About COHORT

Diverse communities along the Washington coastal shorelines have experienced intensified threats from environmental changes, sea level rise, coastal erosion, storms, and flooding, and the risks are expected to grow. Since 2016, in response to these threats, various community-engagement studies have been performed to identify vulnerabilities, gaps, needs, and pathways to enhance place-based coastal resilience. Limited local capacity was consistently identified as a major barrier to resilience. WA Department of Ecology requested funding, with the support from the Washington Coastal Marine Advisory Committee (WCMAC), for an establishment of a dedicated, coordinated, multi-agency team focused on addressing coastal hazards, which resulted in an approval by Washington State Legislature to fund and establish the Coastal Hazards Organizational Resilience Team (COHORT) in 2023 as part of the Climate Commitment Act.

COHORT consists of partners from the Washington Department of Ecology, Washington Emergency Management Division, Washington Sea Grant, and Washington State University Extension. COHORT aims to work collaboratively with diverse communities and interests in the co-creation of projects designed to enhance capacities that address current and future challenges arising from changing coastal systems. COHORT’s priorities include 1) enhancing local capacity through direct support and bridging funding gaps related to coastal hazards, environmental change, resilience, coastal planning, and implementation; 2) providing education, outreach, and technical support; 3) coordinating and serving as liaisons with Tribal communities, Indigenous peoples, local communities, state and federal agencies, and other organizations to collaborate toward resilience; and 4) targeting equitable support for socially vulnerable, underserved, and Tribal communities.

COHORT highlights (2023-2025)

During its first Biennium (2023-2025), COHORT was able to:

  • Develop important foundational documents to guide the work of this unique interagency team, including a COHORT Charter, Strategic Plan, and a suite of resources to guide us in providing assistance where it is needed most;
  • Conduct over 350 outreach and engagement events across all 15 of Washington’s coastal counties, connecting with more than 5,500 individuals to support local resilience efforts; and
  • Advance more than 67 local- and Tribal-led resilience projects and planning efforts, helping communities and Tribes secure in excess of $85 million in federal funding.

Additional resources

Contact information

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