3.6   Secure Funding

Seek Funding

Project proponents must ensure funding is available for the initial acquisition and long-term management of the lands and resources. Funding may be needed for project planning and design, regulatory permitting, pre-acquisition requirements (i.e., boundary surveys, biological inventories), lease payments, property value, and upfront restoration activities. Issues to consider for long-term management funding can be found in Step 4: Implementation. Sources and tips on grant seeking can be found in Funding.

Ocean and Coastal-specific Issues: Many funders do not readily understand the concept of buying intertidal or subtidal lands and resources. Also, many grant criteria do not directly include acquisition of intertidal or subtidal lands and resources. As such, project proponents may have to actively reach out to potential funders to help them understand the strategy and to help them understand how their goals will be met.

Lease-specific Issues: If the lands or resources will be leased from a public entity, project proponents may be required to ensure they have the financial means to carry out the project. Also, funders may not understand that public lands need to be encumbered (or leased) to ensure their long-term protection. As such, project proponents may have to actively reach out to potential funders to help them understand the need for leasing.

Negotiate Grant Agreements

Unless project proponents will be using cash reserves or taking out internal organizational loans, additional grant agreements will be needed for the project. Grant agreements should clearly identify the iterative nature of acquisitions, the uncertain nature of intertidal and subtidal acquisitions, and include contingency plans for prolonged negotiations.