Requesting Applications for 2024 New Hampshire Coastal Resilience Grant Projects

Portsmouth, NH - The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Coastal Program is requesting 2024 Coastal Resilience Grant (CRG) applications for projects. For the purposes of the CRG funding opportunity, coastal resilience is the capacity of a coastal community or coastal system to adapt in a changing climate – not only measured by the capacity to “bounce back” quickly from shocks and stresses like storms, but also, and perhaps more importantly, measured by the capacity to “leap forward” by fostering sustained and equitable achievement of community goals and ensuring the social, economic, environmental, and cultural wellbeing of all peoples and habitats over the long-term.

The CRG funding opportunity supports projects that build capacity, advance planning, and develop designs to increase coastal resilience, with specific focus on community and/or habitat resilience. Projects must take place in one or more of New Hampshire’s Coastal Zone communities which include Dover, Durham, Exeter, Greenland, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Madbury, New Castle, Newfields, Newington, Newmarket, North Hampton, Portsmouth, Rollinsford, Rye, Seabrook and Stratham. Eligible applicants include coastal municipalities, quasi-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and state agencies. 

Approximately $100,000 in CRG funding is available. Applicants must request a minimum of $9,000 and no more than $30,000 per project. Funds are made available to the NHDES Coastal Program through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management, under the Coastal Zone Management Act.  

For instructions, evaluation criteria and to access the application form, visit the CRG website. Applications must be submitted using the NHDES application form no later than 4:00 PM EDT on Friday, May 31, 2024. An informational webinar about the CRG funding opportunity will take place on Monday, April 29, 2024, at 10:00 AM EDT. You can register for the webinar in advance. A recording of the webinar will be made available on the CRG website. 

This funding opportunity marks the eighth time that the NHDES Coastal Program has offered competitive grant funds for coastal resilience projects. Since 2014, 25 projects have been funded throughout New Hampshire coastal communities totaling $1,069,747 in federal grant funds and $498,730 in match commitment from grantees. Projects previously funded by the CRG opportunity are summarized on the CRG website.

Questions about the 2024 CRG request for applications are welcome. Please contact NHDES Coastal Program Resilience Coordinator Kirsten Howard at (603) 559-0020 or kirsten.b.howard@des.nh.gov with any questions. Questions must be received by 4:00 PM EDT on Friday, May 24, 2024, and all questions and responses will be made publicly available at the CRG website. Additionally, you may sign up for office hours to discuss project ideas, answer questions and workshop applications. Office hours will take place with NHDES Coastal Program staff and will be held Thursday, April 25; Wednesday, May 15; and Tuesday, May 28, from 1-3 PM EDT. You can sign up for office hours using this sign-up form or by emailing Kirsten Howard at kirsten.b.howard@des.nh.gov.