Funding Opportunities
Open Funding Opportunities: ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants | NOAA Fisheries
Projects selected through this funding opportunity will have a transformative impact for coastal communities and tribes across the country. They will help sustain our nation’s fisheries, make significant strides in the recovery of threatened and endangered species, and help protect coastal communities and ecosystems from the impacts of climate change. They will support efforts such as reconnecting rivers to their historic floodplains, outplanting corals to rebuild reefs, building living shorelines that protect coasts from erosion and sea level rise, and more. NOAA will accept proposals between $750,000 and $10 million for the entire award, with typical funding anticipated to range from $4 million to $6 million.
We will hold three live webinars with information for potential applicants:
Proposals due April 16, 2025
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Fiscal Year 2024 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) (FEMA)
The BRIC program’s guiding principles include supporting communities through capability and capacity-building; encouraging and enabling innovation, including multi-hazard resilience or nature-based solutions including the use of native plants; promoting partnerships; enabling large, systems-based projects; maintaining flexibility; and providing consistency. Through these efforts communities are able to better understand disaster risk and vulnerabilities, conduct community-driven resilience, hazard mitigation planning, and design transformational projects and programs.
BRIC has made $112 million available for the State or Territory Allocation with a $2 million allocation per applicant.
Application deadline: April 18, 2025
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NC Space Grant Graduate Research Fellowship
The joint North Carolina Space Grant – North Carolina Sea Grant Graduate Research Fellowship Program invites interdisciplinary proposals from across the state based on four broad focus areas: 1) Sediment Budgets, 2) Erosion, 3) Habitat transformations and the resultant impact on biota, and 4) Management Response as it relates to developing mechanisms, methods and/or tools to help natural resource managers make optimal decisions. The fellowship requires the use of data from vast archives and remote-sensing capabilities available through the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as part of the research process. The funding amount is $10,000.
Open to Graduate students enrolled at an accredited college or university in NC
Applications due April 18, 2025.
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Fiscal Year 2024 Flood Mitigation Assistance (FEMA)
The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program makes federal funds available to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and within NFIP-participating communities. It does so with a recognition of the growing flood hazards associated with climate change, and of the need for flood hazard risk mitigation activities that promote climate adaptation, equity, and resilience with respect to flooding. These include both acute extreme weather events and chronic stressors which have been observed and are expected to increase in intensity and frequency in the future.
FEMA will distribute up to $600 million in Flood Mitigation Assistance funding in FY 2024
Closing April 18, 2025
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FY2025 Young Fishermen’s Career Development Projects
Subject to the availability of funding, the National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates approximately $1,000,000 in FY2025 federal funds will be available to eligible applicants to support 2-3 projects that will develop and execute local, regional and national programs, workshops and services to enable fishermen to enter career paths and make a living supplying seafood from our oceans, coasts and Great Lakes.
Applications due April 23, 2025
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The 2025 J.M.K. Innovation Prize | The J.M. Kaplan Fund
The J.M.K. Innovation Prize seeks to identify and support bold problem-solvers leading transformative, early-stage projects in the fields of heritage conservation, the environment, and social justice.
In 2025, we will award up to 10 Prizes, each including a cash award of $150,000 over three years and $25,000 in technical assistance funds. Awardees will also receive guidance through the Fund’s resource network, accessing hands-on training and support to help turn their ideas into sustainable growth and impact.
Focus areas:
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Heritage Conservation: Protecting the places and traditions that communities care about most.
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The Environment: Advancing climate solutions for a more resilient, vibrant planet.
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Social Justice: Working with communities to build a more welcoming and just society.
Application Deadline April 25, 2025
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North Carolina Resilient Coastal Communities Program
The N.C. Division of Coastal Management is taking applications from local coastal-based governments to participate in the state Resilient Coastal Communities Program’s phases 1-4. The Resilient Coastal Communities Program aids communities in getting a better understanding of and enhancing coastal resilience at the local level. Phases within the program guide communities in assessing local risks and vulnerabilities, engaging representative stakeholders, and collaborating to identify and prioritize projects and actions to enhance resilience and protect critical assets. County and municipal governments within the 20 Coastal Area Manage Act, or CAMA, counties and contractors who provide technical assistance to the localities selected may apply.
