FY 2025 Opportunity for the Development of Sea Grant Projects—apps due October 11, 2024

Approximately $2,400,000 of federal funds may be available, pending future federal appropriations, to support two awards in order to develop a new Sea Grant project in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands. Awards will be made for no more than $1,200,000 in federal funds per four year project, not to exceed $300,000/year. There is a required 50% non-federal match for all Sea Grant federal funding. All projects must take place within the United States or territories or their respective waterways.

The following entities, located within USVI or CNMI, are eligible and encouraged to participate in this funding opportunity: Institutions of higher education, or any public or private corporation, partnership, or other association or entity or any State, political subdivision of a State, Tribal government or agency or officer thereof.

The National Sea Grant Office supports the development of Sea Grant projects and programs in the remaining geographic areas that are eligible for Sea Grant College Program designation in accordance with the National Sea Grant College Program Act, as amended in 2020 (33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq.) and the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (15 CFR 917 and 15 CFR 918), which set forth the eligibility, qualifications and responsibilities for Sea Grant programs. 

Please carefully review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via Grants.gov.

Applications must be submitted to Grants.gov by October 11, 2024.

If you have questions, please contact sg.grants@noaa.gov and specify that your question is related to FY 2025 Opportunity for the Development of Sea Grant Projects in the subject line.

American Lobster Research Funding Opportunity—apps due May 7, 2024

Subject to the availability of funding, the National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates approximately $2,000,000 in FY2024 federal funds will be available to eligible applicants to support projects that will advance our scientific knowledge of the American Lobster fishery and support the resiliency of fishing communities in the face of environmental change and economic uncertainty. 

Awards will be made for no more than approximately $600,000 in federal funds per project, and may be for one or two years in duration with a maximum of two years. Applications will require 50% in non-federal match funding. All projects must take place within the United States or territories or their respective waterways. 

There is no guarantee that funds will be available to make awards, or that any application will be selected for funding. If an applicant incurs any costs prior to receiving an award agreement signed by an authorized NOAA official, it does so at its own risk of not being selected or of these costs not being included in a subsequent award. NOAA and DOC will not be responsible for any incurred project costs if a project fails to receive full funding.

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. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider projects that involve partnerships among industry, State agencies, academia, and other community members engaged in the research priorities they intend to investigate.

Information about current and past funded research projects can be found at seagrant.umaine.edu/extension/american-lobster-initiative/research-projects/.

Please carefully review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Applications must be submitted to Grants.gov by May 7, 2024.

If you have questions please contact sg.grants@noaa.gov and specify that your question is related to the American Lobster Research Funding Opportunity in the subject line.

FY2024 Sea Grant Contaminants of Emerging Concern—apps due May 2, 2024

NOAA’s National Sea Grant Office anticipates approximately $1,000,000 of federal funds will be available to individual Sea Grant programs to support 1-5 projects that address Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) across a shared geography, biogeography or watershed. Each application may request between $200,000 and $600,000 in federal funds per project and may be for up to three years.

Sea Grant College Programs, Sea Grant Institutional Programs, and Sea Grant Coherent Area Programs are eligible to submit to this opportunity. Applications require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects. This will be a stand-alone (i.e., non-omnibus) award. All projects must take place within the United States or territories or their respective waterways.

Applicants are encouraged to pursue diverse partnerships, including with state agencies and academic institutions, to develop projects that research and monitor CECs that may cause ecological or human health impacts, including PFAS, in coastal and estuarine waters. Projects may include direct or competed research and appropriate associated supporting costs and activities (e.g., administration, extension, research/project synthesis) and could include efforts that:

• Focus on species of ecological importance, particularly those with strong socio-economic and/or human health dimensions (e.g., subsistence, recreational, or commercial shellfish and/or finfish);
• Focus on the prevalence, transportation, and biogeochemical transformations of CECs across a watershed or ecosystem, especially those with pathways that involve drinking water and/or wastewater;
• Consider the in-situ multi-stressor and/or interactive effects of CECs that organisms likely experience in their natural environments; and/or
• Perform short-term monitoring assessments to help steer more focused, long-term monitoring initiatives.

Please carefully review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) NOAA-OAR-SG-2024-25936 for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Applications must be submitted to Grants.gov by May 2, 2024.

If you have questions please contact sg.grants@noaa.gov and specify that your question is related to FY24 Contaminants of Emerging Concern in the subject line.

Young Fishermen’s Career Development Projects Competition—apps due May 2, 2024

Subject to the availability of funding, the National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates approximately $1,000,000 in FY2024 federal funds will be available to eligible applicants to support 2-3 projects that will develop and execute local, regional and national programs, workshops and services to enable fishermen to enter career paths and make a living supplying seafood from our oceans, coasts and Great Lakes. 

Awards will be made for no more than approximately $400,000 in federal funds per project, and may be for one or two years though for no more than $200,000 per year. Applications will require 25% in non-federal match funding. All projects must take place within the United States or territories or their respective waterways. 

Successful projects will create and implement trainings that include the following types of programs, workshops, and services:

• seamanship, navigation, electronics, and safety;
• vessel and engine care, maintenance, and repair;  
• sustainable fishing practices;
• other training needs as identified by the community.

There is no guarantee that funds will be available to make awards, or that any application will be selected for funding. If an applicant incurs any costs prior to receiving an award agreement signed by an authorized NOAA official, it does so at its own risk of not being selected or of these costs not being included in a subsequent award. NOAA and DOC will not be responsible for any incurred project costs if a project fails to receive full funding.

To be eligible to receive a grant under this program a recipient shall be a collaborative State, Tribal, local, or regionally based network or partnership of public or private entities, which may include— (A) a Sea Grant Institution; (B) a Federal or State agency or a Tribal organization; (C) a community-based nongovernmental organization; (D) fishermen’s cooperatives or associations; (E) an institution of higher education (including an institution awarding an associate’s degree), or a foundation maintained by an institution of higher education; or (F) any other appropriate entity.

Federal agencies and their personnel are not permitted to receive federal funding under this competition; however, federal scientists and other employees can serve as uncompensated partners or co-Principal Investigators on applications. Federal labs and offices can also make available specialized expertise, facilities or equipment to applicants but cannot be compensated under this competition for their use, nor can the value of such assets be used as match.

Information about current and past funded projects can be found at seagrant.noaa.gov/youngfishermen/.

