Hawaiʻi County has secured a $2 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with funds contributed by the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program through the National Costal Resilience Fund (NCRF).

The grants support design and implementation of projects to enhance the resilience of coastal communities and improve habitat for fish and wildlife across the U.S.

The award will be officially accepted by the Hawaiʻi County Department of Research and Development with the County providing matching funds of $464,300 for a total project budget of $2,464,300. These funds will support creating a community resilience and watershed management plan that utilizes nature-based solutions to enhance resilience along the Hilo Bay coastline and within the Hilo Bay Watershed. $200,000 of the matching funds will be used to engage local partners to ensure a community-based plan.