SCDRP Newsletter: April 25, 2025

The April SCDRP Partnership Meeting held on April 24 featured four panelists from different levels of government who discussed long-term resiliency planning in North Carolina and lessons learned following Hurricane Helene's devastating impacts on the state. Adam Stein from NOAA Office for Coastal Management and the NOAA Advisor for DR-4287 NC Helene Recovery, Drew Christy from the Governor's Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (GROW NC), Dr. Mary Roderick from the Land of Sky Regional Council, and Brian Byfield from the North Carolina Office of Recovery & Resiliency emphasized the importance of resilient recovery planning before a disaster strikes in order to improve social and economic outcomes. Here are just a few of the main points of discussion covered by the panel:

• The need for imagination in recovery planning, and the detriments of a lack of imagination.
• The economic benefits of investing in resilience (Read more in this report: The Preparedness Payoff: The Economic Benefits of Investing in Climate Resilience)
• Impacts of Helene on the state of NC (Including $59.6 billion in estimated damages, 50+ million cubic yards of debris)
• Investments the Governor's Office is making in recovery and how they are streamlining their efforts
• The importance of making sure insurance coverage is in place before a disaster strikes
• The need to incorporate resilience planning into local government operations.
• Clarifying land/structure/infrastructure ownership before a disaster to ensure smooth and prompt recovery processes.

Key resource: North Carolina Resilient Communities Planning Guide

To hear the full discussion, click the video above or head to our Youtube Channel!

Do you have an announcement, question, or a request for information, resources, or connections that you’d like to send out to SCDRP’s wide network of disaster resiliency and climate professionals? Email us at scdrp@secoora.org with your request and contact information, and it may be featured in our next newsletter!

Join us! Discover SCDRP Membership options and benefits by clicking below:

2025 IAEM Scholarship, International Association of Emergency Managers

Undergraduate and graduate scholarships will be awarded, including a special $10,000 scholarship award for doctoral research students named to honor Dr. E.L. Quarantelli, a pioneering scholar in the field of disaster research and emergency management. 

Applications due May 30, 2025

Foreverglades Research Enhancement Grants - Everglades Foundation

These grants provide graduate students up to $30,000 for research-related expenses in areas related to the Everglades ecosystem. Research topics on the Florida Bay ecosystem, climate change, habitat restoration, fisheries or wildlife ecology, and resource management are of special interest to several of our named awards. ForEverglades Research Enhancement Grants will also support research related to the physical, chemical or biological processes of freshwater or estuarine ecosystems of the Everglades, or research in resilience, climate change, economics, policy or social interactions as they relate to the greater Everglades ecosystem. Applicants need to have a Faculty Advisor that oversees the work and the grant budget.

Application Deadline: June 6, 2025 

Resilience Resources

Climate and Land Use Planning: A Policy Guide for U.S. States and Territories

This guide by the U.S. Climate Alliance outlines a suite of policies states and territories can use to advance their climate goals through land use planning. It also offers governance strategies to help states undertake cross-sectoral and intergovernmental planning, ensure data-driven planning and decision-making, and foster meaningful engagement with Tribes, communities, businesses, and other stakeholders.

Risk Communication: Collection of Resources from NOAA Office for Coastal Management 

Workshops, Trainings, and Events

Calls for Information, Comments, Surveys, Applications:

SASMI Project Identification Survey This questionnaire is a tool to identify and gather information about potential Salt Marsh conservation, protection, and restoration projects along the Georgia Coast.

The National Hazard Mitigation Association (NHMA) is inviting abstract submissions for their 2025 Practitioners Meeting taking place on July 17, 2025. The organizing committee is calling on practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders to submit ideas for sessions that address this year’s theme The Mitigation Revolution: Practical Ways Communities are Reducing Risk. 

The submission deadline is May 16, 2025.

Applications now open for the The Continuum Ocean Enterprise Studio and Incubator (Seaworthy Collective) 

This program offers U.S.-based BlueTech startups tailored support to develop ocean data solutions, backed by NOAA scholarships. ​ 

This year, the Studio and Incubator will exclusively support US-based startups developing ocean data technologies and services, in alignment with the priorities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Enterprise Initiative. 

This 3-month program activates our community to contribute to and grow scalable companies and impact. We build cohorts of two types of participants: 

• Current founders growing their existing early-stage startups
• Aspiring founders co-creating a new startup with Seaworthy. 

We aim to support 5 to 7 existing early-stage startups and co-create 1 new startup for each cohort.​ NOAA supported scholarships (a $25,000 value) enable NO COST or equity requirements for each participant.

Apply by June 26, 2025

Call for Papers - Co-production and Coastal Resilience Collection in Estuaries and Coasts - NOAA RESTORE Science Program

The NOAA RESTORE Science Program has partnered with researchers from Florida State University and the RESTORE Act Center of Excellence for Louisiana to propose a special collection on co-production and coastal resilience in the journal Estuaries and Coasts. The submission window for the collection is now open through August 31, 2025.

Join FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council (YPC)

The intent of the Youth Preparedness Council is to bring together young leaders who have an interest in making a difference in their communities and in advancing disaster preparedness efforts on a national and local level. Youth Preparedness Council members complete disaster preparedness projects that help improve the disaster resiliency of the nation. The application cycle will be announced shortly.

The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) is seeking applicants and internship partners for the new Professional Science Master (PSM) degree as part of UVI’s Marine and Environmental Science program (MMES).

NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) is gathering input from users of tidal datums and coastal tools, like flood forecasting models and inundation maps, on the upcoming National Tidal Datum Epoch (NTDE) update. This quick, 3-minute survey will help NOAA understand how these changes may affect coastal practitioners and guide the creation of resources to better support communities facing coastal flooding and other challenges. Your feedback will be valuable in shaping tools to meet the needs of those working along our coasts.

The Southeast Regional Climate Center (SERCC) requests feedback on "Expanded Caribbean Section of Southeast Quarterly Impacts and Outlook Report"

The American Society of Adaptation Professionals invites its members and organizations with experience in environmental justice and community advocacy to sign-up to provide technical assistance for communities impacted the most via the EPA Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (“TCTAC”) Program.

Thank you to our Supporting Group Members!

SCDRP updates and news on Social Media!