Please carefully review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Applications must be submitted to Grants.gov by May 2, 2024.

If you have questions please contact sg.grants@noaa.gov and specify that your question is related to the Young Fishermen’s Career Development Projects in the subject line.

National Coordination of Coral Disease Response Effort—apps due April 18, 2024

This project will provide support for a National Coral Disease Response Coordinator to be established or continued at a Sea Grant program with funding from NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program. The National Sea Grant Office anticipates that up to $1,175,000 in this and additional partner federal funding over a 5-year period will become available to a Sea Grant program to coordinate an inter-jurisdictional response to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease.

Application Package Due: April 18, 2024 

Eligible Applicants: All Sea Grant programs 

Please carefully review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Additional information: Resources and forms are available on the Inside Sea Grant Implementation page. 

Questions about this competition may be sent to sg.grants@noaa.gov. Please specify that your question is related to the National Coral Disease Response Coordinator competition in the subject line.

FY2024 Sea Grant Programs Only – Regional Aquaculture Communications/Literacy Collaboratives

Subject to the availability of funding, Sea Grant anticipates approximately $3,000,000 will be available for research projects and programs to create four Regional Aquaculture Communications/Literacy Collaboratives with up to $750,000 available for each, for a duration of up to three years. Proposals are sought that will support collaborative, multi-Sea Grant Program efforts within each region to address aquaculture communications and literacy needs, and ensure that efforts benefit the aquaculture community as well as seafood consumers and the general public. Applications require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects. The four regions in which Collaboratives are sought to be established (including states and territories) are:

• West Coast/Alaska/Pacific (CA, OR, WA, AK, HI, GU, and other Pacific territories)
• Southeast/GOM (TX, LA, MS. AL, FL, PR, US Virgin Islands, GA, SC, NC)
• Northeast/mid-Atlantic (VA, MD, DE, NJ, NY, CT, RI, MA, NH, ME)
• Great Lakes (NY, VT, PA, OH, IN, IL, MI, WI, MN)

This competition is open to all Sea Grant Programs. A Sea Grant Program may submit or be a part of more than one application. Programs are encouraged to partner with other Sea Grant Programs and/or other entities such as individuals, State and Tribal Agencies/Organizations, HBCUs/MSIs, NGOs, aquaculture industry members and associations, universities, and colleges, including community colleges.

Please carefully review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (PDF here) 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 full applications: Wednesday, April 10, 2024 by 11:59 pm ET

FY2024 Sea Grant Programs Only – Workshops and Professional Meetings #2

Subject to the availability of funding, the National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates approximately $60,000 in FY2024 federal funds will be available to individual Sea Grant programs in order to support activities at workshops, conferences or professional meetings that are directly in support of each program’s current strategic plan and/or in alignment with goals and actions identified in the “network visioning” plans developed in 2017-18.

Applications to this opportunity should propose projects that do one or more of the following:

• Support the costs of workshops led by Sea Grant programs or individuals representing Sea Grant;
• Provide travel for Sea Grant professionals to workshops, conferences or professional meetings;
• Support participation in workshops, conferences and professional meetings by Sea Grant professionals relevant to achieving Sea Grant’s mission;
• Support workshop logistics and administration, and/or related expenses.

Each award will be no greater than $15,000. 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.

Eligible Applicants: All Sea Grant programs 

Contact sg.grants@noaa.gov with any questions regarding this NOFO and specify the opportunity in the subject line. 

Application Package Due: April 9, 2024

FY2024 Sea Grant Programs Only – FY2024 Aquaculture Technologies and Education Travel Grants

Subject to the availability of funding, the National Sea Grant Office anticipates that up to $500,000 in FY 2024 federal funds will be available to Sea Grant programs to support approximately 10-20 projects for a duration of up to one year. Proposals are sought that provide an opportunity for researchers (faculty, graduate students, post-doctoral), Sea Grant extension personnel, and industry members, or a mixture of participants, to enhance knowledge of aquaculture technologies, production practices and systems, and associated topics pertinent to the species or species group of interest to participants. Available funding can be used to support travel costs, salary, and costs associated with outreach activities following travel. Funding for research activities is not permitted through this announcement. Applications require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant Programs. A Sea Grant Program may submit more than one application. Programs are encouraged to partner with other Sea Grant Programs and/or other entities such as individuals, State and Tribal Agencies/Organizations, HBCUs/MSIs, NGOs, aquaculture industry members and associations, universities, and colleges (including community colleges). 

Please carefully review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (PDF here) 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 full applications: Wednesday, March 20, 2024 by 11:59 pm ET

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. Grant announcement: NOAA-OAR-SG-2025-23655

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.

Disaster Preparedness for Coastal Communities

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO), in partnership with the NOAA Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R), Disaster Preparedness Program (DPP), anticipates that up to $600,000 in FY24 federal funds from OR&R will be available to individual Sea Grant programs to support innovative all-hazard preparedness, response, and recovery initiatives for coastal communities. 

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Please carefully review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

No new informational webinar is planned at this time; interested applicants may wish to review last year’s webinar materials (Webinar slides, Webinar Q&As) for information on DPP and the goals of this opportunity. See also the Disaster Preparedness Program Strategic Plan FY22-26 (PDF)

Contact sg.grants@noaa.gov with any questions regarding this NOFO and specify the opportunity in the subject line. To consult with DPP on proposal concepts, contact Jessica.White@noaa.gov.

Deadline for submission: Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

National Marine Fisheries Service-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Program

Students should submit applications to a Sea Grant Program and not submit information directly into Grants.gov. Student applications are due to Sea Grant Programs by 5:00 PM local time on January 25, 2024. Sea Grant Programs must submit letters of intent to the NSGO Fellowship Program Managers (oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov) by 5:00 PM ET on February 8, 2024, and transmit applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 PM ET on February 22, 2024. Both portions of this competition are under one funding number.

Students and programs are encouraged to join the NMFS-Sea Grant 2024 Fellowship informational webinar on November 13, 2023 at 2 PM ET, and office hours, where anyone can ask questions, on November 14, 2023 from 12-1 PM ET and 3-4 PM ET.

Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Federal Funding Opportunity – NOAA-OAR-SG-2024-24162

The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics anticipates funding at least four new Ph.D. fellowships in 2024 to students who are interested in careers related to marine ecosystem and population dynamics. The emphasis will be on the research and development of quantitative methods for assessing the status of marine ecosystems; managed fish, invertebrates, and other targeted species; and marine mammals, seabirds, and other protected species.

