Coastal Partnership Initiative (CPI)

The Coastal Partnership Initiative is a competitive grant program administered through the Florida Coastal Management Program of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The initiative makes federal funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, available to eligible Florida coastal communities and participating organizations. The program is intended to promote the protection and effective management of Florida coastal resources. Funding supports four priority areas: Resilient Communities, Coastal Resource Stewardship, Access to Coastal Resources, and Working Waterfronts. Eligible projects are expected to provide a demonstrable benefit to coastal resource protection or management and address at least one of these priority areas. Projects under Resilient Communities may address climate change, natural hazards, disasters, vulnerability, risk, post-disaster redevelopment, coastal wetlands, energy strategies, and community resilience. Coastal Resource Stewardship projects may include dune and wetland restoration, exotic plant control, coastal cleanups, environmental awareness initiatives, events, and field trips involving the public, volunteers, and local government. Access to Coastal Resources projects can support land acquisition and management planning, nature trail site plans, recreational surface water use policies, native species restoration, dune walkovers, boardwalks, and canoe or kayak launches. Working Waterfronts projects may include waterfront vision plans, architectural standards, small construction projects, shoreline or wetland restoration, and measures addressing natural hazards. Financial awards have a minimum of 10000. Awards are limited to no more than 60000 for construction projects, habitat restoration, invasive plant removal, or land acquisition and no more than 30000 for planning, design, and coordination activities. Recipients must provide a 100 percent, or 1:1, match. Match may consist of cash or in-kind contributions, including employee salaries, volunteer work time, construction materials, supplies, or services that directly benefit the funded project. No more than 50 percent of the required match may be supplied by a third party, and federal funds from any source cannot be used as match for Coastal Partnership Initiative financial assistance. Projects must be completed within 12 months regardless of when the funding cycle begins. Eligible applicants include Florida's 35 coastal counties and municipalities within those counties that are required to include a coastal element in their comprehensive plan. Florida public colleges and universities, regional planning councils, national estuary programs, and nonprofit groups may also apply when an eligible local government participates as a signatory partner. Nonprofit organizations cannot receive funds for construction projects, habitat restoration, invasive exotic plant removal, or land acquisition. Eligible applicants may submit no more than one application during each funding cycle. Construction activities must occur on publicly owned property or property for which the applicant holds a sufficient conservation easement into perpetuity. Applications are accepted once each year in response to a Notice of Availability of Funds published in the Florida Administrative Register. The current request for applications opens September 1, 2026 and remains open through October 31, 2026. The source does not identify a separate letter of intent, concept paper, pre-proposal, or other pre-application gating deadline. Required application elements include a signed and completed title page, location map, work plan, and budget. Projects involving construction, invasive plant removal, habitat restoration, or land acquisition must also include a completed 306A questionnaire. Construction applicants must conduct preliminary consultation with appropriate local, state, regional, and federal regulatory agencies and include a summary of that consultation in the application. Applications are reviewed by a technical evaluation committee with knowledge of coastal resource management. Review criteria include clarity of the project location and description; alignment among objectives, tasks, deliverables, and timelines; demonstrated need; alignment with at least one Coastal Partnership Initiative priority; benefit to coastal resource management; feasibility within the 12-month project period; an appropriate and compliant budget and budget narrative; and reasonable project costs. Strong proposals demonstrate a clear need, provide a coastal resource protection or management benefit, are technically sound and cost-effective, request an appropriate budget, can reasonably be completed within 12 months, and directly support at least one program priority. Applications may be removed from consideration for missing required components, late receipt, unmet construction consultation requirements, unacceptable property control, or prohibited nonprofit project activities. The funding year typically begins July 1 and ends June 30, although the cycle can shift if funding is delayed or postponed. Because applications are accepted once each year, the program is treated as recurring annually, with the next application cycle expected around September 2027 based on the current September 1 opening. Funding of the highest-rated projects remains subject to the availability of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funds. For additional program information, applicants may contact Amy Degraw at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Coastal Management Program, by email at Amy.Degraw@FloridaDEP.gov or by telephone at 850-245-8398.

Ensure construction projects include prior regulatory consultations and documentation. Partner with an eligible local government if applying as a nonprofit. Ensure budget and narrative meet FCMP requirements.