Applications close April 25, 2025.
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Metlife Community Impact Grant Program
The Community Impact Grant Program (CIGP) will award grants to programs that center on one of their focus areas, including: Environmental Sustainability: Solutions to address environmental challenges. Examples include programs that improve access to clean air and water, reduce waste through recycling and composting and/or disaster preparedness and mitigation. Focus areas include Cary & Durham, NC and Tampa, FL.
Application Deadline: Friday, May 2, 2025, at 9:00 p.m. EDT
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National Coastal Resilience Fund 2025 Request for Proposals
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), Occidental, and Shell is now soliciting Pre-Proposals for the 2025 National Coastal Resilience Fund. NFWF will award grants to create and/or restore natural systems in order to increase protection for communities from coastal hazards, such as storms, sea- and lake-level changes, inundation, and coastal erosion, while improving habitats for fish and wildlife species. NCRF program priorities include: nature-based solutions, community risk reduction benefits, fish and wildlife benefits, community impact and engagement, and transferability and sustainability. There is no maximum limit on the award amounts that can be requested for individual grants. NFWF expects that average NCRF awards for projects involving Community Capacity Building and Planning, Site Assessment and Preliminary Design, and Final Design and Permitting to be in the range of $100,000 to $1,000,000. For Restoration Implementation projects, NFWF expects the average NCRF awards to be in the range of $1,000,000 to $10,000,000. It is expected that the award amounts will vary significantly based on the scope of the project, the work proposed, and regional variation.
Pre-Proposal Webinar on April 1, 2025
Pre-Proposals due May 6, 2025
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$20 million in funding is available for projects that will advance the coastal habitat restoration and climate resilience priorities of tribes and underserved communities under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Through this funding, NOAA will help support community-driven habitat restoration and build the capacity of tribes and underserved communities to more fully participate in restoration activities.
Award amounts range from $75,000 to $2 million for the entire award.
Closing May 12, 2025
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Environmental Literacy for Community Resilience in the Gulf
NOAA's Environmental Literacy Program is partnering with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Gulf Research Program
(GRP) to enhance community resilience and increase the environmental literacy of community members across the U.S. Gulf States (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida) through place-based education. With NOAA's support, GRP is offering a funding opportunity titled Environmental Literacy for Community Resilience for projects that educate community members on local environmental challenges, engage learners in solutions-oriented activities, and empower participants to engage in them. Specifically, this funding opportunity seeks applications that engage learners in place-based activities that empower participants to contribute to local resilience efforts informed by a local understanding of socio-environmental challenges. Applicants must request between $100,000 and $750,000 for projects, commensurate with the scope of work, that are between 12 and 36 months in duration.
Applications Close May 21, 2025
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Foreverglades Research Enhancement Grants - Everglades Foundation
ForEverglades Research Enhancement Grants provide graduate students up to $30,000 for research-related expenses. These awards are intended to support outstanding graduate research in areas related to the current and future restored Everglades ecosystem. Research topics on the Florida Bay ecosystem, climate change, habitat restoration, fisheries or wildlife ecology, and resource management are of special interest to several of our named awards. ForEverglades Research Enhancement Grants will also support research related to the physical, chemical or biological processes of freshwater or estuarine ecosystems of the Everglades, or research in resilience, climate change, economics, policy or social interactions as they relate to the greater Everglades ecosystem. Applicants need to have a Faculty Advisor that oversees the work and the grant budget. These grantees will be known as fellows, and the maximum grant duration is 12 months.
