WHALE TAIL® Grant
At a glance
WHALE TAIL® Grant is a closed California state grant opportunity from the Coastal Commission (State of California). The application deadline was November 6, 2023. Individual awards are listed as up to $50K, with $2M in total estimated funding. Applicant types listed as eligible include individual, nonprofit, public agency and tribal government. It is listed on the California Grants Portal. Cost sharing is not required.
Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.
Expected to open around August 2027
This program has posted at about the same time each year. If it follows its pattern, the next round should post between Aug 5, 2027 and Sep 22, 2027, with about 69 days to apply.
Based on 3 past postings: Aug 29, 2023, Aug 22, 2024, Oct 10, 2025. Confidence: low. Agencies can change or skip a year; only the agency's posted notice is official. Watch it and we'll email you when the next round posts.
Key facts
- Aug 29, 2023Posted
- Nov 6, 2023Application deadline
- Opened
- Aug 29, 2023
- Close date
- Nov 6, 2023
- Award floor
- Not specified
- Award ceiling
- $50,000
- Est. total funding
- $2,000,000
- Expected awards
- Not specified
- Matching funds
- Not required
- Funding instrument
- Grant
Program details (as published on the California Grants Portal)
- Type
- Grant
- Funding source
- State — Funds come from the purchase of WHALE TAIL® License Plates and donations to the Protect Our Coast and Oceans Fund on the State Tax Form. In 2021 additional funds were allocated from the California state budget.
- Matching funds
- Not Required
- Funding method
- Reimbursement(s)
- Estimated number of awards
- Dependant on number of submissions received, application process, etc.
- Award period
- up to about 2 years
- Expected award announcement
- February 2024
- Letter of intent
- Not required
- Geography
- Grant projects must engage audiences within California, with a priority for communities that have historically received fewer opportunities for coastal and marine education and stewardship.
- How to submit
- By email: whaletailgrant@coastal.ca.gov
- Latest change note
- Grant details updated.
Who can apply
Applicant categories as listed on the California Grants Portal. GrantsJunction maps them to detailed applicant types for search and matching.
- Individual
- Nonprofit
- Public Agency
- Tribal Government
Additional information on eligibility (from the listing)
Eligible applicants are non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, projects of a non-profit fiscal sponsor, public schools or districts, government entities, Federally Recognized Tribes and other California Native American Tribes as defined by Governor’s Executive Order B-10-11.
A quick check against the listed applicant types — other requirements in the notice still apply.
Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.
What it funds
Purpose and description as published on the California Grants Portal.
Purpose
WHALE TAIL® Grants help people connect to the California coast and its watersheds through experiential education, stewardship, and outdoor experiences. WHALE TAIL® Grants focus on reaching communities that have historically received fewer marine education and stewardship opportunities, and strive for a broad geographic distribution throughout California.
Description
The California Coastal Commission's WHALE TAIL® Grants fund projects that connect youth and adults to the California Coast and its watersheds through experiential education, stewardship, and outdoor experiences. Eligible projects fall into one or more of the following four categories: 1) youth education programs, 2) programs for educating the general public or adults, 3) climate change education and stewardship, 4) shoreline cleanup and enhancement programs. We strongly encourage projects that engage communities that have historically received fewer opportunities for coastal and marine education and stewardship, and applicant organizations based in and composed of the communities they are engaging. Grants can take place anywhere in California, coastal or inland. Interested parties complete and submit a full application by the deadline. Grants up to $50,000 may be awarded, with at least 25% of grants awarded for $20,000 or less. Proposals are due November 6, 2023.
Past applications & awards
Historical data · not a predictionReported by the agency for this listing
- Fiscal year 2023–24219 applications · 60 awards
- Awards published
- 60
- Total awarded
- $2,286,865
- Median award
- $45,000 calculated
- Smallest – largest
- $8,000 – $50,000
Recipients by type: Nonprofit (45), Public Agency (13), Tribal Government (2)
Areas served: Los Angeles County (8), San Diego County (7), Humboldt County (5), Statewide (4), San Francisco County (4), Alameda County (3), Contra Costa County (3), Santa Barbara County (3), Orange County (3), Sonoma County (3), Marin County (3), Monterey County (2)
Largest awards to organizations
- University Corporation at Monterey BayHabitat Stewardship Project’s Whale Tail-4th grade-Flows to the Bay$50,000 · FY 2023–24
- Paddle for PeaceDiversify Our Coast$50,000 · FY 2023–24
- Outdoor OutreachCoastal Education, Access & Health Promotion for South Bay San Diego Youth$50,000 · FY 2023–24
- NatureBridgeYouth Marine Science Education in the Marin Headlands$50,000 · FY 2023–24
- Lompoc Unified School DistrictCoastal Gallery Expansion ?" Phase 2 Gallery Annex$50,000 · FY 2023–24
- Headwaters Science InstituteHands-On Marine Research Experience for East Bay Students$50,000 · FY 2023–24
- Green Cities Fund, as fiscal sponsor for Queer SurfProject Ocean Access$50,000 · FY 2023–24
- Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo IndiansPomo Indigenous Food Sovereignty Alliance$50,000 · FY 2023–24
- Earth EquityKelp Restoration from the Inside Out$50,000 · FY 2023–24
- Earth Island Institute, as fiscal sponsor for KIDS for the BAYWatershed Action - Ocean Stewards Program$50,000 · FY 2023–24
Program contact (as published)
Annie Kohut Frankel
Annie.Frankel@coastal.ca.gov
1-415-597-5888
Quick answers
Who is eligible to apply for “WHALE TAIL® Grant”?
The official listing names these applicant types as eligible: Individual, Nonprofit, Public Agency and Tribal Government. It adds: “Eligible applicants are non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, projects of a non-profit fiscal sponsor, public schools or districts, government entities, Federally Recognized Tribes and other California Native American Tribes as defined by Governor’s Executive Order B-10-11.” Additional restrictions may apply; review the full guidelines.
How much funding is available through “WHALE TAIL® Grant”?
Per the notice, individual awards are listed as up to $50k and total estimated program funding is $2,000,000.
How do I apply for “WHALE TAIL® Grant”?
Applications go directly to Coastal Commission, not through GrantsJunction. Submission: by email to whaletailgrant@coastal.ca.gov. Read the program guidelines on the agency's site first; state programs set their own forms and registration requirements.