Non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, projects of a non-profit fiscal sponsor, public schools or districts (including colleges and universities), government entities, Federally Recognized Tribes and other California Native American Tribes as defined by Governor's Executive Order B-10-11

WHALE TAIL® Grants are for projects that engage communities in California and focus on coastal and ocean education. This may include classroom-based programs, field trips, climate change education and stewardship, coastal habitat restoration or shoreline cleanup programs with community involvement, community or participatory science, cultural and ancestral practice preservation, workforce development, and much more.

Projects can engage participants of any age. WHALE TAIL® Grants focus on reaching communities in California that face barriers accessing marine education and stewardship opportunities. We strongly encourage applicant organizations based in and composed of the communities they are engaging.

Approximately half of total grant funds ($1,000,000) will be set aside for projects led by California Native American tribes, tribally-led entities, and organizations directly engaging California Native American tribal communities. Please see the guidelines and application for more details on eligibility and required documentation for the tribal set-aside.

Projects can take place anywhere in California; you don't have to go to the ocean (although many projects do). Projects that take place away from the ocean should address how the connection to the coast and ocean will be emphasized.

Grant project tasks must begin between May 15 and October 1, 2026. Project funding must end by November 30, 2028. (If your project begins on or before June 30, 2026, your project must end by April 17, 2028. If your project begins on or after July 1, 2026, your project must end by November 30, 2028.)

The maximum grant is $50,000. There's no minimum grant amount. At least 25% of the funded grants under the general pool will be for amounts of $25,000 or less. Approximately $2,000,000 will be distributed in this grant cycle (half for the tribal set-aside and half for the general pool).

Generally, the program is supported by sales of the WHALE TAIL® License Plate and donations to the Protect Our Coast and Oceans Fund listed on the California tax return.

For the 2025-2026 competitive grant round, the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) has generously provided $2,000,000 in funding from California Climate Investments.

No.

8pm California time on December 15, 2025.

You have three options: by email, by uploading to a Dropbox folder, or by postal mail. For email, send your proposal as an attachment to whaletailgrant@coastal.ca.gov by 8:00pm California time on December 15, 2025. If you prefer to upload, submit your proposal to the Dropbox folder by 8:00pm California time on December 15, 2025. For postal mail, your package must be postmarked no later than December 15, 2025, and you do not need to use rush shipping. See the guidelines and application for submission instructions and the mailing address.

We'll notify applicants of the results by the end of April 2026.

Do not begin work on your grant project until you have a signed grant agreement.

WHALE TAIL® Grants are generally reimbursement grants, which means that you will invoice us for work already done or purchases already made. You can invoice as often as once per month for reimbursement, and the State may take up to 45 days to issue checks.

Projects of non-profits and tribes may request an advance of up to 25% of the total grant amount. Please read Attachment B "Administrative Requirements" in the WHALE TAIL® Grant guidelines for advance payment requirements.

Yes. Grants will not be awarded to fund political advocacy work; for projects that include religious content in their programming; for travel outside of California; or for the purchase of vehicles, insurance, laptops, tablets, cell phones, prizes, incentives, gift cards, cash gifts, or items that will be sold. Grants will also not be awarded to fund only an organization's general, ongoing administrative costs without a defined project.

You must credit the California Coastal Commission's WHALE TAIL® Grants Program and the Ocean Protection Council as the project funders and place funding credit logos on any printed or online content produced for the project. You must maintain complete accounting and time records and invoice us accurately. You must submit a written final report at the completion of your project detailing what you accomplished and who you engaged. Depending on the length of your grant project, you may be asked to submit one or more brief progress reports in writing or by phone. If you request advance payment, you may have additional reporting requirements. Read through the WHALE TAIL® Grant guidelines for more information.

Jessica Lie, Grants and Education Programs Coordinator, at Jessica.Lie@coastal.ca.gov