The elkhorn slough national estuarine research reserve (reserve or esnerr) was designated in 1979 and is located adjacent to monterey BAY in california

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded $1,258,525 under the Coastal Zone Management Estuarine Research Reserves program (CFDA 11.420) to the State Coastal Conservancy on October 1, 2025, for a 18-month performance period extending through March 31, 2027. The award supports operations, research and monitoring, education, training and engagement, and stewardship activities at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), a coastal estuarine ecosystem designated in 1979 and located adjacent to Monterey Bay in California. The federal obligation of $880,967 is matched by $377,558 in state contributions from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), including salaries for reserve management and administrative personnel, volunteer coordination, and operational funds. The Conservancy administers the award through a subaward to the Elkhorn Slough Foundation, the nonprofit administrative entity for the Reserve, which is responsible for implementing the day-to-day reserve operations and programs while CDFW maintains overall staff supervision and program oversight.

The Reserve operates as a natural field laboratory supporting NOAA's mission to monitor, conduct research, and provide public education on coastal estuarine ecosystems and natural processes. Products and services delivered through this funding include scientific monitoring and research activities documenting ecosystem conditions, educational programming and visitor engagement at the Reserve, training and capacity-building initiatives for staff and volunteers, and stewardship activities supporting habitat restoration and resource management. The Elkhorn Slough Foundation, as sub-awardee, executes these operational and programmatic activities from July 1, 2025, through December 31, 2026, with support from 250 volunteer hours and ongoing collaborative partnerships across state and nonprofit stakeholders.

The reserve is administered by the california department of fish and wildlife (department or cdfw). The california state coastal CONSERVANCY (CONSERVANCY) is submitting this application on behalf of the department for scal year 2025-26 funds to support operations, research and monitoring, education, training and engagement, and stewardship activities from october 1, 2025 through march 31, 2027. The CONSERVANCY is an independent state agency that works through non-regulatory means to protect, restore, and enhance coastal resources, including wetlands in partnership with public agencies, nonprot organizations, landowners, and business interests by resolving land use conicts, as well as developing and implementing restoration and enhancement plans for coastal wetlands and watersheds. The national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA), department and the CONSERVANCY operate under a memorandum of agreement by which the CONSERVANCY applies for this NOAA award on behalf of the department and then sub-awards the funds to the foundation without charging any direct or indirect costs to the grant. The foundation provides hiring and personnel administration for this subaward at or below its approved negotiated indirect cost rate with the department of commerce. The department is responsible for staff supervision and program oversight for all activities within the reserve. The coastal CONSERVANCY is requesting $880,967 which will be matched by $377,558 from the department in the form of state salaries for the reserve manager ($115,902 incl. Fringe), staff services analyst ($51,686 incl. Fringe), the volunteer coordinator ($52,469 incl. Fringe) and volunteer time valued at $9,661 (250 hours at the cdfw approved rate of $25.66/hour plus fringe), plus department operations funds ($47,840) and land acquisition funds from the wildlife conservation board. ($100,000). All other reserve staff members receive salary support from federal funds and are not eligible for match. The CONSERVANCY is claiming pre-award funds in the amount of about $220,242 (estimated quarterly expenses for july 1 - september 30, 2025).