Funding
Addressing Priority Research, Extension, and Education Needs
Sea Grant provides a variety of funding opportunities based on its work in four focus areas: Healthy Coastal Ecosystems, Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, Resilient Coastal Communities and Economies, and Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development. Funding opportunities include National Strategic Investments, Special Projects, focused opportunities through each of the 34 Sea Grant programs, and more.
current opportunities
Sea Grant FY 2024 National Aquaculture Initiative: Enhancing Production of Coastal, Marine, and Great Lakes Aquaculture Species
Subject to the availability of funding, Sea Grant anticipates $5,000,000 to $6,000,000 will be available for research projects and programs that will develop and refine methods, protocols, techniques, and/or strategies to enhance the production of one or more life stages of aquaculture species (described below) with the overall goal of improving the efficiency, output, and profitability of commercial coastal, marine, or Great Lakes region aquaculture businesses.
Projects that focus on the following aquaculture categories and organisms in both marine and freshwater are eligible for this competition and include:
- Microalgae and macroalgae (seaweed) • Molluscs • Crustaceans • Ornamentals • Baitfish • Finfish species for food production • Misc. invertebrates
Proposals are sought that will support broad, non-proprietary research to address issues and/or barriers to aquaculture production; make that information available to aquaculture businesses; and preferably include participation and involvement of Sea Grant extension personnel and industry stakeholders.
This opportunity is open to: any individual; any public or private corporation, partnership, or other association or entity (including any Sea Grant College, Sea Grant Institute or other institution); or any State, political subdivision of a State, Tribal government or agency or officer thereof. Applications require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects.
Please carefully review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.
Contact oar.hq.sg.aquaculture@noaa.gov with any questions regarding this NOFO and please specify the opportunity in the subject line.
Deadline for Letters of Intent: Wednesday, Janaury 17, 2024 by 5:00 pm local time
Deadline for full applications: Wednesday, April 3, 2024 by 11:59 pm ET
Special Projects Competition National Sea Grant Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Marine Debris Community Action Coalitions
The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates approximately $3,000,000 in FY 2024 and 2025 federal funds will be available to individual Sea Grant programs in order to support approximately 10-20 Marine Debris Community Action Coalitions.Â
This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs. Matching funds will not be required for this competition.
Letters of intent are required in order to be eligible to submit a full proposal. Letters of intent or applications that do not come through a Sea Grant program will be rejected without review.
Please carefully review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.
Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available at the bottom of this page.
Letters of Intent due December 14, 2023
Full Proposals due March 5, 2024
Informational webinar on October 2, 2023 at 4:00 pm ET (register here)
Contact sg.grants@noaa.gov with any questions, and specify the opportunity in the subject line.
Questions and Answers on Sea Grant’s BIL Marine Debris Funding Opportunities (PDF)
National Sea Grant Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Marine Debris Challenge Competition
Sea Grant anticipates approximately $16,000,000 in FY 2024 and 2025 federal funds will be available to support innovative, transformational research to application projects that will address the prevention and/or removal of marine debris. Proposals are sought that will build upon and extend existing knowledge and efforts related to marine debris; support broad, non-proprietary, and innovative research to address critical gaps with respect to marine debris; and make that information available to communities and stakeholders.
Approximately 5-12 projects of up to three years duration may be funded. Matching funds will not be required for this competition.
This opportunity is open to any person or group within the United States or its territories, as well as tribal nations within those geographies. Applicants must submit proposals in partnership with a relevant Sea Grant program. Please note that it is not a requirement that investigators, including the PI, are part of a Sea Grant program.
Letters of intent are required in order to be eligible to submit a full proposal. Letters of intent or applications that do not come through a Sea Grant program will be rejected without review.
Please carefully review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.
Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available at the bottom of this page.
Letters of intent must be submitted to NSGO by January 31, 2024.
Applications must be submitted to Grants.gov by March 27, 2024.
An informational webinar about the funding opportunity will be held on October 3, 2023 at 4:00 pm ET. Register in advance here.Â
If you have questions or need further assistance in identifying a Sea Grant Program to partner with, please contact sg.grants@noaa.gov and specify that your question is related to the Marine Debris Challenge Competition funding opportunity in the subject line.
This is one of two Sea Grant federal funding opportunities in support of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to address the prevention and removal of marine debris. The Marine Debris Community Action Coalitions opportunity will support the creation of coalitions and partnerships to address marine debris prevention and removal. Please contact your local Sea Grant Program if you are interested in partnering on this opportunity.
