funding, NOAA awarded nearly $25 million in funding for 35 projects. In the second round of funding, NOAA recommended more than $45 million in funding for 27 projects, including more than $20 million for federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations. 

These projects will support community-driven habitat restoration and build the capacity of tribes and underserved communities to more fully participate in restoration and coastal resilience activities. 

Alaska

Second Round

The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska will build capacity to implement coastal restoration work and strategies for climate resilience. They will hire regional coordinators for tribal fisheries, traditional foods security, youth stewardship, and communications. They will also support capacity for the Seacoast Indigenous Guardians Network, which helps tribal communities steward and restore their traditional lands and water. ($3 million*) 

The Chugach Regional Resources Commission, an intertribal consortium of Alaska Native villages in the Chugach region, will partner with the Kodiak Area Native Association, The Native Conservancy, and the Kodiak Archipelago Leadership Institute to help create and strengthen a network of tribal collaborators to steward coastal resources and build coastal resilience. They will hire new positions that will serve as catalysts to coordinate the regional network, engage with tribal communities, and implement restoration projects. ($2.9 million*) 

The Tyonek Tribal Conservation District will support the Native Village of Tyonek in conducting actionable science to guide planning for restoration in the Chuitna River. They will collect and analyze information to learn more about the causes of the decline of Chinook salmon—a key tribal subsistence resource—in the river. They will also work to protect existing salmon habitat, identify key spawning locations, and conduct yearly surveys of salmon nests. ($1.1 million*)

First Round

The Levelock Village Council will conduct a Climate Impact Statement for the Native Village of Levelock, Alaska. The Climate Impact Statement will assess how future climate scenarios could affect Levelock and provide strategies to improve their resilience to hazards like sea level rise and flooding. In particular, it will focus on how climate change could impact erosion of the Kvichak River, which the community relies on for supply services and sockeye salmon fishing. ($380,000)

West Coast

Second Round

California

The Mid Klamath Watershed Council will restore habitat on Red Cap Creek and Old Campbell Creek, two tributaries of the Klamath River. They will work to improve spawning and rearing habitat for threatened coho salmon and other species. Restoration will occur on the ancestral territory of the Karuk Tribe and the Tsnungwe Tribe, and the project will work closely with the tribes to support tribal capacity for community-driven habitat restoration. ($589,000*) 

The Salmonid Restoration Federation will work with North Coast Tribes to identify and plan restoration projects that benefit salmon and to develop climate resilience plans. In collaboration with several partners, including the California Indian Environmental Alliance, they will conduct technical trainings, coordinate a restoration symposium, and create a fund to compensate tribal members for their time participating in project development and consultations. ($550,000) 

The Yurok Tribe will restore habitat in the lower Blue Creek, a tributary of the Klamath River that provides critical habitat for salmon and other culturally important species. The project will also increase the tribe’s capacity to plan and implement restoration projects and to steward a coastal watershed, tribally managed forest, and salmon sanctuary. ($1.4 million*)

Oregon

The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission will work to support salmon recovery in the Columbia River estuary. CRITFC is a tribally-led organization created and governed by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, and the Nez Perce Tribe. They will work to model the impacts of habitat conservation and restoration, identify climate change threats, and produce actionable science to guide future restoration work that conserves salmon habitat and reduces flooding. ($794,000*)

Washington

The Lummi Indian Business Council will build capacity and conduct actionable science to support habitat restoration in the Lummi Reservation tidelands. The 10,000-acre tidelands provide habitat for oysters, clams, crabs, and salmon, which are culturally and economically significant to the Lummi Nation. This project will provide employment and training opportunities that will focus on protecting and restoring tidal habitat and helping build resilience to impacts from climate change. ($491,000*)

The Makah Tribe of the Makah Reservation will conduct habitat restoration and monitoring to support the recovery of Lake Ozette sockeye salmon, a culturally important species to the Makah and Quileute Tribes. They will remove shoreside vegetation that has encroached on historical salmon spawning areas, conduct monitoring to measure the impacts of the restoration work, and map potential spawning sites to target for future restoration. ($1 million*) 

The Quinault Indian Nation will restore salmon habitat on the Upper Quinault River that has been degraded by forest clearing and development. This area is a cold-water refuge that historically sustained large populations of sockeye salmon, an important staple for the Quinault people. The project will also build capacity for restoration planning, design, and construction through new staff positions. ($3 million*) 

The Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group will repair two culverts blocking fish passage on Carpenter Creek, which flows into the Skagit River. They will also take initial design and permitting steps to address three additional fish passage barriers on the creek. This project will engage the large agricultural community surrounding the creek, including tribal members. Through a partnership with Vamos Outdoors, the project will develop an outdoor education program focused on Latine youth. ($825,000) 

