The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management (DCM) has announced that about $1.5 million is expected to be available for local governments in the 2026-27 fiscal year. The funding, through the Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program, aims to help improve public access to beaches and coastal waters in the state’s 20 coastal counties.
“Expanding and improving public access to coastal shorelines continues to be a priority for our program and communities across the coast, so we’re looking forward to supporting additional proposals this year,” said Tancred Miller, director of the N.C. Division of Coastal Management.
Local governments interested in applying must submit a pre-application by 5 p.m. on April 24, 2026. Selected applicants will be notified by May 21 and can then submit final applications, which are anticipated to be due by July 31, 2026. All final applicants will receive notification in fall 2026 regarding their funding status.
An online grant application workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, February 18, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., where attendees can learn about eligible projects, matching requirements, timelines, and other aspects of the grant process. Registration details are available at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/sz6e22v/lp/d77e23ea-ba2f-4ffc-8d26-2fb2ccd5ee72.
Funding for this program comes from the North Carolina General Assembly via the state’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and depends on budget allocations. Projects eligible for funding include walkways, dune crossovers, restrooms, parking areas, piers, land acquisition or urban waterfront revitalization. DCM staff select recipients based on criteria set by the N.C. Coastal Resources Commission.
Since its start in 1981, the grant program has awarded over $54 million through more than 500 grants.
The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is responsible for environmental regulation and stewardship throughout North Carolina, covering air quality regulation, permit issuance, waste management, water resource oversight and protection of natural resources as described on its official website. The agency supports community awareness through public education programs and maintains its central office at 217 West Jones Street in Raleigh.
More information about the Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program is available on the DEQ website.
