Senate Bill 1 Sea Level Rise Tribal Cultural Resources Funding Program

Senate Bill 1 Sea Level Rise Tribal Cultural Resources Funding Program is sponsored by Ocean Protection Council. The purpose of the Sea Level Rise (SLR) Tribal Cultural Resources Funding Program is to provide funding for tribes to assess and plan for the impacts of SLR on their ancestral lands, cultural sites, lifeways, and resources in a manner that is meaningful and beneficial to the tribe.

This program offers an alternative and more flexible funding pathway within the Ocean Protection Council’s broader SB 1 Grant Program. The Tribal Cultural Resources Funding Solicitation is a dedicated grant opportunity under the Ocean Protection Council’s (OPC) Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program.

This program provides direct, flexible funding to California Native American tribes to assess and plan for the impacts of sea level rise (SLR) on tribal cultural resources, ancestral lands, and lifeways. The goal is to promote tribal-led planning that advances climate resilience, equity, and cultural preservation.

Eligible project types fall into two stages: Pre-planning activities, such as community visioning, education and outreach, data collection (including traditional knowledge), and vulnerability assessments Planning activities, including setting adaptation priorities and developing culturally appropriate strategies to preserve and protect tribal cultural resources from current and future coastal hazards This solicitation also prioritizes cross-cutting goals, including: Protecting tribal data confidentiality Promoting regional tribal collaboration and shared vulnerability assessments Supporting engagement with local and regional planning processes to ensure tribal voices are integrated into broader land use and SLR adaptation planning Encouraging use of existing data and coordination with local agencies to avoid duplicative efforts Proposals will be received on a rolling, quarterly basis to provide consistent and timely access to funding.

Awards will be made on a first-come, first-served basis through four non-competitive review cycles, ensuring eligible projects are considered when ready. This flexible approach is intended to address the urgent needs of tribes impacted by SLR. Projects are anticipated to range from $250,000 to $750,000, though amounts outside this range may be considered with justification.

The broader SB 1 Grant Program offers a complementary Technical Assistance (TA) Program to support eligible applicants addressing significant and imminent SLR impacts. Administered by OPC’s grantee Coastal Quest, the TA Program provides tailored assistance based on each applicant’s needs, including grant writing support, work plan development, budgeting, and other resources to strengthen applications and project proposals.

This TA Program is also available to support applicants with the development of their Tribal Cultural Resource Planning Project applications. For more information or to request assistance, visit the SB 1 Grant Program webpage or email OPCSB1TA@coastal-quest. org.

Keywords: sea level rise; SLR; climate change; adaptation; planning; coastal resilience; California Native American tribes; tribes; cultural resources; ancestral lands; tribal planning