2023 Inflation Reduction Act Climate Ready Workforce for Coastal States, Tribes, and Territories Initiative
Sea Grant and the NOAA Climate Program Office, with support from the NOAA Office of Coastal Management, seek to establish programs aimed at assisting employers develop a 21st century workforce that is climate literate, informed by climate resilience, and skilled at addressing consequent challenges. NOAA will assist communities in coastal and Great Lakes states and territories so they may form partnerships that train workers and place them into jobs that enhance climate resilience.Â
NOAA envisions making between 10-20 awards under this competition, at amounts ranging from $500,000-$10 million each. NOAA expects projects to range in duration from 24 months to 48 months, beginning no earlier than August 1, 2024. This opportunity is open to state, tribal, territorial and local governments, institutions of higher education, and non-profit organizations in coastal states or territories. Resources from NOAA’s Climate Program Office, Office for Coastal Management, and National Sea Grant Office and its partners will be available to provide technical assistance to applicants and recipients to support these innovative efforts.Â
Read the formal announcement on Grants.gov NOAA-OAR-SG-2024-2007783
Letters of intent are required in order to be eligible to submit a full proposal.
Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available at the bottom of this page.
Letters of Intent due:Â November 30, 2023
Full Proposals due:Â February 13, 2024
See dates and registration for informational and application support webinars here
See NOFO Resources for a Climate Ready Workforce
Questions about this opportunity may be submitted to sg.grants@noaa.gov.
This opportunity is open to state, tribal, territorial and local governments, institutions of higher education, and non-profit organizations in coastal states
or territories.
Find resources for applicants and reviewers at the bottom of this page.
Current Student Funding Opportunities
John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program
Applications must be submitted to the state Sea Grant program by February 15, 2024. Applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to the Sea Grant Program in their state one to two months prior to the state application deadline to receive application support and provide notification of an intent to apply. The applicant should allow sufficient time to schedule an interview with the eligible Sea Grant program at the program’s request. More information at seagrant.noaa.gov/Prospective.
State programs: LOIs should be received via email by the NSGO Fellowships Program Managers (oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov) by 5:00 PM ET on March 14, 2024. Full Knauss packages should be submitted through Grants.gov by March 28, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET.
Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page.
National Marine Fisheries Service-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Program
Applications must be submitted to the state Sea Grant program by 5:00 PM local time on January 25, 2024. Applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to the Sea Grant Program in their state one to two months prior to the state application deadline to receive application support and provide notification of an intent to apply. More information at seagrant.noaa.gov/NMFS-SG-Fellowship.
Join the NMFS-Sea Grant 2024 Fellowship informational webinar on November 13, 2023 at 2 PM ET. Register here. Join office hours, where anyone can ask questions, on November 14, 2023 from 12-1 PM ET and 3-4 PM ET. Attend here.
State programs: LOIs should be received via email by the NSGO Fellowships Program Managers (oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov) by 5:00 PM ET on February 8, 2024. Applications should be submitted through Grants.gov by February 22, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET.
Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page.
See more on our student opportunities pages.
Current Opportunities form Sea Grant Partners
NOAA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program
Small businesses may submit an optional Letter of Intent by November 22, 2023, and required full application by December 20, 2023
NOAA Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities
Proposals due December 19, 2023
Opportunities from Sea Grant Programs
Resources for Applicants & Reviewers
Obtain the latest version of all standard required forms from https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html
90-2 Webform & Guidance
Follow this link to access the 90-2 webform. Guidance on how to use the webform is located below for view or download.
90-2 PDF Worksheet
90-4 Budget Form
Click to download the ZIP file containing the Excel version of the form as well as the PDF of the NEPA Questionnaire.
SF424A Extra Section B
SF424A Extra Section B Guidance
Sea Grant's Vision & Road Map for Traditional & Local Knowledge
Reaching Outward & Looking Inward: Building Sea Grant Resilience from the Lens of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Current Conditions and Best Practices Across the National Sea Grant Network
NOAA Diversity & Inclusion Strategic Plan
Overview Video
Follow this link to watch the Bias Awareness Training for Reviewers video
Professional Development Webinars Hosted by the Sea Grant DEIJA Community of Practice
Resources Developed by Other Organizations
Tips for Reviewers from the National Science Foundation (video survey)
Additional resources from NSFÂ (webpage with links)
How Implicit Bias and Lack of Diversity Undermine Science (Blog post by Scientific American)
Considerations for reviewers compiled by Oregon Sea Grant (PDF)