Marine Resource Economics Federal Funding Opportunity –  NOAA-OAR-SG-2024-24162

The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Marine Resource Economics anticipates funding at least one new Ph.D. fellowship in 2024 to students who are interested in careers related to the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing the economics of the conservation and management of living marine resources.

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. 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 should be submitted to the NSGO at sg.grants@noaa.gov.

Please carefully review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

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. 

If you have questions or need further assistance in identifying a Sea Grant Program to partner with, please contact oar.sg.marine-debris@noaa.gov and specify that your question is related to the Marine Debris Challenge Competition funding opportunity in the subject line.

Questions and Answers on Sea Grant’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Marine Debris Funding Opportunities (PDF)

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.

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. All projects must take place within the United States or territories or their respective waterways.

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, January 17, 2024 by 5:00 pm local time
Deadline for full applications: Wednesday, April 3, 2024 by 11:59 pm ET

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. 

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) (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page of Inside Sea Grant.

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 oar.sg.marine-debris@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)

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. 

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. 

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.

Letters of Intent due: November 30, 2023

Full Proposals due: 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.

FY2024 Sea Grant Programs Only – Workshops and Professional Meetings #1

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that up to $60,000 in FY2024 federal funds will be available to individual Sea Grant programs in order to support activities at workshops, conferences or professional meetings that are directly in support of each program’s 2024-27 strategic plan and/or in alignment with goals and actions identified in the “network visioning” plans developed in 2017-18.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs. 

Read formal announcement on Grants.gov NOAA-OAR-SG-2024-23220 (Questions about this funding opportunity should be sent to Sea Grant (sg.grants@noaa.gov). Please specify that your question is related to this competition in the subject line.

Due date: September 28, 2023 October 5, 2023

Special Projects J: Community Flooding Social Science Liaisons

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that approximately $1.5 million in federal funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (P.L. 117-58) will be available to individual Sea Grant programs to support up to two community flooding social science liaisons at approximately $250,000 per year for three fiscal years. 

This special funding opportunity is a partnership effort with the NOAA Weather Program Office and does not require match funding. 

This competition is open to Sea Grant programs whose geographies fall within NOAA’s milestones for operationalizing flood inundation mapping services in FY23 and FY24. These states include: NY, MD, PA, IL-IN, FL, PR, MS-AL, LA, TX, OR, and WA.

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Informational Webinar: March 8, 2022. (Webinar Slides, Webinar Q&As)

Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page of Inside Sea Grant.

Due date (extended): May 9, 2023 June 7, 2023 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to NSGO Social Science and Economics Lead Alison Krepp at sg.grants@noaa.gov. Please specify that your question is related to ‘Special Projects J:  Community Flooding Social Science Liaisons’  Competition in the subject line.

Special Projects I: FY2023 Advancing the Community Engaged Internship program for Undergraduate Students

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that up to $500,000 in FY 2023 federal funds will be available to one selected Sea Grant program in order to support coordination activities and student stipends associated with the Community Engaged Internship (CEI) program on behalf of the Sea Grant network. The award will be no greater than $500,000. Match is being waived for this award, because the project will benefit the entire National Sea Grant College Program.

Due date: June 1, 2023

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competitions via grants.gov.

Institutional Opportunity Announcement FY 2023 Sea Grant Base Supplemental and Coastal Adaptation and Resilience

This is an institutional opportunity to apply for two distinct funding pools that are available to all Sea Grant programs. All projects must take place within the United States or territories or their respective waterways.

Due date: Programs are encouraged to submit proposals as soon as possible, but no later than May 18, 2023 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

Please carefully review the opportunity description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the opportunity via grants.gov.

American Lobster Research Program 2023

This program will support collaborative projects that address priority research needs to enhance our understanding of and address impacts to the American lobster fishery.

Applications are sought from research teams and encourage partnerships between industry, State agencies, and/or academia that address population dynamics, including but not limited to distribution and abundance in regards to ecosystem changes; life history parameters, including but not limited to temperature effects, ocean acidification, and other changing climate conditions; species interactions and behavior; and/or social, behavioral, or economic research including but not limited to impact studies, assessments, and policy analyses regarding measures under consideration for inclusion in the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan, as such relate to the American lobster fishery in the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and/or southern New England.

Sea Grant anticipates having up to $2 million dollars to fund a diversity of projects with funding requests up to $500k in FY 2023. Projects may be one or two years in duration with a maximum of two years. Non-federal matching funds equal to at least 50 percent of the federal funding request must be provided.

Eligible applicants are 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.

Read formal announcement on Grants.gov NOAA-OAR-SG-2023-2007887 (Notice of Federal Funding PDF here)

Applications must be submitted to Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET, May 10, 2023.

Special Projects K: Sea Grant Contaminants of Emerging Concern

This competition seeks to fund at least two proposals for a Sea Grant Program to run a regionally-focused research competition to select projects that address contaminants of concern across a shared geography/biogeography/watershed. Between $200,000 and $600,000 may be requested for the proposed competition. Applications require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects. The research competitions will seek to fund project(s) which integrate the following three major activities: research and monitoring efforts, partnerships with state agencies, and collaboration with underserved communities.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page of Inside Sea Grant.

Due date: May 2, 2023 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

Contact sg.grants@noaa.gov with any questions, and specify the opportunity in the subject line.

Special Projects G: FY 2023 Aquaculture Economics and Markets Collaborative

NSGO anticipates that up to $1,000,000 in FY 2023 federal funds will be available to Sea Grant programs to support the creation of an aquaculture economics and markets focused collaborative program. The selected project will develop fully integrated research, outreach, and education activities that will seek to align aquaculture more closely with established commercial fishing and agricultural industries with respect to applied economics and market practices and resources. Applications require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant Programs. Programs are encouraged to partner with other Sea Grant Programs and/or other entities such as individuals, State and Tribal Agencies/Organizations, HBCUs/MSIs, NGOs, aquaculture industry members and associations, universities, and colleges, including community colleges.

Please carefully review the attached competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competitions via grants.gov.

Due date: April 12, 2023 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Special Projects F: FY 2023 Aquaculture Technologies and Education Travel Grants

NSGO anticipates that up to $200,000 in FY 2023 federal funds will be available to Sea Grant programs to support travel for one or more individuals to domestic or international aquaculture facilities or sites to facilitate enhancing the knowledge exchange and expertise of coastal, Great Lakes, or marine-focused aquaculture.

