The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) is currently seeking pre-proposals for habitat restoration project funding through its R.I. Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration Program and Trust Fund.
The Rhode Island General Assembly established the Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration Program to facilitate design, planning, construction, and monitoring of coastal and estuarine restoration projects by providing grants and technical assistance.
The program is administered by CRMC with support from the Fund’s Technical Advisory Committee.
Municipalities, committees, boards or commissions chartered by a municipality, nonprofit organizations, civic groups, educational institutions and state agencies are eligible to submit a project pre-proposal. Proposed projects must be located within Rhode Island, said CRMC.
Priority will be placed on those projects that seek to enhance coastal habitats’ resiliency to climate change and sea level rise; for example, projects that remove barriers to future wetland migration with sea level rise or that enhance shoreline vegetation where habitat is threatened by increased coastal erosion.
“ There is no specific match requirement for proposed projects; however, proposals that can demonstrate matching funds or in-kind services will have an advantage in the selection process. Applicants are therefore encouraged to detail all federal and non-federal resources contributing toward completion of the project, whether cash or in-kind ,” said CRMC.
Funding for projects is from an annual account totaling $225,000.