Tegan Hoffman, executive director of Coastal Quest, outlined ways the nonprofit can support the State Water Board's beach program by providing project design, funding strategies and administrative capacity.

Hoffman described several case studies: a San Diego coastal adaptation pilot with California State Parks that completed vulnerability assessments and prioritized adaptation projects for funding; a Central Coast tool for State Water Quality Protected Areas that aggregates permitting and coastal water-quality data to support nominations; Orange County wetland vulnerability and acquisition planning; and Coastal Quest's role as a technical-assistance provider for Ocean Protection Council SB1 funds. "We are the glue — building the capital stack, managing funds, and working hand in hand with state park staff," Hoffman said.

Coastal Quest asked the group about needs for targeted work (for example, improving AB 411-era monitoring coverage, expanding environmental-justice outreach, and studying alternative test methods) and offered to follow up with a survey to collect broader feedback from agencies. Hoffman said the nonprofit can incubate projects, secure private and public funding, and provide administrative sponsorship where public funding is difficult to manage.

Attendees welcomed the potential partnership and suggested a follow-up survey and continued coordination with the Water Board on a plan to advance promising ideas.