WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced 27 awards totaling $44.7 million from its National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF), supported with funding through the Inflation Reduction Act. The grants announced today will leverage an additional $25.2 million from the grantees, creating a total conservation impact of nearly $70 million. These grants will support design and implementation of projects to enhance the resilience of coastal communities and improve habitat for fish and wildlife in states facing increasing impacts to their communities from storms and other coastal hazards. 

“As coastal communities face increasing threats from storms and other coastal hazards, it is vital we continue to support the type of nature-based solutions like those funded through this grant slate, that both protect communities and enhance fish and wildlife habitat,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “These grants ensure communities have the resources they need to assess, plan, and implement nature-based coastal resilience solutions that benefit people and wildlife.”

“These projects will help communities across the country take action to become more resilient in the face of climate change,” said Rick Spinrad, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “Thanks to investments from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, the National Coastal Resilience Fund is able to support more projects in more places to help build a more Climate-Ready Nation.”

The projects supported by today’s grants will restore and enhance a diverse range of coastal habitats and provide natural buffers for communities against storms and other coastal hazards. Funds will support planning, assessment, and final implementation in coastal communities around the U.S. A complete list of the awards announced today can be found here. 

The National Coastal Resilience Fund is a partnership between NFWF, NOAA, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Shell USA, TransRe and Oxy. NFWF launched the National Coastal Resilience Fund in 2018, in partnership with NOAA and joined initially by Shell USA and TransRe. In addition to the awards announced today, another round of grants from the NCRF will be announced in November of this year. 

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate, foundation and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 6,000 organizations and generated a total conservation impact of $8.1 billion. NFWF is an equal opportunity provider. Learn more at nfwf.org. 

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Rob Blumenthal
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
(202) 857-0166
rob.blumenthal@nfwf.org