Approximately 4-10 projects may be funded for a duration of up to one year. Awards will be made for no more than $50,000 in federal funds per project. Applications require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant Programs. Programs are encouraged to partner with other Sea Grant Programs and/or other entities such as individuals, State and Tribal Agencies/Organizations, HBCUs/MSIs, NGOs, aquaculture industry members and associations, universities, and colleges, including community colleges. International travel must adhere to federal and university-specific international travel policies as well as the Fly America Act. Federal agencies and their personnel are not permitted to receive federal funding (including funding for travel) under this competition.

Please carefully review the attached competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competitions via grants.gov.

Due date: April 5, 2023 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time

John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Pogram

Applications must be submitted to the state Sea Grant program by February 16, 2023. 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. Grant announcement: NOAA-OAR-SG-2024-2007707

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 15, 2023. Full Knauss packages should be submitted through Grants.gov by March 30, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET.

Special Projects H:  Disaster Preparedness for Coastal Communities

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO), in partnership with the NOAA Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R), Disaster Preparedness Program (DPP), anticipates that up to $480,000 in FY23 federal funds from OR&R will be available to individual Sea Grant programs to support innovative all-hazard preparedness, response, and recovery initiatives for coastal communities.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competitions via grants.gov.

Informational Webinar January 12, 2023 at 4:30 pm ET (Webinar slides, Webinar Q&As)

Disaster Preparedness Program Strategic Plan FY22-26 (PDF)

Deadline for submission: March 13, 2023 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

Special Projects E: FY2023 Understanding Energy Transitions and Coastal Resilience in the Non-Contiguous U.S.

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO), in partnership with U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), anticipates that up to $800,000 in FY 2023 federal funds will be available to individual Sea Grant programs to support up to six projects to how energy transitions are considered in coastal resilience efforts in hyperlocal (small cities and towns in remote, rural, and island geographies) contexts.

This competition is open to Sea Grant programs in the Non-Contiguous U.S. (Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam).

Due date: March 2, 2023

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competitions via grants.gov.

Special Projects A and B: FY2023 Workshops and Professional Meetings

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that up to $120,000 in FY2023 federal funds will be available to individual Sea Grant programs in order to support activities at workshops, conferences or professional meetings that are directly in support of each program’s 2018-23 strategic plan and/or in alignment with goals and actions identified in the “network visioning” plans developed in 2017-18.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

This special projects funding opportunity has two deadlines and two associated opportunities in Grants.gov. The phased deadline approach for this collection of funding opportunities is being used to accommodate emerging needs and opportunities associated with workshops or professional meetings support throughout the year.

Due dates: November 17, 2022 and March 9, 2023

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competitions via grants.gov.

FY23 Young Fishermen’s Career Development Projects

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates between $1,000,000 and $2,000,000 of federal funds will be available to support approximately 2-5 awards in order to develop and execute local, regional, and national programs, workshops, and services to enable fishermen to enter career paths and make a living supplying seafood from our oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes. Awards will be made for no more than $400,000 in federal funds per project, and may be for one or two years, though for no more than $200,000/year.

Applications require 25% non-federal match.

To be eligible to receive a grant under this program a recipient shall be a collaborative State, Tribal, local, or regionally based network or partnership of public or private entities, which may include— (A) a Sea Grant Institution; (B) a Federal or State agency or a Tribal organization; (C) a community-based nongovernmental organization; (D) fishermen’s cooperatives or associations; (E) an institution of higher education (including an institution awarding an associate’s degree), or a foundation maintained by an institution of higher education; or (F) any other appropriate entity.

Projects may benefit from engaging with the planning frameworks developed by Sea Grant programs in FY21-23. More information can be found here.

Read the formal announcement on Grants.gov NOAA-OAR-SG-2023-2007535

Letters of intent are required in order to be eligible to submit a full proposal.Letters of Intent Due: December 1, 2022
Full Proposals Due: February 15, 2023

Questions about this opportunity may be submitted to sg.grants@noaa.gov.

National Marine Fisheries Service-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Program 

Students should submit applications to a Sea Grant Program and not submit information directly into Grants.gov. Student applications are due to Sea Grant Programs by 5:00 PM local time on January 25, 2023. Sea Grant Programs must submit letters of intent to the NSGO Fellowship Program Managers (oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov) by 5:00 PM ET on February 8, 2023, and transmit applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 PM ET on February 24, 2023. Both portions of this competition are under one funding number.

Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Federal Funding Opportunity – NOAA-OAR-SG-2023-2007709
The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics anticipates funding at least four new Ph.D. fellowships in 2023 to students who are interested in careers related to marine ecosystem and population dynamics, with a focus on modeling and managing systems of living marine resources. The emphasis will be on the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing marine ecosystems, for assessing the status of fish, invertebrate, and other targeted species stocks and for assessing the status of marine mammals, seabirds, and other protected species.

Marine Resource Economics Federal Funding Opportunity –  NOAA-OAR-SG-2023-2007709
The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Marine Resource Economics anticipates funding at least one new Ph.D. fellowship in 2023 to students who are interested in careers related to the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing the economics of the conservation and management of living marine resources.

Special Project D: Aquaculture Workforce Development Support Projects

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that up to approximately $2,000,000 will be available to fund approximately 5 to 10 projects for up to two years to support activities towards workforce development of the U.S. aquaculture industry, including activities and initiatives that may provide training, education, outreach, and technical assistance to the U.S. aquaculture and seafood sector. Applications require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects.

This competition is available to Sea Grant Programs. Programs are encouraged to partner with other SG Programs and/or other entities such as high school vocational programs, institutions including community colleges, colleges, or universities, organizations, and industry as appropriate.

Please be aware that this competition is separate from another competition related to YFDA that is currently open –  “FY23 Young Fishermen’s Career Development Projects” – which is focused on workforce development of commercial fisheries.

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page of Inside Sea Grant.

Due date: February 22, 2023, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to NSGO Aquaculture Managers Chuck Weirich or Mark Rath at oar.hq.sg.aquaculture@noaa.gov. Please specify that your question is related to the “FY 2023 Aquaculture Workforce Development Support Projects” in the subject line.

