Background
Coastal Fund is a student-funded, student-run organization that serves to preserve, protect, and enhance the terrestrial and marine habitats associated with the shoreline of the University of California, Santa Barbara through preservation, education, open access, research, and restoration. Through a lock-in fee every quarter, each undergraduate student pays $5.50 and each graduate student pays $3.00 towards Coastal Fund. The fee generates approximately $330,000 annually, providing funds for projects, the Coastal Service Program, and outreach-education activities.
Since the inception in Fall of 1999, Coastal Fund has granted over $2 million to 416 projects.
Committee
The 2010-2011 Coastal Fund committee was comprised of:
Board
Donovan Maccarone, Chair
Leslie Stirling, Undergraduate Representative
Pilar Alomia, Undergraduate Representative
Danni Storz, Vice Chair
Suzanne McFerran, Graduate Representative
Tanya Jones, EAB Representative
Michelle Petitfils, Isla Vista Surfrider Representative
Staff
Miranda Walker, Administrative Assistant
Jennifer Verhines, Outreach and Education Coordinator
Alyssa Hall, Outreach and Education Coordinator
Erica Aguilera, Outreach and Education Coordinator
Emma Panish, Coastal Service Program Coordinator
Alex Tamura, Coastal Service Program Coordinator
Dina Varshavsky, Legislative Council Representative
Taylor Fulton, EVPLA Representative
Scott Bull, Grants Manager/Advisor
The Chair and Vice Chair are reelected each quarter to provide balance to Coastal Fund operations.
Applications for Funding
Coastal Fund accepts proposals for minor (<$1000) and major (>$1000) funding from UCSB students, faculty and community organizations that have a direct impact on the UCSB coastline. Applications are accepted in 3 cycles: Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters.
In 2010-2011, Coastal Fund received 49 applications totaling $324,821.01.
Out of the 49 applications submitted, 44 projects were funded totaling $248,238.87.
Coastal Fund supported 187 internships for $109,553.18. More complete descriptions of funded projects and internships can be found on the Coastal Fund website: http://www.coastalfund.org/
The Coastal Service Program offers campus organizations an opportunity to raise funds. Groups can earn $150 for performing a beach clean-up or $250 for doing a restoration.
During 2010-2011, Coastal Fund hosted 65 restoration events and 48 beach clean-ups. We awarded $20,400 to 113 different groups (1,098 total participants). They picked up over 1,927 pounds of trash off our local beaches.
Coastal Club was founded in Winter 2011 and was formed for non-board members to become more involved in what Coastal Fund does. Coastal Club is not your typical “Club”. Coastal Club is for those individuals who want to actively pursue and accomplish a campus-oriented Coastal Fund project. The club meets every Thursday at 5pm in the Coastal Fund office, 2nd floor MCC room 2521 and is open to anyone.
We spread Coastal Fund opportunities, put on educational events, lead tours of the completed projects and restoration areas, and more!
Outreach and Education Activities
Throughout the academic year, Coastal Fund has heightened visibility by actively participating in local community events and campaigns. We’ve also increased public awareness of coastal issues by hosting a variety of educational lectures and films.
Educational Campaigns, Films, and Lectures
Andy Keller (Founder of Chico Bags) Lecture and Q&A – October 14, 2010
RecyleMania and Bag It! Screening – March 1, 2011
Ban the Bag Week – Starting April 18, 2011
Tabling Festivals and Fairs
Student members tabled to alert the community about paid student internships, funding opportunities, the Coastal Service Program, and educational events made possible by Coastal Fund.
Pardall Carnival
OSL Activities Fair
Isla Vista Food Co-op Country Fair
Committee on Committees Fair
Isla Vista Earth Day
Dos Pueblos High School Earth Day
Promotional Materials
We developed distributed a wide range of well received promotional and education materials, including t-shirts, magnets, tote bags, stickers, tide calendars, bumper stickers, brochures, beaches guides, sustainable seafood guides, etc. (T-shirts, tide calendars, and brochures were ordered on this year’s Outreach Budget).
Listserv Distributions
Coastal Fund-sponsored events, funding opportunities, and available internships were listed in various campus listservs, including the Environmental Studies Department, the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, Film & Media Studies, Environmental Affairs Board, Surfrider, and our own.
Press
We received press coverage across various campus and community news sources, including the Santa Barbara Independent, Noozhawk, Daily Sound, Daily Nexus, Ed Hat, KCSB, Big City Buzz, and more.
West Campus Bluffs Trail Opening Ceremony
On April 19, 2011, Coastal Fund held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the culmination of the West Campus Bluffs project. The project spanned 7 years of planning, and approximately $350,000 in financial contributions from AS Coastal Fund, AS BIKES, and the Coastal Conservancy. The opening ceremony was held at the scenic trailhead at Del Playa Dr. and Camino Majorca in Isla Vista. Scott Bull, Jennifer Pierce, Rachel Couch, and Lisa Stratton made remarks on the overall project and it’s challenges.
Annual Reception
On May 19, 2011, Coastal Fund held its 12th Annual Reception. All organizations and individuals funded by Coastal Fund since its inception were invited to celebrate. The event allowed people to share the successes and general accomplishments achieved through Coastal Fund-ed projects, the Coastal Service Program, and outreach-education activities.