Application Deadline: June 6, 2025
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Fire Science Innovations through Research and Education (FIRE) | NSF
The Fire Science Innovations through Research and Education (FIRE) program invites innovative multidisciplinary and multisector investigations focused on convergent research and education activities in wildland fire. To advance convergent research and education in wildland fire science, FIRE proposals should demonstrate strengths in one or more of the following areas: (1) new advances in data collection, storage, and sharing relevant to wildland fire dynamics, including Earth observations; (2) new modeling and computational approaches to understand wildland fire (including artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches); (3) new understanding of the cross-scale interactions of wildland fire across local, regional and global extents; (4) new insights into community adaptation and governance relevant to wildland fire; (5) new approaches to reduce the vulnerability of built infrastructure, natural fuels, and social systems to wildland fire; and (6) engagement of a variety of community members and stakeholders to promote a forward-looking approach to wildland fire science.
Proposals due June 20, 2025
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The Nathan Cummings Foundation (NCF)
NCF seeks to connect with innovative partners and change makers who are driving impact. NCF seeks to learn from, work with, and support organizations that share their commitment to advancing racial, economic, and environmental justice (REEJ). NCF offers two types of funding opportunities: grants and PRIs. Successful grant and PRI proposals will align with NCF’s interconnected goals of REEJ focus areas. NCF anticipates awarding six to eight new grants per REEJ focus area with a focus on initiatives in the US South.
Closing June 30, 2025.
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NCDEQ Water Resources Development Program Flood Resiliency Grants
NC Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), Division of Mitigation Services (DMS) is developing the North Carolina Flood Resiliency Blueprint, a state flood planning process to increase community resiliency to flooding throughout the state's river basins. NCDEQ Division of Water Resources (DWR) has been allocated a portion of Blueprint funding to offer cost-share grants for projects that reduce flooding or increase flood resiliency. These projects must be located within one of the following six river basins: Cape Fear, French Broad, Lumber, Neuse, Tar Pamlico and White Oak.
Closing June 30, 2025.
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These grants support general operating cost or specific projects and applicants must be registered as (or fiscally sponsored by) a 501(c)3 organization. Grant announcements occur approximately four months after the deadline. Priorities: regenerative and organic farming, food production workers’ health and safety, climate justice, healthy food access, inclusive outdoor access, indoors and outdoors safe from pollution. Typical grants range from $5,000 - $50,000 and last for one year.
Applications due August 1, 2025. ​
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Ocean Exchange Neptune Awards 2025
Awards ($100,000 each) will be given to the solutions that advance our understanding of the ocean and help minimize our impact on these resources, even while using them for human benefit, resulting in more resilient bodies of water including healthy marine life and coastlines. The Neptune Awards are broad based and cover all maritime, blue economy, ocean environmental, and coastal resiliency topics, as well as data gathering and analysis.
Applications due August 1, 2025.
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Burroughs Wellcome Fund: Climate + Health Excellent Centers (CHEX) Award
The Burroughs Wellcome Fund announces the Climate + Health Excellence (CHEX) Centers award. This is a new institutional research and training opportunity that will help institutions bridge the gaps between fields that will have important roles to play in understanding the impacts of climate change on human health and diminishing their effects. This grant will support new discovery toward defining the health impacts of climate change, developing potential interventions, translating discovery science into practical application, and outward-facing work that can help public understanding of Climate + Health or strengthen connections between research and communities whose health has been harmed by climate change. New institutional awards of up to $10,000,000.
Proposals due August 7, 2025
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Open Call for Support of Science Events and Gatherings - Heising-Simons Foundation
The Heising-Simons Foundation’s Science program solicits proposals for support of meetings, workshops, conferences, summer schools, research collaboration gatherings, and other events related to astronomy, cosmology, fundamental physics, and climate change science, as well as increasing the representation and retention of underrepresented groups within these areas.
We expect to fund up to $800,000 total in grants across two cycles of open calls closing in 2025, with approximately $400,000 being granted each cycle. Each grant will be between $20,000 and $80,000. With this open call, the Science program seeks to further support the scientific fields and communities we fund while also broadening reach in the scientific community. We hope to form new partnerships with scientists, institutions, and communities we have not yet worked with.
Cycle 2 open call closes Aug 15, 2025 at 5 pm ET.
