FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR COASTAL AREAS
Reprinted with permission from The Exchange, a monthly newsletter
dedicated to bringing funding information to Alaska non-profits.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offers financial aid through a variety of programs designed to improve coastal lands management, preservation and use. For the most part, funds do not support local economic development ideas. Instead, they help organizations improve their planning, organizational and informational expertise, leading to the conservation of coastal environment through efficient and sustainable industry, farming and commercial/residential development.

The deadlines for the following programs have not yet been determined. The Alaska Funding Exchange has spoken with a representative of this program and been informed that it is their intent to fund projects in Alaska. The guidelines are (or soon will be) available on the Internet at http://www.csc.noaa.gov . You can also visit the Funding Exchange online at http://www.funding-exchange.org/

There are too many categories to list, some of particular interest include:

• Landscape Characterization and Restoration: Funds help coastal managers include ecosystem processes in their resource management, regulatory and planning decisions. Funds will also pay for development of GIS-based tools for siting habitat restoration projects and forecasting success. Contact: Pace Wilber at (803) 974-6235, e-mail pwilber@csc.noaa.gov
  
  
• Integration and Development: This priority focuses on product development in the area of GIS, and how they can help policy decisions by coastal managers. Contact: Miki Schmidt at (803) 974-6237, e-mail: mschmidt@csc.noaa.gov
  
  
• Coastal Training Institute: Grantees, which will receive up to $100,000, must conduct technical training meetings and conferences for coastal management personnel. Contact: Janet Roberston Alterman at (803) 974- 6210, e-mail: jralterman@csc.noaa.gov
  
  
• Special Projects: Up to $750,000 will be available for grants ranging from $25,000 to $300,000 to conduct a variety of projects that apply to state and local coastal management. Contact Paul Scholz at (803) 974-6208, e-mail: pscholz@csc.noaa.gov