Division of Boating and Waterways Now Accepting Grant Letters of Intent to Address Coastal Erosion
A 2024 beach restoration project in the City of Solana Beach was the initial construction phase of a long-term project led and primarily funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Photos from the Division of Boating and Waterways.
SACRAMENTO – California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) is now accepting letters of intent from public agencies interested in grant funding for projects that address the impacts of coastal erosion on California’s ocean and bay shorelines. DBW invites applications for local assistance grants through its Shoreline Erosion Control Program and Public Beach Restoration Program.
The deadline for agencies to email DBW letters of intent to apply for fiscal year 2027/28 grant funding is Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at 5 p.m. DBW will provide instructions for submitting full applications to agencies whose letters describe projects that are eligible for funding through these programs.
There is no dedicated state funding source for these grants and available state funding is extremely limited. Therefore, only agencies proposing projects that DBW staff believes are strongly aligned with state objectives will be invited to participate in the next phase of the application process. Such projects will generally involve significant federal cost-sharing and long-term benefits to the state that greatly exceed proposed state costs.
Agencies use Shoreline Erosion Control grants to protect developed shoreline areas against coastal erosion, and Public Beach Restoration grants to strategically place sand on eroded coastal beaches. Grants can fund all project phases, including studies, engineering, permitting, construction and post-construction monitoring.
Grant funding is available through a competitive process. Projects are considered for funding individually through the state’s budget process. Successful applicants will be notified of available funding by July 2027.
Additional information about the programs is available at dbw.parks.ca.gov/coastalerosion.For questions about the grant application process, please contact DBW Project Manager Casey Caldwell at (916) 902-8824 or by email at casey.caldwell@parks.ca.gov.
A completed shoreline protection structure, designed to mimic nearby natural features, in front of West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz County. Photo from the Division of Boating and Waterways.
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