Fish and Wildlife Service · Department of the Interior
F27AS00007 FY 2027 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity
In short: Fish and Wildlife Service expects to make 35 awards of $50,000 to $1 million. Open to state government.
Key facts
- Deadline
- Next round: about Apr 10 – Jul 9, 2027 Estimate, not confirmed by the funder ?
The funder says: “Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM, ET, on the listed application due date.” - Award size
- $50K – $1M
- Total available
- $18M · about 35 awards
- Match ?
- Required · Work out your budget and match
- Buildings & equipment
- The official notice says construction, renovation or equipment can be paid for. Check the limits.
- Who can apply
- State government
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee
Before you apply: federal grants require an active SAM.gov registration (Unique Entity ID) and a Grants.gov account. Registration is free but can take weeks, so start now, not when the deadline is close. Get-ready checklist
How this fits you
- Available in Tennessee (nationwide program)
- Needs a match (see how much in the notice)
- Past Tennessee awards on file: 1
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
About this grant
The National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program supports the long‐term conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems for the benefit of coastal communities, fish and wildlife and their habitats, and the recreating public. The Program provides designated State and Territory agencies with cost sharing awards for projects that protect and restore valuable coastal wetland resources. Projects may include the acquisition of real property interests in a coastal wetland ecosystem and the restoration, enhancement, or management of coastal wetlands.Coastal wetlands are valued because they protect against flooding, help maintain water quality, and provide habitats for fish and wildlife. Coastal environments are also important economically, generating billions of dollars annually through recreational and commercial fishing, boating, and tourism.The Program is co-administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Coastal Program and the Office of Conservation Investment. For more information, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grants Home Page.
Who can apply, from the official notice
Participation is limited to State and Territory agencies designated as eligible by the Governor of each jurisdiction. The eligible agency is usually a natural resource or fish and wildlife agency. Applications from agencies that are not designated as eligible will not be accepted. Applicants that are uncertain of their eligibility should contact the Regional Office of Conservation Investment before preparing or submitting an application (see Basic Information above).Eligible States and Territories are those bordering the Great Lakes, and those bordering the Atlantic, Gulf (except Louisiana), and Pacific coasts. Louisiana is not eligible because it receives separate funding through the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 3955 (b)(1)).The complete list of eligible States and Territories is: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawai"i, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Official notice: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/e3189942-95a7-4798-9afb-ada9bf1b2be8 · Printed from grantme.click/grants/3d2b4178-409e-4b46-a173-2e61dda1c1fb
View on Grants.gov Add deadline to my calendar
Tennessee groups that got this money through a state agency or another organization
This federal money also reaches local groups as pass-through grants. 1 pass-through grant on file. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Through | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks Unlimited, Inc. | Memphis, Shelby County | South Carolina Department of Natural Resources | $829 spent that year | 2023 |
Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).
More from Fish and Wildlife Service
- F26AS00062: Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act FY 2026 · Due Oct 13, 2026 · 3 days left
- FY2026 Implementation of the Quagga and Zebra Mussel Action Plan (QZAP) in the Western United States · Due Oct 24, 2026 · 14 days left
- F26AS00071 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition Grants · Due Oct 30, 2026 · 20 days left
- F25AS00379 Highlands Conservation Act - Base Funding Round · Due Oct 31, 2026 · 21 days left
- F25AS00332 Highlands Conservation Act – Competitive Funding Round · Due Oct 31, 2026 · 21 days left
- F26AS00030 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Recovery Land Acquisition Grant Program · Due Nov 20, 2026 · 41 days left
About the federal program
Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration, also called “National Coastal Wetlands Grants”
Program number 15.614 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Project grant
How applications are judged
Applications are scored and then ranked based on criteria published in 50 CFR 84.32. See the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), and Attachment A to this NOFO for more information on ranking criteria. The NOFO is available at www.Grants.gov.
Match
States with a dedicated fund for land conservation are required to provide a minimum cost share equal to 25 percent of the total project costs, including requested program funds and eligible match. All other States are required to provide a 50 percent cost share. We waive the first $200,000 of match for the following insular areas: American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal year 2025: Topsail Beach Partnership
The North Carolina Division of Coastal Management, in partnership with the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust and others, is awarded $1 million to acquire 147.5 acres of maritime forest and coastal wetland on the south end of Topsail Island, a coastal barrier island in Pender County, North Carolina. The tract includes pristine beach, dune, salt flats, maritime shrub and estuarine wetlands that provide habitat for several federally listed species including seabeach amaranth, red knots, piping plovers, green sea turtles and loggerhead sea turtles.
Eastern Shore Saltmarsh Conservation Initiative
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited and Wildlife Foundation of Virginia,?is awarded $1 million?to acquire and improve 621.4 acres of coastal wetlands and buffering uplands in Accomack County, Virginia, on the Delmarva Peninsula. This project will expand a?wildlife management area?for coastal fish and wildlife, facilitate inland marsh migration, enhance coastal resiliency, expand wildlife-related recreation opportunities and improve habitat for migratory birds and other...