New York Sea Grant (NYSG) received two Legal Capacity Building grants from the National Sea Grant Law Center to explore the creation of a New York Coastal Resilience Law and Policy Program. For the first grant, NYSG interviewed law school professors and local governments to assess the needs that such a potential program could serve. At a subsequent workshop, the participating law school professors and NYSG extension professionals reviewed the findings, brainstormed options to create a Law and Policy Program, and determined that NYSG should apply for a second grant to hold a Summer Fellowship program. This mutually beneficial collaboration among NYSG, University at Buffalo School of Law, Pace University School of Law, and the City University of New York School of Law created tools for communities and provided law students with real-world policy experience. During the summer of 2020, three law fellows, one from each participating university, worked with NYSG extension specialists on projects specific to their geography and local community needs. The results included a white paper and ArcGIS story maps.
