diff --git a/api/apps/api/src/modules/projects/projects-crud.service.ts b/api/apps/api/src/modules/projects/projects-crud.service.ts
index c573f05ec6..b12f2c4b79 100644
--- a/api/apps/api/src/modules/projects/projects-crud.service.ts
+++ b/api/apps/api/src/modules/projects/projects-crud.service.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ import {
 import { AdminAreasService } from '@marxan-api/modules/admin-areas/admin-areas.service';
 import { CountriesService } from '@marxan-api/modules/countries/countries.service';
 import { AppConfig } from '@marxan-api/utils/config.utils';
+import { GeoFeature } from '@marxan-api/modules/geo-features/geo-feature.api.entity';
+import { User } from '@marxan-api/modules/users/user.api.entity';
 import { FetchSpecification } from 'nestjs-base-service';
 import {
   MultiplePlanningAreaIds,
@@ -35,6 +37,12 @@ type ProjectFilterKeys = keyof Pick<
 >;
 type ProjectFilters = Record<ProjectFilterKeys, string[]>;
 
+export type ProjectsInfoDTO = AppInfoDTO & {
+  params?: {
+    nameSearch?: string;
+  };
+};
+
 @Injectable()
 export class ProjectsCrudService extends AppBaseService<
   Project,
@@ -233,6 +241,36 @@ export class ProjectsCrudService extends AppBaseService<
     return entity;
   }
 
+  async extendFindAllQuery(
+    query: SelectQueryBuilder<Project>,
+    fetchSpecification: FetchSpecification,
+    info?: ProjectsInfoDTO,
+  ): Promise<SelectQueryBuilder<Project>> {
+    const { namesSearch } = info?.params ?? {};
+    if (namesSearch) {
+      const nameSearchFilterField = 'nameSearchFilter' as const;
+      query.leftJoin(
+        GeoFeature,
+        'geofeature',
+        `${this.alias}.id = geofeature.project_id`,
+      );
+      query.leftJoin(User, 'user', `${this.alias}.createdBy = user.id`);
+      query.andWhere(
+        `(
+          ${this.alias}.name
+          ||' '|| COALESCE(geofeature.description, '')
+          ||' '|| COALESCE(geofeature.feature_class_name, '')
+          ||' '|| COALESCE(user.fname, '')
+          ||' '|| COALESCE(user.lname, '')
+          ||' '|| COALESCE(user.display_name, '')
+        ) ILIKE :${nameSearchFilterField}`,
+        { [nameSearchFilterField]: `%${namesSearch}%` },
+      );
+    }
+
+    return query;
+  }
+
   async extendFindAllResults(
     entitiesAndCount: [Project[], number],
     _fetchSpecification?: FetchSpecification,
diff --git a/api/apps/api/src/modules/projects/projects.controller.ts b/api/apps/api/src/modules/projects/projects.controller.ts
index a8f90049bf..211ac79263 100644
--- a/api/apps/api/src/modules/projects/projects.controller.ts
+++ b/api/apps/api/src/modules/projects/projects.controller.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import {
   ApiNoContentResponse,
   ApiOkResponse,
   ApiOperation,
+  ApiQuery,
   ApiTags,
   ApiUnauthorizedResponse,
 } from '@nestjs/swagger';
@@ -128,11 +129,21 @@ export class ProjectsController {
       { name: 'adminAreaLevel21Id' },
     ],
   })
+  @ApiQuery({
+    name: 'q',
+    required: false,
+    description: `A free search over names`,
+  })
   @Get()
   async findAll(
     @ProcessFetchSpecification() fetchSpecification: FetchSpecification,
+    @Query('q') namesSearch?: string,
   ): Promise<ProjectResultPlural> {
-    const results = await this.projectsService.findAll(fetchSpecification);
+    const results = await this.projectsService.findAll(fetchSpecification, {
+      params: {
+        namesSearch,
+      },
+    });
     return this.projectSerializer.serialize(results.data, results.metadata);
   }
 
diff --git a/api/apps/api/src/modules/projects/projects.service.ts b/api/apps/api/src/modules/projects/projects.service.ts
index 5bbdb0de7e..99e3161733 100644
--- a/api/apps/api/src/modules/projects/projects.service.ts
+++ b/api/apps/api/src/modules/projects/projects.service.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { AppInfoDTO } from '@marxan-api/dto/info.dto';
 
 import { GeoFeaturesService } from '@marxan-api/modules/geo-features/geo-features.service';
 
-import { ProjectsCrudService } from './projects-crud.service';
+import { ProjectsCrudService, ProjectsInfoDTO } from './projects-crud.service';
 import { JobStatusService } from './job-status';
 import { ProtectedAreasFacade } from './protected-areas/protected-areas.facade';
 import { Project } from './project.api.entity';
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ export class ProjectsService {
     return this.geoCrud.findAllPaginated(fetchSpec, appInfo);
   }
 
-  async findAll(fetchSpec: FetchSpecification, _?: AppInfoDTO) {
+  async findAll(fetchSpec: FetchSpecification, info?: ProjectsInfoDTO) {
     // /ACL slot/
-    return this.projectsCrud.findAllPaginated(fetchSpec);
+    return this.projectsCrud.findAllPaginated(fetchSpec, info);
   }
 
   async findOne(id: string) {
diff --git a/api/apps/api/test/projects.e2e-spec.ts b/api/apps/api/test/projects.e2e-spec.ts
index 8db5cf5ef7..a34d9c5a7c 100644
--- a/api/apps/api/test/projects.e2e-spec.ts
+++ b/api/apps/api/test/projects.e2e-spec.ts
@@ -124,6 +124,17 @@ describe('ProjectsModule (e2e)', () => {
       expect(jsonAPIResponse.data[0].type).toBe('projects');
     });
 
+    test('A user should be able to get a list of projects with q param', async () => {
+      const response = await request(app.getHttpServer())
+        .get('/api/v1/projects?q=User')
+        .set('Authorization', `Bearer ${jwtToken}`)
+        .expect(200);
+
+      const jsonAPIResponse: ProjectResultPlural = response.body;
+
+      expect(jsonAPIResponse.data[0].type).toBe('projects');
+    });
+
     test('A user should be get a list of projects without any included relationships if these have not been requested', async () => {
       const response = await request(app.getHttpServer())
         .get('/api/v1/projects')