The Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project’s (WRP) Community Wetland Restoration Grant Program (CWRGP) provides funding for community-based restoration projects in coastal wetlands and along coastal stream corridors in the Southern California region. See the Grant Program flyer for an overview of the CWRGP.

Over the past 20 years, the CWRGP has successfully completed over 170 community-based projects with over $4 million spent or currently obligated on project implementation.  Initiated by the State Coastal Conservancy, Earth Island Institute funded the CWRGP from 2002-2012. From 2012 to 2014, the State Coastal Conservancy and the Wildlife Conservation Board also funded the CWRGP.  Earth Island Institute continued funding the Program in 2015 and 2016. From 2017-2021 the program was funded and supported by the Wildlife Conservation Board, State Coastal Conservancy, and the Earth Island Institute. Going forward, the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), the California Coastal Conservancy (SCC), and the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC) will be funding the CWRGP for the near future. The CWRGP welcomes partnerships with agencies, foundations, and individuals to bring new funding and resources to this critical and highly successful program.

This program supports achieving Goals 1-3 of the WRP Regional Strategy 2018, by restoring coastal wetlands, streams, adjacent habitats, and other non-tidal wetlands. The program has a specific emphasis on Objective 1 of Goal 3: Support Community-Based Restoration Projects. The goals of the program are to build local capacity to plan and implement wetland restoration projects; promote community involvement in wetland restoration activities; and foster education about wetland ecosystems.  Projects funded through the program must include educational and community involvement elements as strong components of the project.

During application periods, the CWRGP solicits proposals from nonprofit organizations, local government agencies (City or County), federally recognized tribes,  nonprofit or public, and other eligible public agencies to apply to the CWRGP.  Proposals are reviewed by a technical advisory committee that includes staff from SCC, WCB, RMC, and, in some instances, other WRP partner agencies.

The next RFP will open in 2023. For any questions, please contact Katie Nichols of the State Coastal Conservancy at Katie.Nichols@scc.ca.gov.