EXHIBIT 31.1 Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification (Chief
Executive Officer) I, Michael C.
Gerald, certify that: 1.
  I have
  reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Coastal Financial Corporation;2.
  Based on my
  knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material
  fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made,
  in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not
  misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;3.
  Based on my
  knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included
  in this annual report, fairly present in all material respects the financial
  condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and
  for, the periods presented in this report;4.
  The
  registrants other certifying officers and I are responsible for establishing
  and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange
  Act Rules 13a-15e and 15d-15e) for the registrant and have:a)
  Designed such disclosure
  controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to
  be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information
  relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made
  known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period
  in which this report is being prepared;b)
  Designed such internal
  control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over
  financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide
  reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
  preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with
  generally accepted accounting principles;c)
  Evaluated the
  effectiveness of the registrants disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
effectiveness
  of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period
  covered by this report based on such
  evaluation; andd)
  Disclosed in this report
  any change in the registrants internal control over financial reporting that
  occurred during the registrants most recent fiscal quarter (the registrants
  fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially
  affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrants
  internal control over financial reporting.The
  registrants other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our
  most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the
  registrants auditors and the audit committee of registrants board of
  directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):a)
  All
  significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation
  of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to
  adversely affect the registrants ability to record, process, summarize and
  report financial information; andb)
  Any fraud,
  whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have
  a significant role in the registrants internal control over financial
  reporting.  Date:
  December 14,
  2006
  /s/ Michael
  C. GeraldMichael C.
  GeraldPresident/Chief
  Executive Officer 44