The Skagit River System Cooperative, which provides natural resource management services for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe, will work to support salmon and other fish species in the Skagit River. The project will restore streamside habitat, upgrade a native plant nursery, and build the capacity of the tribes to identify and plan future restoration work. ($656,000*) 

First Round

California

The Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria will build their capacity to participate in and lead abalone restoration on their ancestral lands. They will take steps toward establishing a tribal breeding program for red abalone and will train and employ tribal divers to conduct ecological monitoring. They will also pilot experimental removals of purple sea urchins to help reduce pressure on bull kelp, which provides important habitat for red abalone. ($1.6 million)

The Mid Klamath Watershed Council will partner with the Karuk Tribe to restore habitat in Red Cap Creek, a tributary of the Klamath River located on Karuk Tribal ancestral lands. They will implement high-priority restoration to recover coho salmon, a species central to the diet and culture of local Indigenous communities. Hands-on opportunities for young people, such as internships, will help engage the next generation in environmental stewardship. ($519,000)

Nature Nexus Institute will engage community members in South Los Angeles in habitat restoration through nature hikes, field trips, workshops, and hands-on restoration activities. They will restore habitat at two parks in the Baldwin Hills—Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook State Park and Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area—that are the closest no-cost, open space recreational areas available to local residents. ($928,000)

The Pinoleville Pomo Nation will develop a plan for reconnecting Ackerman Creek, a tributary of California’s Russian River, to its floodplain. Funding will support tribal staff positions to collaborate with partners and lead the planning effort. A series of collaborative workshops will provide opportunities for tribal members and other community members to provide feedback and share cultural and traditional ecological knowledge throughout the process. ($739,000)

The Salmon River Restoration Council will advance habitat restoration planning efforts in three tributaries of the South Fork and Mainstem Salmon River in the Klamath Basin, near to the remote rural communities of Sawyers Bar, Forks of Salmon, Cecilville, and Somes Bar, California. The restoration sites are located in the ancestral territory of the Karuk Tribe, who will provide direct input throughout all levels of the project. ($457,000)

Oregon

The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde will restore habitat for salmon, steelhead, and other species on the tribally owned Chankawan Wildlife Area property near Stayton, Oregon. They will remove culverts and other barriers to improve fish passage, reconnect the North Santiam River to its floodplain, and increase the amount of large wood to provide more habitat complexity. ($695,000)

Washington

Edmonds College, in partnership with the Latino Educational Training Institute and Snohomish Conservation District, will create a bilingual workforce development program to educate and train members of the Latino community in the restoration field. The program will include paid internship opportunities, providing participants with hands-on experience restoring salmon habitat in the Stillaguamish and Snohomish watersheds. ($817,000)

Long Live the Kings will build capacity for the Nisqually Indian Tribe to incorporate their vision and voice into restoration in the Nisqually River Delta. They will integrate the tribe’s priorities for habitat restoration and nature-based solutions to reduce flooding, increase climate resilience, and support salmon. The increased capacity will help ensure the tribe’s Traditional Ecological Knowledge and vision for habitat restoration is reflected in the replacement of an Interstate 5 bridge. ($502,000)

The Lummi Nation will conduct an assessment to help determine the potential risk that invasive European green crabs pose to eelgrass beds on Lummi Reservation tidelands. They will build staff capacity, acquire the necessary equipment and training, and engage indigenous high school and college students to conduct an inventory and establish baselines of the current status of eelgrass habitat and European green crabs. ($868,000)

The Skagit River System Cooperative, which provides fisheries and environmental services for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe, will restore estuary habitat to support the recovery of tribal fisheries in the Skagit River. Tribal members will engage in the development of several projects in the Skagit River watershed, in areas that are a priority for Chinook salmon recovery. ($649,000)

Pacific Islands

Second Round

Hawaiʻi

Hui Aloha Kīholo will support watershed restoration and capacity building to help protect natural and cultural resources and increase the resilience of the Kīholo community. Through this work, they will provide opportunities for Native Hawaiians and communities to help design and participate in coastal restoration. They will also support workshops, trainings, and learning exchanges that provide opportunities for community members to learn about key scientific tools, discuss restoration work, and share challenges. ($2.2 million) 

Kuleana Coral Reefs will expand the ability of Native Hawaiians and local community members to participate in coral restoration in Hawaiʻi. They will provide training and employment opportunities in the coral restoration field, expand the network of community-based coral restoration areas on West Oʻahu and Maui, and engage local people and youth in coral restoration, stewardship, and coastal restoration solutions. ($553,000) 

