The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s (NCDEQ) Division of Coastal Management (DCM) invites communities and contractors to apply to participate in Phases 1 through 4 of the N.C. Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP), which aims to equip communities with additional capability to understand and enhance coastal resilience at the local level. DCM estimates that approximately $2 million will be available for Phases 1 and 2 in FY 2025-2026 and approximately $6 million will be available for Phase 3 and Phase 4 projects in FY 2025-2026. The application deadline for both community and contractor applications is April 25, 2025, by 5 p.m.
DCM is hosting an informational webinar on the application process on March 21 from 2-3:30 p.m. Interested parties can register for it here.
DCM is requesting applications from all county and municipal governments within the 20 CAMA counties and from qualified contractors to provide technical assistance to selected localities. Eligible contractors include private planning and engineering firms, Councils of Government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and academic institutions (private and public). These phases guide communities through a structured process to assess local risks and vulnerabilities, engage representative stakeholders, and collaboratively identify and prioritize projects and actions to enhance community resilience and protect critical assets.
DCM is also seeking applications from N.C. coastal communities to be matched with a contractor to fully update local CAMA Land Use Plans while integrating core elements of the Resilience Strategies developed through the RCCP. Selected communities will work to ensure resilience is meaningfully incorporated into land use planning efforts, supporting proactive decision-making that reduces risk. This work may be conducted alongside Phases 1 and 2 for new communities accepted into the program or be completed independently in communities that have already completed Phases 1 and 2.
Phases 1-4 Community Applications
Eligibility: Municipal and county governments in the 20 coastal counties of N.C.
Submission deadline: April 25, 2025, by 5 p.m.
Application Materials: RCCP Website
Phase 1 & 2 Contractor Applications
Eligibility: Private planning and engineering firms, Councils of Government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and academic institutions (private and public). Multiple organizations may partner on one application.
Submission deadline: April 25, 2025, by 5 p.m.
Application Materials: RCCP Website
The Program Planning Handbook provides guidance to program participants in completing Phases 1 and 2 of the N.C. Resilient Coastal Communities Program. Existing data, tools and resources are incorporated throughout the handbook to assist with the process and to identify specific program requirements.
The primary objective of Phase 3 of the RCCP is to provide funding to assist coastal communities in the engineering and design of a prioritized project identified through Phases 1 and 2 of the RCCP and outlined in their Resilience Strategy or an alternative plan that meets the criteria and deliverables outlined in Phases 1 and 2 of the RCCP Planning Handbook. Potential projects include requests for funding to support the engineering and design of a priority resilience project identified by the applicant. Proposals may also include preliminary design, site assessment and baseline monitoring, provided that the project results in a complete design, with the final product reaching 90-100% completion (i.e., as close to permitting or implementation readiness as possible). Additionally, proposals for developing ordinances or policies to enhance community resilience will be considered for funding.
The primary objective of Phase 4 of the RCCP is to provide funding to assist coastal communities with the implementation (i.e., construction) of prioritized resilience projects identified through the deliverables of Phases 1 and 2 and supported by engineered site plans developed in Phase 3 or equivalent planning and design efforts. Projects not identified through Phases 1 & 2 may also be eligible if the community completed an equivalent scope of work to bypass Phases 1 & 2. Grant funds may be used to construct or implement projects that enhance a community’s resilience to identified coastal hazards (e.g., stormwater flooding, sea-level rise, shoreline erosion, etc.). Examples include, but are not limited to, wetland and stream restoration, flood mitigation, living shoreline stabilization, and infrastructure to improve stormwater management.
The RCCP is a four-phase program that seeks to:
- Address barriers to coastal resilience in North Carolina at the local level, such as limited capacity, economic constraints, and social inequities
- Assist communities with risk and vulnerability assessments and developing a portfolio of planned and prioritized projects
- Advance coastal resilience projects to “shovel-ready” status
- Link communities to funding streams for project implementation
The four phases are:
Phase 1: Community Engagement and Risk/Vulnerability Assessment
Phase 2: Planning, Project Identification, and Prioritization
Phase 3: Engineering and Design
Phase 4: Project Implementation
Questions about the new Resilient Coastal Communities Program and completed applications may be sent to RCCP@deq.nc.gov.
RCCP LOGO AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD click here.