- What it funds
- Zero-interest loans for the design and construction of nature-based living shorelines on eroding Maryland waterways; bulkheads, revetments, seawalls and other structural projects are not eligible.
- Who can apply
- Local governments, nonprofits, communities and private waterfront property owners; a DNR site visit is required before applying.
- Match
- Loan, not a grant: 0% interest over 5–20 years depending on the project, plus an administrative fee (3%–10% of construction cost per DNR's page), secured by a shore erosion control lien or a special taxing district. Chapter 76 of 2026 removed the statutory limit on how much of the construction cost a loan can cover and lets DNR partly forgive loans.
- Award
- $1,000,000 is available in the FY2028 cycle.
How Maryland applicants apply
Request a site visit from DNR, then apply through the Shoreline Erosion Control Loan Request Google Form linked from the Grants Gateway page (not the main portal). Contact Wesley Gould, wesley.gould@maryland.gov, 410-260-8812.
The program on dnr.maryland.govDates
What has changed
- July 15, 2026The FY2028 cycle offers $1,000,000, with applications rolling through December 11, 2026. (dnr.maryland.gov)
- April 14, 2026Governor approved Chapter 76 of 2026 (HB 254), effective October 1, 2026: it removes the loan formula that limited coverage of construction costs, lets DNR partly forgive loans using ecological, performance and equity criteria, and credits the fund's interest earnings to the fund. (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- July 15, 2025The FY2027 cycle offered $800,000 in loans, with applications rolling through December 12, 2025. (dnr.maryland.gov)
Sources
Checked against the funder’s own pages on October 29, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the funder before you apply.
- dnr.maryland.gov/ccs/pages/livingshorelines.aspx
- dnr.maryland.gov/ccs/Pages/funding/grantsgateway.aspx
- dnr.maryland.gov/ccs/Documents/FY2028-Grants-Gateway-Solicitation.pdf
- dnr.maryland.gov/ccs/Documents/FY2027-Grants-Gateway-Solicitation.pdf
- mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/Hb0254
- mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/fnotes/bil_0004/hb0254.pdf
Frequently Asked Questions
As of October 29, 2026: Open. DNR accepts applications on a rolling basis through December 11, 2026 at 11:59 p.m., with funding available July 1, 2027. Awards depend on available funds.
Zero-interest loans for the design and construction of nature-based living shorelines on eroding Maryland waterways; bulkheads, revetments, seawalls and other structural projects are not eligible.
Local governments, nonprofits, communities and private waterfront property owners; a DNR site visit is required before applying.
Loan, not a grant: 0% interest over 5–20 years depending on the project, plus an administrative fee (3%–10% of construction cost per DNR's page), secured by a shore erosion control lien or a special taxing district. Chapter 76 of 2026 removed the statutory limit on how much of the construction cost a loan can cover and lets DNR partly forgive loans.
Request a site visit from DNR, then apply through the Shoreline Erosion Control Loan Request Google Form linked from the Grants Gateway page (not the main portal). Contact Wesley Gould, wesley.gould@maryland.gov, 410-260-8812.
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