Coastal communities have worked for decades with limited, inconsistent funding to improve the health of the land and water. These same communities have some of the highest unemployment rates in the state. Given the urgency of needs, the Legislature created the Washington Coast Restoration and Resiliency Initiative in 2015 to provide funding and technical assistance for communities along Washington’s coast. The grant program is aimed at proactively addressing the region’s highest priority restoration and resiliency needs and putting people to work restoring coastal lands and waters. Projects must address the region’s highest priority ecological protection and restoration needs while stimulating economic growth and creating jobs in coastal communities. In addition, projects must provide substantial protection and restoration of ecosystem functions, goods, and services through cost-effective methods.

Projects must occur within the geographic boundary of the Washington Coast Salmon Recovery Region OR within the geographic boundary of one of the four Coastal Marine Resource Committees (North Pacific Coast [includes portions of Clallam and Jefferson Counties]; Grays Harbor County; Pacific County; or Wahkiakum County).