The University of North Carolina’s Center for Marine Science has been awarded a $500,000 grant to help enhance flood safety and resilience efforts in New Hanover County.
With the two-year planning grant, CMS will convene a Flood Resilience Consortium “that unites agencies and organizations focused on community preparedness, facilitating outreach, workshops, research, and implementation planning to guide long-term flood resilience efforts,” according to a release from The Endowment, which awarded the grant.
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“This consortium will connect the many agencies and experts already working on flood issues, allowing them to move forward with shared priorities and clear roles,” The Endowment’s Director of Community Safety Mary Vail Ware stated in the release.
The Endowment was established with proceeds from the sale of New Hanover Regional Medical Center from the county to Novant Health five years ago. Since that time, millions in grant funds have been awarded to projects and endeavors in the community.
The grant “will help align ongoing resilience efforts, pinpoint high-risk areas, and guide cost-effective solutions that reduce future impacts and support faster recovery,” the release states.
The consortium will produce an inventory of existing resources and tools, including maps, models, and data, a plan detailing vulnerabilities, priority projects, timelines and responsibilities, and a funding strategy that aligns public, private and philanthropic investments with the most critical initiatives.
“This is about building a community that can withstand, adapt, and bounce back,” Ware said. “By investing in early planning and bringing partners together, we’re laying the foundation for solutions that safeguard our environment, infrastructure, and future.”
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“Preparing for the future means learning from the past,” Sophie Dagenais, The Endowment’s interim president and chief executive officer, said in the release. “We remember the storms that have shaped this community, and we are committed to supporting efforts strengthening New Hanover County’s infrastructure, so residents, businesses, and ecosystems are better protected. This investment supports a coordinated, data-driven approach to flood resilience.”
