Up to $450,000 Available for Coastal Planning Grants in Maine

The Maine Office of Community Affairs’ (MOCA) Maine Coastal Program (MCP) and Municipal Planning Assistance Program (MPAP) have announced that applications are now open for approximately $450,000 in coastal planning grants. The two grant opportunities covered by this announcement are the Shore and Harbor Planning Grant and the Coastal Community Grant. Funding is provided through the Maine Coastal Program’s annual grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, August 31, 2026. All applications must be submitted through the MOCA grant portal at https://maineofficeofcommunityaffairs.submittable.com/submit.

FY26 grants will provide funding on a competitive basis for planning projects that address coastal hazards, resilient infrastructure, public waterfront access, land conservation, stormwater and water quality impacts, and municipal land use planning for community resilience.

Eligible applicants include municipalities, unorganized townships, and Tribal Governments in Maine’s Coastal Zone, as well as coastal Regional Councils. Regional Councils may submit applications on behalf of coastal municipalities, townships, or Tribal Governments. Projects that include partnerships are strongly encouraged, and collaborative projects are eligible for a higher maximum award amount.

For single applicants, the maximum award is $50,000 and the minimum award is $5,000. Applicants may submit more than one application if the projects fall into distinct priority categories. Groups of eligible applicants, such as two municipalities, may submit applications for collaborative projects with a maximum award amount of $75,000.

Grants are anticipated to be awarded in October 2026, with an expected start date in December 2026. Because these are federal funds, grant contracts cannot be executed and projects cannot begin until NOAA completes its review. Projects must be completed, and deliverables received, by March 31, 2028.

Projects may include assessments of long-term hazards and risks from changing ocean conditions, storm surge, and flooding; planning and design for resilient infrastructure at critical public facilities; harbor management plans and waterfront access inventories; legal work to identify public rights-of-way to coastal waters; conservation and public access planning in hazard-prone areas; land use planning for coastal resilience; and efforts to reduce water quality impacts from polluted runoff in priority watersheds.

For more information, contact Rania Campbell-Bussiere, Sr. Grant Specialist.