Special Projects C: FY2023 Northeast American Lobster Regional Extension Program

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that up to $850,000 in federal funds will be available to individual Sea Grant programs in order to support a Northeast American Lobster Regional Extension Program from 2023 through 2026.

This competition is open only to the following programs in the northeast region – Maine Sea Grant, New Hampshire Sea Grant, MIT Sea Grant, Woods Hole Sea Grant, Connecticut Sea Grant, Rhode Island Sea Grant and New York Sea Grant. Matching funds will be required for this competition.

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page of Inside Sea Grant.

Due date: December 1, 2022 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to the Sea Grant Northeast Regional Lead, Alison Krepp at Alison.Krepp@noaa.gov.

Aquaculture: Supplemental Funds

Eligible Sea Grant Programs are invited to apply for aquaculture supplemental funds to be directed to a range of possible activities including, for example, one or more non-funded aquaculture proposals from the most recent RFP cycle that were highly rated; aquaculture extension, education or communication activities; a joint regional aquaculture research competition; a joint regional (or topical) aquaculture extension position; competitive exploratory aquaculture Program Development funds; and to support existing staff to expand their aquaculture activities.

It is a priority for the NSGO that these funds be committed to continue aquaculture activities begun with the previous FY20-21 aquaculture supplement or to support new aquaculture activities. These funds are not intended to replace other support for staff so that those funds might be used for non-aquaculture activities, nor to fund your program’s selected omnibus RFP proposals.

Aquaculture Supplemental Funds submission guidance (PDF download)

Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page of Inside Sea Grant.

Due date: May 3, 2022 (for FY22 funding) or November 1, 2022 (for FY23 funding).

Please contact oar.hq.sg.aquaculture@noaa.gov with any questions.

Marine Debris Challenge Competition

Sea Grant anticipates approximately $16,000,000 in FY 2022 and 2023 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.

Eligible applicants are Sea Grant College Programs, Sea Grant Institutional Programs, and Sea Grant Coherent Area Programs.

Other interested entities must submit proposals in partnership with and through 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; however proposals must be submitted with and through 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.

Read formal announcement on Grants.gov NOAA-OAR-SG-2022-2007452

Letters of intent must be submitted to NSGO by August 9, 2022.
Applications must be submitted to Grants.gov by October 27, 2022.

An informational webinar about the funding opportunity will be held on July 12, 2022 at 4:30 pm ET. Register in advance here.

If you have questions or need further assistance in identifying a Sea Grant Program to partner with, please contact oar.sg.marine-debris@noaa.gov and specify that your question is related to the Marine Debris Challenge Competition funding opportunity in the subject line.

Questions and Answers on Sea Grant’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Marine Debris Funding Opportunities (PDF)

Special Projects H: Marine Debris Community Action Coalitions

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates approximately $3,000,000 in FY 2022 and 2023 federal funds will be available to individual Sea Grant programs in order to support approximately 10-15 Marine Debris Community Action Coalitions.

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 competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page of Inside Sea Grant.

Letters of Intent due August 16, 2022
Full Proposals due September 15, 2022

Informational webinar on July 12, 2022 at 4:30 pm ET (register here)

Contact oar.sg.marine-debris@noaa.gov with any questions, and specify the opportunity in the subject line.

Questions and Answers on Sea Grant’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Marine Debris Funding Opportunities (PDF)

Translating Coastal Research into Application

Sea Grant and the U.S. Coastal Research Program (USCRP) announce a new funding opportunity. It is anticipated that approximately $4,000,000 will be available to integrate research, its application, and community engagement in thematic areas of long-term coastal evolution, extreme storms, and human and ecosystem health. Proposals should address the needs or gaps that have been identified by or are evident from USCRP-funded projects (PDF list), to move research project findings toward application through service delivery and decision support for coastal community decision-makers, planners, and other coastal stakeholders.

Approximately 10-20 projects may be funded at up to $150,000 over two years (Tier 1) or up to $500,000 over four years (Tier 2).  Matching funds will not be required for this competition.

Eligible applicants are Sea Grant College Programs, Sea Grant Institutional Programs, and Sea Grant Coherent Area Programs.

The following entities are encouraged to participate in this funding opportunity, in conjunction with a Sea Grant Program: any individual; any public or private corporation, partnership, or other association or entity (including any Sea Grant Program or other institution); or any State, political subdivision of a State, Tribal government or agency or officer thereof.

Correction to original notice of funding opportunity. The award period for the funding is: Tier 1 – January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2024; Tier 2 – January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2026.

Read formal announcement on Grants.gov NOAA-OAR-SG-2022-2007298

Letters of intent must be submitted to NSGO by 5:00 p.m. local time on June 15, 2022.

Applications must be submitted to Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 30, 2022.

An informational webinar about the funding opportunity was held on May 16, 2022. Register here to view the recording (PDF of slides).

If you have questions or need further assistance in identifying a Sea Grant Program to partner with, please contact oar.hq.sg.competitions@noaa.gov and specify that your question is related to the Translating Coastal Research into Application competition in the subject line.

Special Projects E: FY 2022 Aquaculture Information Exchange (AIE): Host Program

The National Sea Grant Office anticipates that up to $200,000/year will be available each year for four years ($800,000 total) to establish a partnership of one or more Sea Grant Programs with one or more USDA Regional Aquaculture Centers to host the Aquaculture Information Exchange (AIE).

Establishing the AIE represents a joint effort of NOAA Sea Grant, NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture, NOAA Office of Education, NOAA National Center for Coastal Ocean Science, USDA-ARS, and USDA-NIFA. The AIE is anticipated to be an online community and associated distributed team involving individuals from both the public and private sector with interests in U.S. aquaculture and related topics.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs. Matching funds will not be required for this competition.

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page of Inside Sea Grant.

Due date: June 21, 2022 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to NSGO Aquaculture Managers Chuck Weirich or Mark Rath at oar.hq.sg.aquaculture@noaa.gov.

Special Projects G: Emerging Contaminants

This competition seeks to fund at least two proposals for regionally-focused competitive research programs that will strengthen Sea Grant’s efforts to reduce the presence of contaminants of emerging concern in aquatic environments. Between $200,000 and $600,000 may be requested for the proposed program. Applications require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects. The competitive research programs will seek to fund project(s) which integrate the following three major activities: research and monitoring efforts, partnerships with state agencies, and collaboration with underserved communities.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page of Inside Sea Grant.