The Maui Nui Makai Network will use a ridge-to-reef (ahupua’a) strategy to restore coastal and stream habitat and traditional Hawaiʻi fishponds and taro fields on Maui and Molokai. They will also build the capacity of their network, which brings together nine communities and four partner organizations, to support ecological and community resilience using place-based, collaborative strategies. ($2.2 million) 

First Round

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Pacific Coastal Research & Planning will collaborate with partners and communities to restore habitat in the Achugao and Laolao Bay watersheds on the island of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The project will serve as a demonstration of how habitat restoration and nature-based solutions can address community resilience. Local resource managers and stakeholders will play a key role, so they can apply these practices to projects in other CNMI communities. ($1 million)

Hawaiʻi

Hawaiian Islands Land Trust and Native Hawaiians from the Waihee and Waiehu communities will work together to restore the flow of water to the taro fields and fish pond at the Waihee Coastal Dunes and Wetlands Refuge on Maui. They plan to build a ridge-to-reef model for collaborative land and ocean stewardship by engaging the community through outreach meetings, workshops, volunteer workdays, and educational activities. ($804,000)

Kuleana Coral Reefs will launch a program to engage community members on West Oʻahu in coral reef conservation and reduce barriers to environmental work for Native Hawaiians. The Community Dive Program will provide professional certifications and training in coral restoration to local residents, and conduct on-the-ground coral restoration at community-selected sites to help build coastal resilience. ($465,000)

Gulf of Mexico

Second Round

Alabama

The Nature Conservancy will improve stormwater infrastructure in the Bayou La Batre watershed to help protect communities in South Mobile County from the impacts of climate change. They will map current stormwater infrastructure, construct new stormwater infrastructure to improve water quality, and engage community members in coastal resilience planning and implementation. ($2.9 million)

Florida

Franklin's Promise Coalition will support conservation corps positions in northwest Florida through their OysterCorps program, providing education and hands-on experience to young people experiencing barriers to sustainable careers. OysterCorps members will engage in restoration and resilience projects in their communities by leading coastal restoration, engaging their neighbors in opportunities to increase climate resilience, and implementing outreach and education activities. ($2.9 million)

Louisiana

The Chitimacha Tribe, through the tribally owned business Wayti Services, LLC, will construct a living shoreline to restore and protect areas of Caad Kuujaaminix (Bayou Sale) that are home to culturally sensitive sites. This project will build the tribe’s capacity to plan and implement future restoration projects by engaging Chitimacha students pursuing environmental degrees in project planning, permitting, monitoring, and implementation. ($3 million*)

First Round

Florida

The City of Port St. Joe, Florida, will gather critical data needed to finalize the design for  nature-based solutions to address frequent flooding impacting homes and infrastructure in the North Port St. Joe neighborhood. They will engage community members and partners in understanding the study’s findings and their implications for designing future restoration projects. ($280,000)

Louisiana

The City of New Orleans will work toward restoring the Bayou Bienvenue Wetland Triangle, a large and complex wetland next to the Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood. They will work closely with partners to collaborate with the local community in creating a restoration prioritization plan. Based on the results of that plan, they will develop designs to restore a portion of the wetlands. ($490,000)

The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana will restore habitat in the Central Wetlands Unit, a nearly 30,000-acre marsh bordering communities in the Ninth Ward of Orleans Parish and St. Bernard Parish. They will engage local community members in hands-on project work to provide a new generation of coastal stewards with the skills and experience needed to build capacity for coastal restoration. ($715,000)

Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government will restore coastal wetlands in areas near to where the Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of Biloxi­-Chitimacha-­Choctaw Tribe, the Pointe-­au-­Chien Indian Tribe, and the Jean Charles Choctaw Nation are located or have sacred and culturally significant sites. Using local and indigenous knowledge, they will work to refill canals that were previously dug for oil and gas exploration to help reestablish the wetlands. ($1 million) 

The Water Institute of the Gulf will partner with community liaisons to directly engage southeast Louisiana’s Asian American shrimpers and processors and co-develop a climate change adaptation plan to protect their communities and fishing infrastructure. Through interviews, workshops, and interactive modeling activities, they will work to develop a comprehensive plan that takes into account the specific needs and experiences of Asian American fishing communities. ($822,000)

The Chitimacha Tribe, through its business Wayti Services, LLC, will design a living shoreline to restore and protect areas of Caad Kuujaaminix (Bayou Sale) that are home to tribal cultural sites. Funding will support staff and technical experts in their work to conduct a study and plan a construction method for creating marsh habitat, protecting the shoreline, and supporting traditional fisheries. ($737,000)

