The San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority (“Authority”) is a regional government agency whose purpose is to raise and allocate funds for the restoration and enjoyment of wetland and wildlife habitat along the San Francisco Bay shoreline.
Donor Name: San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority
State: California
County: Alameda County (CA), Contra Costa County (CA), Marin County (CA), Napa County (CA), San Francisco County (CA), San Mateo County (CA), Santa Clara County (CA), Solano County (CA), Sonoma County (CA)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/20/2024
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: 5 Years
Details:
Priorities
Eligible projects will be evaluated on the depth and breadth with which they achieve the following priorities described in Measure AA:
- Have the greatest positive impact on the Bay as a whole, in terms of clean water, wildlife habitat and beneficial use to Bay Area resident.
- Have the greatest long-term impact on the Bay, to benefit future generations.
- Provide for geographic distribution across the region and ensure that there are projects funded in each of the nine counties in the San Francisco Bay Area over the life of Measure AA.
- Increase impact value by leveraging state and federal resources and public/private partnerships.
- Benefit economically disadvantaged communities.
Funding Information
The Authority expects to generate approximately $25 million each year for twenty years for a total of $500 million, which will be disbursed through grant rounds. Grantees should limit indirect costs to a maximum of 20% of a grant request.
Project Period
The Authority may request that proponents of projects with schedules longer than five years break their projects into phases and return to the Authority for the funding and authorization of each phase of the project.
Eligibility and Required Criteria
Eligible Grantees
Eligible grantees are federal, state, and local agencies; tribal governments; nonprofit organizations; and owners or operators of shoreline parcels in the San Francisco Bay Area, excluding the Delta primary zone.
Eligible Project Locations
Projects must be located within the nine Bay Area counties: Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Solano, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, or San Francisco. Projects must also be along the shorelines of San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Carquinez Strait, Suisun Bay, and most of the Northern Contra Costa County Shoreline (not including the Delta Primary Zone – see Appendix C) that are in areas consistent with guidance provided in the Baylands Ecosystem Habitat Goals Science Update (2015) and Subtidal Habitat Goals Report (2010), including:
- In subtidal areas (lying below mean low tide), within a reasonable distance of the shoreline;
- In baylands, i.e., areas that lie between the maximum and minimum elevations of the tides over multiyear cycles, including those areas that would be covered by the tides in the absence of levees or other unnatural structures, including the portion of creeks or rivers located below the head of tide; or
- On uplands adjacent to potential or actual tidal wetlands that can provide transitional habitat and/or marsh migration space, as well as areas that are needed to enhance the project’s resilience to projected sea level rise.
Eligible Project Phases
Eligible project phases include acquisition , planning and design, environmental studies to prepare California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documentation, permitting, construction, monitoring and evaluation, operation and maintenance, and scientific studies as part of the project to guide adaptive management.
Eligible Project Types and Activities
To be eligible for Measure AA funds, projects must qualify as one or more of the three Restoration Act project types listed below:
- Habitat Project
- A habitat project will restore, protect, or enhance tidal wetlands, managed ponds, or natural habitats on the shoreline in the San Francisco Bay area, excluding the Delta Primary Zone.
- Flood Management, as part of a Habitat Project
- A flood management project will build or enhance shoreline levees or other flood management features that are part of a project to restore, enhance, or protect tidal wetlands, managed ponds, or natural habitats identified under Habitat Project.
- Public Access, as part of a Habitat Project
- A public access project will provide or improve public access or recreational amenities that are part of a project to restore, enhance, or protect tidal wetlands, managed ponds, or natural habitats identified in Habitat Project.
Projects that qualify under the Restoration Act (see above) may receive funding for the following activities described in Measure AA: The Safe, Clean Water and Pollution Prevention Program’s purpose is to remove pollution, trash and harmful toxins from the Bay in order to provide clean water for fish, birds, wildlife and people. Eligible activities are:
- Improving water quality by reducing pollution and engaging in restoration activities, protecting public health and making fish and wildlife healthier.
- Reducing pollution levels through shoreline cleanup and trash removal from the Bay.
- Restoring wetlands that provide natural filters and remove pollution from the Bay’s water.
- Cleaning and enhancing creek outlets where they flow into the Bay.
The Vital Fish, Bird and Wildlife Habitat Program’s purpose is to significantly improve wildlife habitat that will support and increase vital populations of fish, birds, and other wildlife in and around the Bay. Eligible activities are:
- Enhancing the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, shoreline parks and open space preserves, and other protected lands in and around the Bay, providing expanded and improved habitat for fish, birds and mammals.
- Protecting and restoring wetlands and other Bay and shoreline habitats to benefit wildlife, including shorebirds, waterfowl and fish.
- Providing for stewardship, maintenance and monitoring of habitat restoration projects in and around the Bay, to ensure their ongoing benefits to wildlife and people.
The Integrated Flood Protection Program’s purpose is to use natural habitats to protect communities along the Bay’s shoreline from the risks of severe coastal flooding caused by storms and high water levels. Eligible activities are:
- Providing nature-based flood protection through wetland and habitat restoration along the Bay’s edge and at creek outlets that flow to the Bay.
- Building and/or improving flood protection levees that are a necessary part of wetland restoration activities, to protect existing shoreline communities, agriculture, and infrastructure.
The Shoreline Public Access Program’s purpose is to enhance the quality of life of Bay Area residents, including those with disabilities, through safer and improved public access, as part of and compatible with wildlife habitat restoration projects in and around the Bay. Eligible activities are:
- Constructing new, repairing existing and/or replacing deteriorating public access trails, signs, and related facilities along the shoreline and managing these public access facilities.
- Providing interpretive materials and special outreach events about pollution prevention, wildlife habitat, public access, and flood protection, to protect the Bay’s health and encourage community engagement.
For more information, visit SFBRA.
