Request for Proposals: Advancing 30×30 in Coastal Waters – Letter of Intent due by July 18, 2025
In October 2020, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-82-20, advancing environmental conservation as an administration priority and elevating the role of nature in combating climate change. As part of this Executive Order, California committed to the goal of conserving 30% of state lands and coastal waters by 2030 (also known as the “30 by 30” or “30×30” initiative). In April 2022, the California Natural Resources Agency released Pathways to 30×30: Accelerating Conservation of California’s Nature, which defines 30×30 Conservation Areas, highlights the breadth of conservation that is consistent with this definition, and establishes 10 pathways for achieving 30×30 in California.
Five years into the 30×30 initiative, and halfway to the initiative’s target date, OPC has developed a Roadmap to Achieving 30×30 in Coastal Waters. This roadmap builds on Pathways to 30×30 and was developed in close partnership with scientific experts. Informed by extensive tribal consultation and public input, the roadmap sets an ambitious and world-leading standard for marine conservation while promoting ways in which people and nature can thrive together. California currently stands at 21.9% of coastal waters conserved.
Moving forward, OPC and partners will continue the effort to conserve an additional 8.1%, or 275,000 acres, of coastal waters by 2030. OPC is now seeking proposals for projects that will help to support this effort. This solicitation is intended to advance 30×30 in coastal waters by:
- Enhancing coastal and marine biodiversity conservation
- Strengthening biodiversity protections in existing 30×30 Conservation Areas
- Supporting the identification of potential new 30×30 Conservation Areas
- Providing direct benefits to coastal and marine biodiversity via restoration or other on-the-ground environmental stewardship activities
- Supporting stewardship of coastal and marine ecosystems by local communities and California Native American tribes
$10 million is available through this solicitation to fund projects for up to two years. Proposals will be accepted for three separate tracks: action-oriented science (Track 1), accelerating environmental restoration and stewardship (Track 2), and revitalizing tribally-led stewardship (Track 3). More details on each track can be found in the solicitation.
Informational Webinar and Office Hours
OPC held an informational Webinar on June 30, 2025. Watch the recording.
Submit a Letter of Intent
Applicants must submit a completed Letter of Intent (LOI) in response to this solicitation. The deadline for submission is Friday, July 18, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. The LOI is the first phase of the grant application process describing the project proposal. Following the LOI review phase, OPC anticipates inviting selected applicants to submit full proposals in August.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When are Letters of Intent due? When are full proposals due? When are selected projects anticipated to start?
A: Letters of Intent are due by 5:00 p.m. PDT on July 18, 2025. Selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals on August 15, 2025, with full proposals due by 5:00 p.m. PDT on November 7, 2025. Staff will recommend selected projects to OPC for approval at the Council’s quarterly meeting on March 23, 2026. Work is anticipated to begin in late spring 2026. A full timeline can be found on pages 3-4 of the solicitation.
Q: Can applicants submit more than one Letter of Intent?
A: Yes, applicants can submit multiple Letters of Intent or be listed as collaborators on multiple Letters of Intent.
Q: Can applicants list more than one solicitation track on a Letter of Intent?
A: Yes, applicants may indicate that their Letter of Intent may be relevant to more than one solicitation track. OPC will determine the best-fit track at the full proposal stage.
Q: Is there a length requirement for Letters of Intent? What level of detail is required?
A: There is no length requirement for Letters of Intent for this solicitation. Concise, 1-2 paragraph responses to the prompts listed in the Letter of Intent template are sufficient. Full detailed budgets, timelines/Gantt charts, etc., will not be required until the full proposal stage.
Q: What are the criteria for evaluating Letters of Intent? How much feedback will applicants receive on Letters of Intent before the full proposal stage?
A: Letters of Intent will be reviewed for completeness and project eligibility only. If a Letter of Intent is incomplete, OPC may assist the applicant with gathering additional information and modifying the Letter of Intent to pass the completeness review. OPC may also work to connect applicants who submit Letters of Intent that propose work on similar topics or in similar locations.
Q: What are the criteria for evaluating full proposals?
A: Proposals will be evaluated and scored based on the following criteria: 1) Alignment with Proposition 68 Grant Guidelines and solicitation priorities; 2) Benefits to coastal communities and/or California Native American tribes; 3) Applicant capacity to successfully complete the proposed work; 4) Project methodology; and 5) Leveraging of funding sources. A complete scoring rubric can be found on pages 19-20 of the solicitation.
Q: What are OPC’s limits on indirect cost?
A: OPC is limited to 25% indirect cost for University of California and California State University grantees, and 15% indirect cost for all other grantees.
Q: What are the geographic boundaries for proposed projects?
A: Only projects that benefit coastal and marine ecosystems and communities will be considered. Generally, this translates into projects that occur in state waters (out to the 3 nautical mile state water boundary, including offshore islands) or within the coastal zone, including estuaries.
Q: Do projects need to take place within designated 30×30 Conservation Areas?
A: No, projects can take place either inside or outside designated 30×30 Conservation Areas.
Q: Do projects need to provide policy or management recommendations?
A: Letters of Intent and full proposals should clearly articulate how project outcomes will advance 30×30 in coastal waters. For Track 1 projects, this may take the form of policy or management recommendations (e.g., recommendations for strengthening biodiversity protections in existing 30×30 Conservation Areas, or recommendations for potential new 30×30 Conservation Areas). For Track 2 and Track 3 projects, this may take the form of on-the-ground stewardship activities (e.g,. restoration, water quality improvement, invasive species management).
Q: Do projects need to provide benefits to disadvantaged or severely disadvantaged communities?
A: All project applicants are encouraged to demonstrate how proposed projects will benefit disadvantaged communities, severely disadvantaged communities, and/or diverse populations, particularly minority, low-income, and disabled populations, federally recognized and non-federally recognized California Native American tribes, and tribal communities. See OPC’s Proposition 68 Grant Guidelines for more information.