Texas

The Matagorda Bay Foundation will conduct restoration and resilience planning for Matagorda Bay, one of the largest estuaries on the Texas coast, with the support of new and current staff. The staff members will help connect with and empower local communities in Calhoun and Matagorda Counties, collect information for use in strategic conservation planning, and identify priorities for future restoration projects. ($534,000)

Caribbean

Second Round

Puerto Rico

Caras of the Americas (Caras con Causa) will restore a deforested urban wetland near the communities of Cataño and northern Guaynabo. They will restore habitat in Cucharillas Marsh Nature Reserve by removing invasive species and planting mangroves and trees. They will also collaborate with community members to plan and implement the restoration work, conduct environmental education programs at several public schools, and fund paid internships and salaries for additional employees. ($650,000) 

U.S. Virgin Islands

Ceiba Strategies will collaborate with local communities on the west end of St. Croix in a ridge-to-reef watershed effort to restore coastal habitat and coral reefs. They will outplant corals on reefs in Butler Bay and implement watershed management practices to protect coral from land-based sources of pollution. They will also help build community capacity for restoration through paid internship and mentorship opportunities, educational programs for local schools, and an advisory council of community leaders. ($2.3 million) 

First Round

Puerto Rico

The University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla will restore mangroves and dunes in Loiza, Puerto Rico. These habitats have been significantly damaged by past hurricanes and winter storms, which has made local communities more vulnerable to flooding from storm surge and sea level rise. They will build their capacity to lead restoration, community outreach, and environmental education activities. ($1 million)

Franklin’s Promise Coalition will expand BoriCorps, their environmental restoration and workforce training program that engages local young adults in coastal restoration and resilience. BoriCorps participants will use a ridge-to-reef approach to restore habitat—from upland forests to coral reefs—across the Guanica, Cabo Rojo, and Jobos Bay watersheds in southern Puerto Rico. They will receive on-the-job training, industry certifications, and leadership skills to become environmental stewards. ($1.3 million)

The Ocean Foundation will contribute to the largest mangrove habitat restoration project ever undertaken in Puerto Rico. Members from the local communities of Salinas, Aguirre, and Guayama will work alongside technical experts to gain experience in restoration and monitoring in the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The loss of healthy mangroves in this area has exposed important infrastructure—such as a power plant, solar farm, and evacuation route—to damage from hurricane-related winds and flooding. ($450,000)

U.S. Virgin Islands

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources will help residents of the territory address stormwater runoff and soil erosion issues on their property. Through the Virgin Islands Clean Coasts Program, the department previously conducted property evaluations and proposed recommendations for managing runoff and erosion. Through this project, they will work to implement these recommendations and fix issues that were identified. ($878,000)

South Atlantic

Second Round

Florida

The University of Miami and partners will support capacity building, coastal habitat restoration, and climate resilience in Miami. In collaboration with the Black Women in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Science network, they will create internship opportunities for undergraduates, graduate students, and early career scientists interested in habitat restoration, climate education, and marine science. They will also engage local community members in on-the-ground restoration of mangroves and coral reefs within NOAA’s Biscayne Bay Habitat Focus Area. ($1.4 million) 

Georgia

The Georgia Conservancy will collaborate with the Seabrook Village Foundation to create a living shoreline along the Public Landing—an important historical park and community resource in Seabrook, a historic Gullah Geechee community. They will design and construct the living shoreline to help protect the site from erosion and stormwater runoff. They will also lead outreach and education activities such as volunteer opportunities, community meetings, summer camps, and educational forums. ($528,000) 

South Carolina

The Sustainability Institute will build local capacity for salt marsh restoration and climate resilience work in 5 communities along the South Carolina coast. Through their Americorps service learning program, they will provide training and employment opportunities to local community members, who will assist in conducting salt marsh studies, implementing salt marsh restoration, and designing, building, and maintaining rain gardens. ($2.7 million)

First Round

Florida

The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science will restore coastal habitat in northern Miami-Dade County while providing high school students with paid, immersive opportunities in the restoration field. Students will receive training and hands-on experience in restoring coral reefs, mangroves, and beach dunes in Haulover Park, one of the longest remaining stretches of undeveloped beachfront in the county. ($497,000)

Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina 

The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor will create new staff positions to expand their work creating a plan for restoration and resilience across the Corridor, which stretches from North Carolina through Florida. The new positions will help build relationships between restoration organizations and Gullah Geechee communities, identify the resilience priorities of community members, and form local advisory committees to support future restoration efforts. ($536,000)