Due date: June 15, 2022 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

Contact sg.grants@noaa.gov with any questions, and specify the opportunity in the subject line.

Special Projects F: Sea Grant Academy

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that up to $75,000 in FY2022 federal funds will be available to a Sea Grant program in order to develop, conduct, and evaluate the 9th National Sea Grant Academy, to be held in 2023. Non-federal matching funds are not required for this competition. It is anticipated that one application will be selected.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page of Inside Sea Grant.

Due date: June 9, 2022

Contact sg.grants@noaa.gov with any questions, and specify the opportunity in the subject line.

FY 2022 Sea Grant Coastal Adaptation and Resilience

Sea Grant programs are invited to submit applications that address ongoing or new opportunities and challenges related to coastal adaptation and resilience for the communities that Sea Grant serves, including a focus on tribal, indigenous, remote, and/or economically disadvantaged communities. The National Sea Grant Office anticipates that up to $125,000 of federal funds (from FY 2022 and pending FY 2023 appropriations) will be available to each Sea Grant program. Applications require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects.

This is an institutional opportunity that is available to all Sea Grant programs.

Applications must be submitted to Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. Earlier submissions are encouraged.

Please carefully review the opportunity description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply via Grants.gov.

Contact sg.grants@noaa.gov with any questions, and specify the opportunity in the subject line.

American Lobster Research Program

This program will support collaborative projects to address priority issues involving applied research and/or technological questions impacting the American lobster fishery.

Applications are sought from research teams and others that encourage partnerships between state agencies, academia, and/or industry stakeholders that address development and operationalization of gear technologies, including sub-sea gear location that help industry comply with the requirements set forth in the final 2021 rule (FR–210827–0171) to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP); and/or socio-technological or socio-economic research to understand the social, economic, and technological opportunities and/or barriers associated with bringing gear technology to commercial scale in the lobster fishery in the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and/or southern New England.

Sea Grant anticipates having up to $2 million dollars to fund a diverse set of projects with funding requests ranging from $50k-$750k in FY 2022. Projects may be one or two years in duration with a maximum of two years. Non-federal matching funds equal to at least 50 percent of the federal funding request must be provided.

Eligible applicants are 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.

Read formal announcement on Grants.gov NOAA-OAR-SG-2022-2007241

Applications must be submitted to Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET, Tuesday, May 24, 2022.

The NOAA National Sea Grant Office hosted a webinar on Thursday, April 14, 2022, to provide an overview of the 2022 American Lobster Research Program Funding Opportunity and its application process. View the recording here.

Special Projects D: FY 2022 Advanced Aquaculture Collaboratives (Hubs) Continued Support Competition

The goal of this funding opportunity is to provide additional support to Sea Grant Programs that have established aquaculture hubs as part of the 2019 Advanced Aquaculture Collaboratives competition. These additional investments should remain consistent with Sea Grant’s focus area of Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture (SFA) and the Sea Grant Network 10-year Aquaculture Vision and in support of NOAA and Department of Commerce aquaculture goals.

Funding support of the following activities are priorities for this competition:

1. Extension and/or expansion of research activities, such as economics and market studies, siting tools, etc.
2. Continuation and/or expansion of extension and outreach activities, such as support for surveys, meetings, publications, training,  and online resources.
3. Support for ongoing and additional collaborative activities. Hubs are encouraged to continue or to seek new collaborative activities with HBCUs and MSIs.
4. Support of personnel critical to Hub activities.

This is a competition that is available only to Sea Grant programs that received an award from the “Advanced Aquaculture Collaborative Programs (Hubs)” competition in 2019. The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that up to approximately $4,700,000 will be available to fund projects through this competition. Each Hub is eligible to apply for up to $425,000 of federal funds. Applications require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects.

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page of Inside Sea Grant.

Due date: April 5, 2022

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to NSGO Aquaculture Managers Chuck Weirich or Mark Rath at oar.hq.sg.aquaculture@noaa.gov.

John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship

Applications must be submitted to the state Sea Grant program by February 18, 2022. 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. Grant announcement: NOAA-OAR-SG-2023-2007040

State programs: LOIs should be received via email by the NSGO Fellowship Program Managers (oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov) by 5:00 pm Eastern Time on Thursday, March 17, 2022. Full Knauss packages should be submitted through Grants.gov by April 01, 2022 at 11:59 PM ET.

Special Projects A and B: FY 2022 Workshops and Professional Meetings

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that up to $120,000 in FY 2022 federal funds will be available to individual Sea Grant programs in order to support activities at workshops, conferences or professional meetings that are directly in support of each program’s 2018-23 strategic plan and/or in alignment with goals and actions identified in the “network visioning” plans developed in 2017-18.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

This special projects funding opportunity has two deadlines and two associated opportunities in Grants.gov. The phased deadline approach for this collection of funding opportunities is being used to accommodate emerging needs and opportunities associated with workshops or professional meetings support throughout the year.

Due dates: November 18, 2021 and March 10, 2022

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competitions via grants.gov.

National Marine Fisheries Service-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Program 

Students should submit applications to a Sea Grant Program and not submit information directly into Grants.gov. Student applications are due to Sea Grant Programs by 5:00 pm local time on January 27, 2022. Sea Grant Programs must submit letters of intent to the NSGO Fellowship Program Managers (oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov) by 5:00 pm Eastern Time on Thursday, February 10, 2022, and transmit applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on February 24, 2022. Both portions of this competition are under one funding number.

Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Federal Funding Opportunity – NOAA-OAR-SG-2022-2007042
The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics anticipates funding at least four new Ph.D. Fellowships in 2022 to students who are interested in careers related to marine ecosystem and population dynamics, with a focus on modeling and managing systems of living marine resources. The emphasis will be on the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing marine ecosystems, for assessing the status of fish, invertebrate, and other targeted species stocks and for assessing the status of marine mammals, seabirds, and other protected species.

Marine Resource Economics Federal Funding Opportunity – NOAA-OAR-SG-2022-2007042
The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Marine Resource Economics anticipates funding one new Ph.D. Fellowship in 2022 to students who are interested in careers related to the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing the economics of the conservation and management of living marine resources.