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Climate Smart Humanities Organizations Funding Opportunity
As energy costs rise and natural disasters become more frequent, humanities organizations - such as museums, libraries, archives, historic sites, and colleges and universities - face an enormous task: to anticipate operational, physical, and financial impacts of climate-related events on their institutions, while also reducing their own impact on the environment. Climate Smart Humanities Organizations supports these efforts by offering federal matching funds for comprehensive organizational assessments that lead to strategic climate action and adaptation plans. Individual organizations can apply for themselves or lead a consortium of organizations collaborating on strategic climate smart planning. Awards in this program are made with federal matching funds and require fundraising of third-party, non-federal gifts at a ratio of one to one.
Maximum Award Amount: $300,000
Optional draft due August 8, 2025
Deadline: September 17, 2025
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FEMA
Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation Revolving Loan Fund Program
The objective of the Safeguarding Tomorrow RLF program is to capitalize or recapitalize entity-established revolving loan funds that will provide low-interest loans to local governments most in need of financing assistance to complete hazard mitigation projects and activities. The program aims to reduce risks from natural hazards for homeowners, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and communities in order to decrease the loss of life and property, the cost of insurance, and federal disaster payments
Closing September 30, 2025
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National Sea Grant Law Center 2024-2027 Program Development Funds
The National Sea Grant Law Center (Law Center) is accepting proposals for small-scale research projects that seek to address timely or pressing legal questions related to ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes law. This funding is intended to support emerging research needs or innovative pilot research projects that may eventually develop into larger, full scale research projects. They are also intended to help a Sea Grant program build legal capacity by generating legal research findings that can be incorporated into extension, education, and communication programming. Requests for Program Development (PD) funds are limited to a maximum request of $10,000 and a one-year project period.
LOIs for one-year projects will be accepted on a rolling basis through August 1, 2026.
Full proposals for one-year projects will be accepted on a rolling basis through October 1, 2026.
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Applications accepted on a rolling basis: ​
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Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program (EJ TCGM)
The purpose of this program is to make awards to community-based organizations and other eligible partners to support the planning, assessment and development of community-based projects to cultivate healthy environments. Projects funded under this program should directly benefit and empower communities to address local priorities.
Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis. To assist applicants in planning, we encourage you to select a target date to submit your application. All applications received by these dates will be reviewed and considered for the next round of funding decisions. Target Dates to Submit for Funding: April 30, 2025; July 31, 2025; October 31, 2025 (Last date for 2-year projects); January 31, 2026; April 30, 2026; July 31, 2026; October 31, 2026 (Last date for 1-year projects); January 31, 2027; April 30, 2027 (Last date for 6-month projects)
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The Duke Energy Foundation is focused on strengthening and uplifting communities with grant funding. The foundation accepts grant applications for $20,000 and less throughout the year on a rolling basis for the following focus areas: Vibrant Economies, Climate Resiliency, Opportunity and Inclusion.
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National Grants - Ben & Jerry's Foundation
The National Grassroots Organizing Program (NGO) offers two-year unrestricted, general operating support grants of up to $30,000 per year, with an average grant size of $20,000 per year, to small (budgets under $350,000), constituent-led grassroots organizations throughout the United States and its territories. The broad goals of this grant program are to further social and environmental justice, with the primary purpose to support local leadership and grassroots organizing activities.
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One SC Fund: Disaster Response
The One SC Fund is now accepting grant applications from nonprofits to support Hurricane Helene relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts.
The One SC Fund provides grants to nonprofits to fund disaster relief, recovery and rebuilding assistance programs from state-declared emergencies. Organizations may request up to $25,000.When applications are open, they are reviewed on a rolling basis. Declinations are sent via email. All organizations receiving an award have six months to expense grant funds.
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FEMA
Swift Current Funding Opportunity
Fiscal Year 2024 Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Swift Current aims to better align the delivery of FMA flood mitigation funding to the disaster survivor experience. The purpose of FMA Swift Current is to reduce or eliminate the flood risk to NFIP-participating communities and repetitive flood damage to structures and buildings insured by the NFIP following a flood-related disaster event, and to enhance community flood resilience within NFIP-participating communities. It does so by providing funding for mitigation opportunities immediately after a flood disaster event with the aim of delivering mitigation outcomes.
