Local Coastal Program Assistance Grant Program: Competitive Grants

Eligible projects are those that are designed to assist local governments in assessing impacts and planning for coastal resiliency, including adapting to the impacts of climate change and sea level rise, and which contain an LCP planning component. Grant funds may be used for technical, economic, policy, and other analyses, feasibility studies, vulnerability assessments, adaptation plans, outreach and coordination efforts, and activities related to LCP adoption and submittal. LCP planning components may include development of a new LCP, a comprehensive LCP update, an LCP amendment (e.g., updates to coastal hazards policies; incorporation of new sea level rise related policies or programs), targeted LCP changes (e.g., changes to LCP policies/zoning to allow for implementation of identified sea level rise adaptation strategies or climate resiliency projects; updates to previously adopted SLR policies in response to continued planning), or similar activities undertaken through a Public Works Plan (PWP) process.

Applications will be evaluated for their ability to advance coastal resiliency efforts in the context of LCP planning. This may include:

• Completion of technical, economic, policy, or other analyses meant to assist in understanding, planning for, and adapting to climate change and sea level rise, and increasing coastal resiliency, including but not limited to general vulnerability assessments, studies to evaluate impacts based on evolving science (e.g., extreme sea level rise, groundwater change), feasibility and design studies for nature-based adaptation or other specific strategies, and development of monitoring programs
• Planning work and/or related studies to support development of regional, neighborhood, site, or asset specific adaptation approaches, including phased adaptation/adaptation pathways, such as for a Shoreline Management Plan, a Coastal Hazards Response Plan as required by a Coastal Development Permit, or similar
• Planning work and/or focused outreach efforts to increase public awareness and participation in climate change and sea level rise planning activities, particularly among vulnerable communities
• Planning work to address environmental justice concerns, particularly related to climate change and sea level rise planning activities, and to ensure equitable protection of coastal resources and provision of public coastal access and lowercost recreation for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, or place of residence
• Completion of land use plan and/or zoning work to achieve certification of a new Local Coastal Program (or an Area of Deferred Certification) or planning and/or zoning work to significantly update certified LCPs (or LCP segments) in whole or in part to provide for coastal resiliency, or to reflect changed conditions, new information and scientific knowledge, new programs and policies, or other significant changed circumstances
  

• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Eligibility Criteria" for clarification)

Estimated Total Program Funding: