Overview
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) and Wetlands Watch have partnered to offer grant resources through the new Coastal Resilience & Tree Fund (Fund). 2023 serves as the inaugural year of the Fund, which provides grants for projects that seek to achieve increased resilience to flooding, sea level rise, and extreme weather events in Virginia’s coastal communities. A portion of the Fund will provide resources for increasing tree canopy in the coastal zone. The primary goal of the Fund is to support implementation of resilient practices and enhance the ability of organizations and government agencies to plan for future implementation of resiliency projects within the coastal zone.
Coastal Resilience Projects include capacity building, green infrastructure practice(s) installation, shoreline protection practice installation, stewardship, and tree planting projects. Projects can vary widely in both their size and funding needs. This Fund is meant to provide resources for projects that may not be eligible under other grants. Additionally, if applicants are in need of technical assistance in completing a grant application, they are strongly encouraged to reach out to Wetlands Watch staff at grants@wetlandswatch.org
Proposals are evaluated through a scoring system that measures each project’s alignment with Fund goals and objectives. No single project category is prioritized over others. See the Grant Proposal Review Sheet for more information on the process.
No match is required for grants awarded in this program. Grant awardees are able to request the full grant award upfront in order to accommodate applicants that require start up funds for the project.
Applicant Eligibility
Eligible applicants include civic groups, volunteer groups, educational institutions, tribal organizations, local governments, regional planning districts, commissions or regional councils, non-profit organizations, private citizens*, and small businesses* (as defined by the Virginia Department of Small Business & Supplier Diversity
*Please note: Grant dollars to private citizens and small businesses may be considered taxable income.
Eligible projects are those located in the Coastal Zone, as defined by the Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program .
Funding Available
There is $185,000 available in total for the 2023 grant period; $135,000 is available for coastal resilience projects, and $50,000 is available for tree planting. Eligible applicants may submit up to two proposals in each project category. Each project application must be submitted individually.
Funding maximums and details for each project type are included in the Project Category Funding Chart . There are no funding minimums. Coastal Resilience Projects include capacity building, green infrastructure practice(s) installation, shoreline protection practice installation, stewardship, and tree planting projects. Projects can be on either private or publicly owned land; projects that are publicly accessible will be prioritized.
Application Process & Grant Award Timeline
Full applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm on April 4, 2023, in order to be considered for the 2023 grant period. Eligible applicants may submit up to two proposals in each project category. Each application must be submitted individually. Applications should be submitted using the VOF WebGrants portal. Alternatively, completed applications may be submitted to Wetlands Watch via email to grants@wetlandswatch.org here . Regardless of submission method, all applications must be received no later than 11:59 pm, April 4, 2023. Applications submitted after this deadline will not be considered.
Wetlands Watch staff are available to discuss potential proposals and can provide technical assistance to develop a native plant list and/or planting plan. Staff is available to assist with application submissions until 5:00 PM on April 4, 2023 via email grants@wetlandswatch.org
Grant awards will be announced on June 7, 2023. All applicants will be notified of their status regardless of approval. Notice of grant award letters will be distributed through email, with grant agreements to follow within two weeks of award announcement. Grant agreements must be signed and returned to Wetlands Watch within 60 days of receipt, though extensions may be considered upon request. Coastal Resilience and Tree grant projects must be completed by May 31, 2024. There is no penalty for early completion. Extensions to the grant agreement project period may be considered upon request.
