Grants of up to $80,000 per year to Georgia government agencies, and educational and research institutions for environmental conservation projects in eligible areas. Applicants must submit a pre-application prior to applying. Funding is intended to preserve the natural, historic, environmental, recreational, and archaeological resources of the state. The Coastal Incentive Grant (CIG) Program service area includes Brantley, Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Charlton, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Wayne counties. Low-cost construction projects or acquisition of real property that provide access to coastal natural resources are accepted under this program.

The themes of the FY 2023-2024 Cycle 26 CIG Program as adopted by the CAC are (bulleted items are provided only as examples):

• Oceans and Wetlands: 
  
• Maintaining or improving the quality of wetlands
• Conservation and restoration of wetland habitats
• Improved understanding of ocean and wetland habitats and functions
• Public Access and Land Conservation: 
  
• Add or enhance physical access for the public to coastal water resources (i.e. rivers, wetlands, beaches)
• Public access planning
• Conservation of riparian habitats through acquisition
• Land conservation, preservation, and/or management, especially for sea level rise retreat
• Analysis of land conservation needs and opportunities for habitat protection
• Sustainable Communities: 
  
• Strengthen local capacity to implement sustainable approaches in planning and development
• Increase understanding of costs and benefits associated with sustainable approaches to coastal development
• Identification and preservation of unique community qualities, and historical and cultural features, including public education of the above
• Disaster Resiliency and Coastal Hazards: 
  
• Improve understanding of coastal hazards and potential impacts
• Develop, implement or incorporate adaptation and mitigation strategies/plans or policies
• Strengthen local capacity to implement FEMA’s Community Rating System
• Non-Point Source Pollution: 
  
• Improvements to existing urban runoff control structures in coastal watersheds
• Projects that address stormwater quantity and quality improvements utilizing BMPs recommended by the Georgia Coastal Stormwater Supplement
• No construction projects are eligible under this theme

For information about construction and acquisition projects, see: https://coastalgadnr.org/sites/default/files/crd/CZM/CIG/RFP/RFP.Cycle26.CIGv2_.pdf#page=4