Evaluation of the National Coastal Resilience Fund and Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency Program

Coastal communities are under threat from rising sea levels, more frequent and severe coastal storms, and changing precipitation patterns due to climate change. As a result, coastal communities are at increased risk of damage and disruption to their infrastructure, critical assets, economy, and environment, including vulnerable ecosystems and species. To address these threats, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has invested in sustainable and resilient coastal communities and ecosystems through the National Coastal Resilience Fund and the Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency Grant Program. NFWF selected ERG to evaluate the outcomes of these resilience investments.

ERG evaluated 167 grants, with a focus on assessing ecological outcomes, community resilience outcomes, program priorities, broader impacts resulting from grant implementation, and the long-term sustainability of ecological and community resilience outcomes. We used a mixed-methods approach that combined document review, metrics and geospatial analyses, review of long-term monitoring data, grantee and partner surveys and interviews, and site visits by the ERG team. We documented the results in an evaluation report and presented a summary of our approach, findings, and lessons learned to NFWF and its program partners. Given the dynamic nature of emerging climate threats, the results provide an important foundation for NFWF and its partners to strategically adjust these investments and programs as needed to help ensure their continued success.