N.C. D.E.Q. begins accepting applications for coastal resilience grant program
NORTH CAROLINA (WWAY) — The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management is accepting applications for approximately $2.5 million in funding through Phases 3 and 4 of the N.C. Resilient Coastal Communities Program.
The program provides funding to help coastal communities design and implement projects aimed at reducing risks from coastal hazards.
Applications are due Nov. 10, 2026, by 5 p.m.
DCM will host an applicant webinar from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 13 to provide information about the grants, the application process and requirements.
The funding is available to county and municipal governments, as well as federally and state-recognized tribes, within North Carolina’s 20 Coastal Area Management Act counties.
Eligible applicants must have completed Phases 1 and 2 of the RCCP, or an equivalent process. Proposed projects must have been identified as a priority project for the community.
Phase 3 funding supports engineering, design and permitting for priority resilience projects. Funding may also be available for ordinances or policies designed to strengthen community resilience.
Phase 4 funding supports construction and implementation of projects intended to reduce risks to critical assets, people and property from coastal hazards, including flooding, sea-level rise and storm surge.
The program encourages the use of natural or nature-based solutions when appropriate, including wetland and stream restoration, flood mitigation, living shoreline stabilization and stormwater management.
The RCCP was established to help coastal communities address flooding, storms and other coastal hazards through a locally driven process.
According to DCM, the program has supported 60 communities in completing resilience strategies and awarded 91 grants totaling $16.3 million over the past five years.
