Funding Sources

The funding information provided below is primarily meant for organizations with minimal fundraising experience or resources. While most of the information concerns government grants, information on private grants is also available.

Project Types

Many different types of conservation projects can be undertaken related to the oceans and coasts. This toolkit identifies four general types of projects related to proprietary rights, which may be undertaken independently or in concert:

Finding funding sources that specifically identify one or more of the four types of projects above as funding priorities may be difficult. Given this challenge, project proponents must be creative when linking their projects to the priorities of grantors, which are often associated with marine protected areas, critical habitats, restoration, or listed species. However, securing the protection of lands and resources lying below the high tide line through proprietary mechanisms will often positively affect the ocean and coastal-related priorities of funders. In preparing the grant proposal, it is vital to clearly articulate how the proposed project, including 1-4 above, will cause the grantor’s environmental goals to be achieved.

Case Study Funding Sources

This toolkit provides several case studies of leasing and ownership projects. Within the case studies, funding sources are identified. You may access the individual project funding sources by going to the individual case studies through the lefthand navigation menu. Or, click on the small image on the right to see a comprehensive listing of the funding sources for the case studies.

The case study funding sources illustrate the types of grants available for leasing and ownership projects and may also serve as a place to start looking for funding.

Sample Funding Proposals

While numerous proposals have been submitted for the case studies in this toolkit, only a few examples of funding proposals are found within the case studies themselves. These same proposals, in addition to others, may also be download directly from the links below. These funding proposals can give project proponents ideas on how to develop and articulate proposals for other projects.

California Kelp Research and Leasing Proposal (download .pdf, 318k)
Connecticut Shellfish Restoration Grant Application Cover Sheet (download .pdf, 47k)
Connecticut Shellfish Restoration Grant Application Detailed Proposal (download .pdf, 31k)
Mexico - Gulf of California Legal Assessment Proposal (download .pdf, 99k)
Southern New England Legal Assessment Proposal (download .pdf, 358k)
Texas Shellfish Restoration Grant Application (download .pdf, 3,153k)
Washington Oyster Restoration Grant Application (download .pdf, 136k)
Washington Protection and Restoration Grant Proposal (download .pdf, 176k)

Grant Databases

Grants.gov is a central storehouse and search engine for information on over 1,000 grant programs and access to approximately $400 billion in annual awards. By registering once on this site, your organization can apply for grants from the 26 federal grant-making agencies.
The Restoration Center Funding Opportunities is the only office within NOAA solely devoted to restoring the coastal and marine habitats that support the nation’s fisheries and other trust resources.
The Grant Clearinghouse provides funding links to Web sites focusing on governmental and nongovernmental sites that compile and post information on a variety of funding opportunities. These links may or may not be coastal-specific but will offer useful search engines.
The Federal Funding Guideis a database of federal programs that provide restoration project funding throughout the country and for a wide array of habitat, activity and recipient types.

Funding Directories

Coastal Conservation Networking provides links to various federal and state funding programs for coastal conservation projects.
Ecosystem-based Management Tool Development and Implementation Funding Opportunities provides summaries of recent requests for proposals and links to funding sources.
Environmental Grantmaking Foundations claims to be a comprehensive list of foundations that support environmental nonprofit activities and programs. The guide is available for a fee in booklet or CD-ROM form, which allows users to perform searches.
The Foundation Directory Online claims to offer the most comprehensive, in-depth information available on private and corporate U.S. grantmakers and their grants, drawn from reliable sources, including IRS 990s, grantmaker web sites and annual reports, plus data provided directly by grantmakers. This is a subscription service but is available at certain public libraries for free.
The Land Trust Alliance identifies a number of grants, resources, trainings, and publications useful for nonprofit grant seekers.
National Sea Grant provides access to its own Requests for Proposals as well as access to the 32 State Sea Grant programs that provide project funding (often in association with an institution of higher education) on an annual a biennial basis.
The Philanthropy News Digest publishes up-to-date Requests for Proposals from numerous private, charitable organizations, some of which contribute to environmental projects.
Restore America's Estuaries Restoration Marketplace provides links to federal grant-related information as well as direct links to funding sources, primarily for restoration activities.

Grant Email Updates

Several grant sites provide email updates regarding funding opportunities and application deadlines. These updates are an easy way to keep abreast of changes without having to go to specific sites and searching for new information. While the list below is far from exhaustive, it will be updated from time-to-time with new email alert websites as they are discovered.

Foundation Center Newsletters (free service)
Land Trust Alliance Newsletter (free service)
Society for Non-profit Organizations Funding Alert Newsletter ($39/year subscription fee)
U.S. government Grants.gov email subscription (free service)