The North Carolina Division of Coastal Management is offering competitive grant funds to support projects that will help the public access coastal waters.
Applicants eligible for fiscal year 2027 funding through the North Carolina Boating Infrastructure Grant, or BIG, Program include public and private marina owners and operators, local governments, state agencies, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education and other entities that own or operate boating facilities in the state’s 20 Coastal Area Management Act counties.
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The BIG Program is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, which provides funding for public access through constructing, renovating and maintaining boating infrastructure that serves transient recreational vessels 26 feet or longer.
Eligible projects may include transient docks, piers, gangways, mooring buoys, breakwaters, wave attenuators, utilities, restrooms, showers, pump-out facilities, dinghy docks, signage and other boating infrastructure.
Applicants may apply for one of two funding opportunities. Federal funding of up to $300,000 is available through Tier 1 awards that apply to projects within North Carolina. Tier 2 awards are nationally competitive and provide funding up to $1.5 million.
Applicants are encouraged to review eligibility requirements, applications instructions, submission information and additional program information on the North Carolina Boating Infrastructure Grant Program website. Applications must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. Friday, August 28.
Division officials will evaluate and rank eligible applications then submit the highest-ranked proposals to the Fish and Wildlife Service for consideration.
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The division, which is under the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, is scheduled to host an informational webinar from 3-5 p.m. July 15 to review the application process, eligible projects, program requirements, evaluation criteria and answer questions. Those who would like to attend the virtual meeting may register online.
Questions about the BIG Program and the application process may be directed to NCBIG@deq.nc.gov.