Early Stage Propagation Strategies for Aquaculture Species

Subject to the availability of funding, Sea Grant anticipates approximately $4,000,000 will be available for research projects and programs that will develop and refine early stage propagation strategies (e.g. reproduction, hatchery, and/or nursery strategies) for aquaculture species excluding selected marine finfish species for food. A total of 19 of these species are the focus of the concurrent competition titled, “Marine Finfish Aquaculture: Juvenile Production Technologies,” NOFO number: NOAA-OAR-SG-2022-2007054. Strong applications will address program priorities described below and will integrate research and extension. Proposals are sought that support broad, non-proprietary research to develop and refine early stage propagation strategies, such as reproduction, hatchery, and/or nursery strategies, for aquaculture species; make that information available to U.S. coastal and Great Lakes aquaculture businesses; and include Sea Grant aquaculture extension personnel and also preferably industry stakeholders. These investments are consistent with Sea Grant’s focus area of Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture (SFA) and the Sea Grant Network’s 10-year Aquaculture Vision, both which support NOAA and Department of Commerce aquaculture goals.

All proposals to this competition must be submitted by a Sea Grant program. Other interested entities must submit proposals in partnership with and through a relevant Sea Grant Program.

Read formal announcement on Grants.gov NOAA-OAR-SG-NOAA-OAR-SG-2022-2007053

Informational Webinar October 15, 2021 at 3 pm ET (Review questions and answers from the webinar)

Notices of intent to submit due: November 16, 2021

Full proposals due date: February 3, 2022

Marine Finfish Aquaculture: Juvenile Production Technologies

Subject to the availability of funding, Sea Grant anticipates approximately $5,000,000 will be available for research projects and programs that will advance marine finfish juvenile production technologies for aquaculture. The overall goal is to develop and refine reproduction/broodstock, hatchery, and/or nursery strategies enabling the reliable production of sufficient quantities of juvenile marine finfish to supply on-growing operations.

Research funded through this competition must be focused on one or more of the following 19 finfish species:

• Almaco jack, Seriola rivoliana; • Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua; • Black sea bass, Centropristis striata; • California yellowtail, Seriola lalandi; • Cobia, Rachycentron canadum; • Florida pompano, Trachinotus carolinus; • Olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus; • Red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus; • Sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria; • Spotted wolffish, Anarhichas minor; • Striped bass, Morone saxatilis; • White sea bass, Atractoscion nobilis; • California halibut, Paralichthys californicus; • Spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus; • Greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili; • Southern flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma; • Summer flounder, Paralichthys dentatus; • Tripletail, Lobotes surinamensis; • Steelhead trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

Strong applications will address program priorities and will integrate research and extension. Proposals are sought that support broad, non-proprietary research to address critical gaps with respect to marine finfish juvenile production technologies; make that information available to U.S. coastal and Great Lakes aquaculture businesses; and include Sea Grant aquaculture extension personnel and also preferably industry stakeholders. These investments are consistent with Sea Grant’s focus area of Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture (SFA) and the Sea Grant Network’s 10-year Aquaculture Vision, both which support NOAA and Department of Commerce aquaculture goals.

All proposals to this competition must be submitted by a Sea Grant program. Other interested entities must submit proposals in partnership with and through a relevant Sea Grant Program.

Read formal announcement on Grants.gov NOAA-OAR-SG-2022-2007054

Informational Webinar October 15, 2021 at 2 pm ET (Review questions and answers from the webinar)

Notices of intent to submit due: November 9, 2021

Full proposals due date: January 27, 2022

Special Projects C:  Disaster Preparedness for Coastal Communities

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO), in partnership with the NOAA Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R), Disaster Preparedness Program (DPP), anticipates at this time that up to $360,000 in FY22 federal funds from OR&R will be available to individual Sea Grant programs to support projects addressing a preparedness gap or need in order to enable a community or communities to reduce disaster impacts and reach post-disaster recovery more quickly.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competitions via grants.gov.

Informational Webinar November 15, 2021 at 4 pm ET (Webinar slides, Webinar Q&As)

Disaster Preparedness Program Strategic Plan FY22-26 (PDF)

Deadline for submission:  Thursday, January 13, 2022 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

South Atlantic Red Snapper Program Funding Opportunity

The South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium is seeking proposals that expand the current South Atlantic Red Snapper Research Program Project 1 with a second funded project, Project 2. The goal of this grant opportunity is to propose a framework for expanding the current Project 1 to augment the data that will be used for management advice of Red Snapper in the South Atlantic. Proposals should improve data collection for the distribution and density, Bayesian modeling, and close-kin mark recapture methods used in Project 1 which strives to generate three independent measures of absolute estimate of abundance by age class with accompanying measures of uncertainty for the entire South Atlantic Red Snapper stock.

Proposals are welcomed from institutions of higher education and the proposal Principal Investigator(s) must be based within a Southeast U.S. state (NC, SC, GA, FL).

Proposal instructions are available in the funding request.

Questions About Previous Project Due: November 2, 2021
Letter of Intent Deadline: November 30, 2021 at 5 pm ET
Full Proposal Deadline: December 15, 2021 at 5 pm ET

Aquaculture Communications Request for Proposals

Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (MASGC) is accepting proposals for Sea Grant communications professionals to create a portfolio of informational communications products based on Sea Grant’s aquaculture efforts around the country. The funding is part of the Sea Grant Network’s Aquaculture Liaison project. Funded projects must be completed in one year and the anticipated start date is Oct. 15, 2021. Proposals are expected to focus on one topic within a set of 17 phylogenies of Sea Grant aquaculture efforts compiled in 2019.

Successful applicants will create a portfolio of communications products, both in print and online, that showcase Sea Grant’s work within a specific aquaculture phylogeny topic. They will also develop a plan to share these products with target audiences that include members of the aquaculture industry, natural resource managers, extension agents and elected officials. MASGC will fund one Tier I proposal at $30,000 and two Tier II proposals at $10,000. To read the full request for proposals, click here.

Funding Source: National Aquaculture Liaison project managed by the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (MASGC)

(Updated) Deadline for submission: September 10, 2021 at 5 p.m. CDT

Special Projects M: Water Equity in the Great Lakes

This special projects competition seeks to support projects aimed at improving the resilience of vulnerable Great Lakes communities to the impacts of flooding through equitable and inclusive stormwater and floodplain management.

This competition is open to Sea Grant programs in the Great Lakes region.

Please carefully read the competition description (PDF) for complete details and instructions on applying.

