About the Beaches Funding Program
Funding for Florida's critically eroded beaches is managed by the Beach Management Funding Assistance Program. The program provides and manages grants to local governments (up to 75 percent of project costs) for planning and implementing beach and inlet management projects on the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean or Straits of Florida to protect upland structures and infrastructure, provide critical habitat for threatened and endangered species, provide recreational opportunities, and support local economies through tourism. Learn more about Funding Eligibility.
Recognizing the importance of the state's beaches, the Florida Legislature in 1986 adopted a posture of protecting and restoring the state's beaches through a comprehensive beach management planning program. The program evaluates beach erosion problems throughout the state seeking viable solutions. The program is authorized by Section 161.101, Florida Statutes, and rules of Chapter 62B-36, Florida Administrative Code.
Financial assistance in an amount up to 50% of beach projects and up to 75% of inlet project costs is available to Florida's local governments, including county and municipal governments, community development districts and special taxing districts. Eligible activities include:
- Beach restoration and nourishment activities.
- Project design and engineering studies.
- Environmental studies and monitoring.
- Inlet management planning.
- Inlet sand transfer.
- Dune restoration.
- Beach and inlet protection activities.
- Other beach erosion prevention related activities consistent with the adopted Strategic Beach Management Plan.
Projects must be accessible to the public, located on the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean or Straits of Florida, be designated by the department as a critically eroded beach, and be consistent with the state’s Strategic Beach Management Plan. View the Critically Eroded Beaches Report.
How to Apply
The Local Government Funding Request for Fiscal Year 2025-26 is available from June 1, 2024, through July 31, 2024. To obtain application materials or for information on how to apply, visit the Beaches Funding Assistance Information page.
More Information
Beach Restoration Progress
Since 1998, the Florida Legislature has dedicated more than $1.5 billion of the Ecosystem Management and Restoration Trust Fund, Land Acquisition Trust Fund, and General Revenue for beach management. Of this, nearly $315 million was appropriated specifically for hurricane recovery projects. The funds are cost-shared with local governments on local and federally authorized projects, with each level of government contributing about one-third of the cost of the entire program.
This funding has resulted in the restoration and subsequent maintenance of more than 253 miles, or 58%, of the state’s 432.5 miles of critically eroded beaches.
Beach Funding Resources
- For program documents, such as Beach Management Plans, legislative funding requests and budget plans, project fund tracking, financial summary reports, see Beaches Funding Documents website.
- For reports on the various audits of the Beach Management Funding Assistance Program, see the Beaches Funding Audits website.
- For more information on beaches and inlets, including permitting, critical coastal erosion, coastal construction control line, coastal engineering, hydrology and geology, and coastal and shoreline data, please see the Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection's Beaches Program website.
Contact Us
Please see the Beaches Funding Contacts webpage for program contact information. The Beach Management Funding Assistance Program staff can be contacted by email at Beaches_Funding@FloridaDEP.gov.
