The Indian River Lagoon Council Board approved final budget amendments for fiscal years 2025 and 2026, authorized staff fiscal actions and endorsed a cautious approach to the fiscal‑year 2027 request‑for‑proposals (RFP) owing to federal funding uncertainty.

Daniel Clodney presented budget reconciliations and amendments. For FY2025 he said $1.6 million in prior‑year projects and activities were carried forward into the current budget; if all budgeted amounts are expended, the council would still reserve roughly $775,000 into FY2026. For FY2026 adjustments, staff moved unencumbered revenue into reserves and noted small line‑item increases: salaries and benefits ($1,388), a storage lease for the council’s new vessel ($2,000) and insurance ($2,000). With those adjustments the council would carry approximately $883,789 into FY2027 if all budgeted expenditures occur.

On RFPs for FY2027, staff proposed reducing proposed funding across four major categories by $50,000 each while keeping small grants unchanged so the council can remain conservative while preserving the option to fully fund categories if federal/state clarity improves. The board approved releasing the FY2027 RFPs and asked staff to proceed with management‑conference review and ranking of proposals.

Dan also reported several project updates: the council received and put into service a new vessel; the first restoration use was a July 11 seagrass planting at Preacher’s Hole in partnership with Indian River County. He summarized completed small grants and outreach projects: Brevard Zoo’s Lagoon Quest (3,000 students; more than 100 trips), Marine Discovery Center’s Project Plankton (27 institutions, 38 field trips) and a UCF atmospheric‑deposition study that collected 1,221 rain/air jars and documented nearly 17,000 microplastic particles.

The board approved the FY2025 and FY2026 final amendments and the FY2027 RFP release unanimously.

Staff noted continuing federal audit activity with the EPA Office of Inspector General and urged local applicants for state programs (for example, Brevard County Save Our Indian River Lagoon grants and a recent DEP competitive portal opening) to consult agency contacts before applying due to short submission windows.