Applications accepted on a rolling basis
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Conservation - Richard King Mellon Foundation
Our application portal is open and accepting grant applications for funding through its Conservation program. All applicants should apply using the General Application. Applications may be submitted on a rolling basis.
The Foundation’s Conservation program has four investment areas: habitat conservation; stewardship; activation; and sustainable communities. The Foundation uses innovative financial approaches across all four investment areas, including program-related investments (PRIs) and other mechanisms to maximize the impact of its funding.
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Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems funding by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Applications must be submitted within 45 days of an extreme weather event and disaster. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a continuous basis.
Glenn W. Bailey Foundation: Grant funding for projects that support educational opportunities for STEM learning (including college/university programs) and “innovative environmental projects.”
Accepts Letters of Intent on a monthly basis.
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The Rural Water Loan Fund (RWLF) is a funding program specifically designed to meet the unique needs of small water and wastewater utilities. The RWLF provides low-cost loans for short-term repair costs, small capital projects, or pre-development costs associated with larger projects. The RWLF was established through a grant from the USDA/RUS, and repaid funds used to replenish the fund and make new loans. Disaster recovery or other emergency loans are available. Loan amounts may not exceed $200,000 or 75% of the total project cost, whichever is less.
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Natural Hazards Center
Special Call for Health Outcomes and Climate-Related Disaster Research
The Natural Hazards Center—with support from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation—is issuing a special call for quick response research focused on health outcomes among groups disproportionately affected by climate-related disasters. Available funds will support awards in the amount of $10,000 to $50,000 each. Proposals for this special call will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.
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Natural Hazards Center
Quick Response Research Award Program
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Pulitzer Center
The Pulitzer Center is now accepting applications for its initiative focused on climate change and its effects on workers and work. We encourage freelance and staff journalists with ambitious enterprise and strong in-depth reporting ideas to apply for Pulitzer Center support to cover the intersection of labor and climate in their communities.
Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
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Funding Databases: ​
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Build for the Future Funding Navigator​
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Flood Funding Finder from the American Flood Coalition: An interactive website to simplify the complex federal grants system and to help communities identify and prioritize opportunities to fund flood resilience.
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Funding Navigator - HUD Exchange​
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​Local Infrastructure Hub Funding Pathfinder Tool and Grant Search
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Nature-Based Solutions Funding Database
National Wildlife Federation’s interactive database for communities interested in pursuing federal funding and/or technical assistance for nature-based solutions.
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Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS) Funding Opportunities
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The EPA’s Water Finance Clearinghouse has two searchable databases: Funds and Resources. The Funds database contains potential funding sources for water infrastructure. The Resources database contains resources such as reports, case studies, and webinars about financing mechanisms and approaches that can help communities access capital to meet their water infrastructure needs. The Clearinghouse also hosts Water Finance learning modules which provide information on different financing sources and funding topics related to water infrastructure investments.​
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NC Resilience Exchange Funding Database
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Grant Writing Assistance and Funding Resources:
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​BIL, IRA, and ARPA Funding Resources for States - The Environmental Council of the States (ECOS)
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Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Resources from NOAA) webpage contains information, announcements, and resources related to investments funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
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EPA
Climate Resilience and Adaptation Funding Toolbox
The Climate Resilience and Adaptation Funding Toolbox contains resources to help EPA’s funding applicants and recipients make climate-informed investments.
Funding and Financing Coastal Resilience (NOAA Office for Coastal Management)
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Grant Proposal Development Resources (NOAA Office for Coastal Management )
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Hometown Strong Rural Grants Program
The Hometown Strong Rural Grants team focuses on getting federal dollars into rural communities and providing the capacity, training, and finance planning support these communities need in order to be successful in federal funding. We provide direct, free-of-charge grantwriting support to rural towns, counties, and regions to increase federal funding for projects within North Carolina, offering a comprehensive approach to long-term financial planning through grant strategies that leverage federal, state, and private funds.
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Inflation Reduction Act (Resources from NOAA) webpage contains information, announcements, and resources related to investments funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
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Resources for Assistance and Technical Training in Region 4 on Environmental Justice
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