The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) is pleased to announce the FY2020 National Coastal Wetland Conservation Grant (NCWCG) Program solicitation. NCWCGs are awarded annually with funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to acquire, restore, and enhance wetlands in coastal states.

Grant Information

NCWCG Program funds are available to protect and restore coastal wetland habitats. Awards typically range from $125,000 to a maximum of $1,000,000, and require a 25% non-federal match contribution. Eligible projects must ensure long-term conservation of coastal resources and can include a combination of acquisition, restoration, and management of coastal wetland ecosystems.

NCWCG projects are collaborative grants for which state agencies are eligible to apply. OWEB serves as the official grantee of the federal award and passes the federal funds through to local partners (“applicants”) through sub-awards.

How to Apply

Applicants pursuing NCWCG funding must submit an application through OWEB’s Land Acquisition Program or OWEB’s Restoration Open Solicitation offerings. Application deadlines are listed in the timeline below. Applicants should upload a letter of interest to their OWEB application as a “letter” or “letter of support” to indicate intent to apply for NCWCG funds. Please include “Coastal Wetland Grant Letter of Interest” in the title of the upload document.

NCWCG Program Letter of Interest

Letters of interest for NCWCG projects should include the following:

1. Entity and point of contact for the proposed project, and direct partners, if applicable;
2. A concise description of the proposed project including:
   1. The project location, including verification that it is located within a coastal wetland ecosystem (within a coastal HUC-8 boundary);
   2. The eligible activities that the project proposes. Eligible activities include:
      • Acquisition of a real property interest (e.g., conservation easement of fee title) in coastal lands or waters (coastal wetland ecosystems) from willing sellers or partners for long-term conservation.
      • Restoration, enhancement, or management of coastal wetlands ecosystems, provided that restoration, enhancement, or management will be administered for long-term conservation; or
      • A combination of acquisition, restoration, and management.
   3. How the project proposes to ensure long-term (at least 20 years) conservation of coastal resources.

Contact Information

Please direct questions about the grant program and project eligibility to Jillian McCarthy, Partnerships Coordinator at jillian.mccarthy@oregon.gov or 503-986-0033.

Timeline

Note that dates with asterisks (*) are submittal deadlines for applicants.

OCTOBER 18, 2018* (for Land Acquisition Projects)
Applicant submits land acquisition application to OWEB accompanied by NCWCG Program Letter of Interest.

OCTOBER 29, 2018* (for Restoration Projects)
Applicant submits restoration application to OWEB accompanied by NCWCG Program Letter of Interest.

DEC 2018 – FEB 2019
Acquisition and /or Regional Review Teams review OWEB grant applications, conduct site tours, and make funding recommendations.

DEC 2018 – FEB 2019
USFWS announces NCWCG offering.

MARCH 2019
OWEB Management determines funding lines for all OWEB grant applications with consideration of Review Teams’ funding recommendations and available funding.

APRIL 2019
OWEB Board makes funding decision on OWEB grant application and decision to submit NCWCG application at Board meeting. Applicant and OWEB work together to develop the draft federal application.

MAY 10, 2019*
OWEB submits draft application on behalf of the applicant to USFWS for preliminary review and feedback.

MAY – JUN 2019
OWEB seeks legislative approval to submit NCWCG application. Applicant and OWEB work together to address USFWS feedback and develop final grant application.

JUNE 21, 2019*
Applicant submits to OWEB the final NCWCG application, which OWEB packages and submits to NCWGC on behalf of the applicant.

JUNE 30, 2019
Anticipated NCWCG application deadline.

JAN – APR 2019
USFWS NCWCG awards are announced.