North Carolina and South Carolina

The National Audubon Society will work with coastal communities to identify and propose nature-based solutions that increase resilience to extreme weather and climate change. They will collaboratively create a suite of proposed projects that address the goals and challenges of Awendan and McClellanville, South Carolina, and Columbia and Tyrrell County, North Carolina. They will also hire community planners to support the process and help coordinate future restoration. ($499,000)

Northeast

Second Round

Maryland

Parks and People will restore a degraded urban stream and support education and workforce development opportunities for young people in Baltimore. This work is connected to a larger, ongoing effort to convert a private country club to Hillside Park, a future public green space to be open to the community. The project will support new community engagement initiatives and park programming, including paid environmentally-focused internships for high school students and an environmental education summer camp. ($1.3 million in first year; up to $2.1 million total over 3 years)

Massachusetts

The Association to Preserve Cape Cod will work closely with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe to restore habitat for river herring on Cape Cod. They will assess potential restoration actions along the Mashpee River, including an abandoned cranberry bog and damaged lake outlets that may be impairing fish migration. Tribal staff, members, resources, and information will be fully integrated into all stages of the restoration effort, to help build tribal capacity for developing and managing restoration projects. ($2.6 million*)

First Round

Massachusetts

The City of Chelsea, Massachusetts, will gather community input and remove Slade Mill Dam on Mill Creek. They will work to actively engage the local community throughout all phases of planning and construction, including through community meetings, site walks, and educational signage. This project will work in tandem with an ongoing effort to create a park and riverwalk that will increase public access to Mill Creek. ($428,000)

New York

The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation will establish a paid internship and training program for economically disadvantaged and minority high school and college students. The program will implement habitat restoration projects on parklands in southeastern Queens near Jamaica Bay, which contains the largest remaining extent of marshes in New York City. It will also provide free and accessible programming to the local community, such as volunteer opportunities and environmental education events. ($629,000)

Rhode Island

The City of Providence, Rhode Island, will conduct an analysis of the Port of Providence’s coastline, which borders the South Providence and Washington Park neighborhoods. The assessment will identify current shoreline conditions and potential opportunities for future habitat restoration. The city will also partner with Groundwork Rhode Island and Save the Bay to conduct outreach and provide educational opportunities for local community members. ($492,000)

Virginia

The Mattaponi Indian Tribe and Reservation will work to restore shorelines on tribal reservation lands along the Mattaponi River. They will also increase their capacity to lead and participate in habitat restoration activities by hiring additional staff and providing training and opportunities for tribal members. This project is located within the area of Virginia known as the Middle Peninsula, which has been recognized as a NOAA Habitat Focus Area. ($235,000 in first year; up to $999,000 total over 3 years)

Great Lakes

Second Round

Illinois

Friends of the Forest Preserves will increase capacity for community-led restoration in Chicago and southeastern Cook County, Illinois. They will recruit and train two Conservation Corps cohorts to conduct restoration work in four forest preserves in the Lake Michigan watershed. They will also start a new program to train two Engagement Crew cohorts that will work with community partners, gather local input, and plan locally relevant events. ($1.8 million)

Michigan

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians will work to identify and assess future climate-related threats to tribal properties and develop a tribal strategic plan for climate resilience. They will conduct a greenhouse gas emission study to help measure tribal progress toward carbon neutrality, and create a Tribal Youth Advisory Council to foster intergenerational connectivity and support tribal climate literacy. ($2 million*)

First Round

Indiana

The National Audubon Society will conduct a community-driven planning effort and begin work to restore degraded wetland habitat along the West Branch of the Little Calumet River in Gary, Indiana. They will gather community members’ current perspectives and future visions to inform a plan for restoration at Marshalltown Marsh and Hatcher Park. They will also begin initial on-the-ground restoration at Hatcher Park. ($307,000)

Michigan

The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission will coordinate with the City of Benton Harbor, Michigan, to hire an administrator to manage an effort to revitalize the area surrounding Ox Creek. The new project administrator will help build a coalition of residents and local organizations, conduct community outreach and engagement, develop a habitat restoration plan that incorporates public input, and implement two pilot habitat restoration projects. ($975,000)

New York

Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper will work toward restoring habitat in the highly-impaired Scajaquada Creek watershed in New York, collaborating closely with community members in the Black Rock, Riverside, East Side of Buffalo, and western Cheektowaga neighborhoods. They will build a coalition to engage community members, conduct stakeholder outreach to inform the creation of a restoration and resilience plan, and advance efforts to restore habitat along the creek. ($901,000)

* Indicates funding recommended for U.S. federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and organizations that represent tribes through formal legal agreements, through direct awards or subawards, through the second round of the funding opportunity.