About this archived opportunity

The California State Coastal Conservancy (Conservancy) announces the availability of grants to public agencies, tribes and nonprofit organizations for projects that facilitate the recovery of the southern sea otter along California’s coasts. Background The Coastal Conservancy (“Conservancy”) is a California state agency, established in 1976, to work with local communities to implement multi-benefit projects that protect and enhance coastal resources. The Conservancy works along the entire length of California’s coast, within the watersheds of rivers and streams that extend inland from the coast, and throughout the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. The California Sea Otter Fund is one of the state’s voluntary tax check-off funds that allows taxpayers to voluntarily contribute additional money for use towards the recovery of California’s sea otter population. Approximately 50% of the revenues are allocated to the Coastal Conservancy for “competitive grants and contracts to public agencies and nonprofit organizations for research, science, protection, projects, or programs related to the Federal Sea Otter Recovery Plan or improving the nearshore ocean ecosystem.” Solicitation PrioritiesCoastal Conservancy grants funded by the California Sea Otter Fund can be used for a variety of activities related to southern sea otter recovery and improving the nearshore ecosystem. Conservancy priorities for the funding are as follows: · Plan and implement projects to improve or expand southern sea otter habitat · Reduce environmental stressors impacting southern sea otters · Implement critical recovery actions of the Federal Southern Sea Otter Recovery Plan · Research that will inform actions or strategies to advance critical sea otter recovery actions, improve or expand sea otter habitat, or reduce stressors on southern sea otters Funding AvailableEach year, the Conservancy solicits proposals for the annual appropriation from the California Sea Otter Fund (see Section A). This year the Conservancy has approximately $250,000 available for projects that meeting the fund’s objectives. Grant applications must be received by September 1, 2021. Eligible Applicants: Public agencies, federally-recognized tribes, and nonprofit organizations are eligible for funding. To be eligible, a nonprofit organization must qualify under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.