The Coral Reef Stewardship Fund, administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), offers grants to improve the health and resiliency of coral reef ecosystems across U.S. coral jurisdictions, including American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For the 2025 grant cycle, approximately $3,500,000 is available, with awards ranging from $80,000 to $600,000. Grants will support projects that address priority areas such as reducing land-based pollution, enhancing coral reef fisheries management, expanding reef restoration capacity, and increasing institutional management capabilities for coral conservation.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, tribal governments, municipal governments, and educational institutions. Projects must align with the fund’s conservation goals and may include activities such as implementing watershed management plans, establishing water quality targets, reducing pollution, enhancing coral restoration efforts, and increasing fish stocks on coral reefs. Priority will be given to projects targeting specific geographic areas and conservation activities outlined in the RFP.

The grant application process involves two stages: a pre-proposal, due by February 12, 2025, and, if invited, a full proposal, due by April 16, 2025. Applicants must submit their materials through NFWF’s Easygrants system. To assist with the application, a pre-proposal webinar will be held on January 22, 2025, at 4:00 PM ET. Full proposal webinars will be offered in March 2025 for selected applicants. Award decisions are expected in August 2025.

Projects are required to provide matching funds at a 1:1 ratio from non-federal sources, although exceptions may be granted. NFWF encourages collaboration with local stakeholders and coral reef managers to align projects with community conservation priorities. A strong emphasis is placed on technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and long-term sustainability.

For more details, applicants are encouraged to review the RFP, available on NFWF’s website, and contact Michelle Pico (pico@nfwf.org) for program-specific questions. Assistance with the Easygrants system can be obtained by contacting the Easygrants Helpdesk at Easygrants@nfwf.org or 202-595-2497.