Due Date: June 8, 2021

Community-Focused Ocean Renewable Energy Research Funding Opportunity

The Northeast Sea Grant Consortium seeks proposals to catalyze social science and technology research for ocean renewable energy planning in the Northeast, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office and Water Power Technologies Office, and NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center.

Over $1 million in funding is available to support projects that improve understanding of offshore renewable energy interactions with fishing and coastal communities. Research priority areas include: Fisheries and Fishing Community Resilience, Coastal Community and Economic Resilience, and Co-Location Management of Ocean Renewable Energy with Other Marine Activities.

Budget requests may not exceed $100,000 annually, for a maximum funding request of $200,000 for two years.

Pre-proposals due May 14, 2021 by 5pm ET via MIT Sea Grant

Full Proposals due July 16, 2021 by 5pm ET via MIT Sea Grant

FY 2021 Sea Grant COVID-19 Response

Sea Grant programs are invited to submit applications that propose work that will address new or ongoing challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the communities that Sea Grant serves. Applications can propose new COVID-19 pandemic-related work or may build upon projects initiated via previously funded FY2020 COVID-19 Rapid Response Funding. The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that up to $50,000 of federal funds will be available to each Sea Grant program. Applications require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects.

This is an institutional opportunity available to all Sea Grant programs.

Read the funding opportunity

Application due date: May 13, 2021

Special Projects: FY 2021 Workshops and Professional Meetings

This special projects funding opportunity is available for Sea Grant programs only. It has three deadlines and three associated opportunities in Grants.gov. The phased deadline approach for this collection of funding opportunities is being used to accommodate emerging needs and opportunities associated with workshops or professional meetings support throughout the year.

The goals of the funding are to 1) Support Sea Grant’s ability to advance priority topics and reach priority groups at workshops or professional meetings (including aquaculture and Covid-related topics), and 2) increase the capacity of Sea Grant programs to implement priority actions identified in “network visioning” documents developed in 2017-18 and advance efforts towards reaching the goals in each program’s 2018-23 strategic plan.

Due dates: December 15, 2020, March 9, 2021, and May 11, 2021

Please carefully review the competition description (PDF) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competitions via grants.gov.

Special Projects I: Mitigating Runoff and Pollution Impacts on Freshwater Systems

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that up to $850,000 of federal funds will be available to a Sea Grant Program or a partnership of Sea Grant Programs in order to scope an overarching framework for the Sea Grant Network and execute a competitive research program that addresses mitigating runoff and pollution impacts on freshwater systems, such as through innovative techniques and use of low-impact development and green infrastructure practices. The selected project will comprise two components: (1) activities to scope an overarching framework and implementation strategy to address how innovative techniques, including GI and LID practices, can mitigate runoff by the Sea Grant Network at national and regional scales (up to $350,000 available); and
(2) a competitive research program (at least $500,000 should be requested) to conduct research studies that advance innovative techniques and the use of LID and GI with partners such as local, state, regional, and tribal governments, as well as non-governmental organizations.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Please carefully read the competition description (PDF) for complete details and instructions on applying.

Due date: May 6, 2021

Special Projects L: Measuring the Ecological and Economic Effects of Existing and Reefed Outer Continental Shelf Facilities in the Gulf of Mexico on Recreational Fishing

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO), in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), anticipates that up to $800,000 of federal funds will be available to a Sea Grant Program in order to support a research project measuring the ecological and economic effects of recreational fishing on existing and reefed outer continental shelf facilities. The NSGO anticipates making one award. No matching funds are statutorily required for this competition.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs. The focus must be on the Gulf of Mexico and neighboring U.S. States, but considering national economic impacts. The lead PI must be from an institution within a state bordering the Gulf of Mexico.

Please carefully read the competition description (PDF) for complete details and instructions on applying.

Due date: May 6, 2021

Special Projects H: Sea Grant Emerging Contaminants

This competition seeks to fund one proposal that will continue and strengthen Sea Grant’s efforts to reduce the presence of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in aquatic environments. The selected project will comprise two components: (1) activities to scope an overarching framework and implementation strategies to address CECs by the Sea Grant Network at national and regional scales; and (2) a competitive research program to conduct research studies and monitor CECs in partnership with state agencies, academic institutions, and other relevant entities.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Please carefully read the competition description (PDF) for complete details and instructions on applying.

Due date: May 4, 2021

Special Projects K: Sea Grant Northeast Fishing Communities and Offshore Wind Extension Support

Sea Grant programs in NY, CT, RI, MA, NH, and ME are invited to submit applications to provide extension support to northeast fishing communities affected by the rapid rate of offshore wind development in order to (1) increase community preparedness and (2) improve capacity for fishing communities to engage in the process. The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) and the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) anticipate that approximately $350,000 will be available to support extension programming for up to seven cooperative agreements that will extend research results, support stakeholder needs, and increase scientific knowledge regarding offshore wind and fisheries communities. Applications should request no more than 50% of the overall budget in any one year over the project’s 4-year duration. No matching funds are statutorily required for this competition.

This competition is open to the following Sea Grant programs – NY, CT, RI, WH, MIT, NH, and ME

Please carefully read the competition description (PDF) for complete details and instructions on applying.

Due date: April 30, 2021

Special Projects F: Sea Grant-NCCOS National Aquaculture Extension Coordinator

The goal of this funding opportunity is to build the capacity of the Sea Grant Network to assist stakeholders in utilizing and informing the coastal science products and resources developed by the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS). As NCCOS does not have a dedicated outreach and education focus, this funding call is directed towards establishing a formal connection between Sea Grant and NCCOS with the overall goal of communicating and extending NCCOS developed resources to stakeholders as well as gaining stakeholder input to inform future research and outreach efforts.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Please carefully read the competition description (PDF) for complete details and instructions on applying.

Due date: April 29, 2021

Special Projects J: Sea Grant “Food from the Sea” Careers Program

Sea Grant anticipates that up to $1,200,000 of federal funds will be available to support approximately twelve (12) awards to Sea Grant Programs or partnerships among Sea Grant Programs in order to develop planning frameworks that identify what is needed at local, regional, and national levels to initiate programs, workshops, and services to enable fishermen, aquaculturists, and seafood sector professionals to enter career paths and make a living supplying seafood from our oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes. Awards will be made for no more than $100,000 in federal funds per project.

Please read the opportunity description (PDF) and instructions on applying. Applications require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects.

Full proposals due date: April 27, 2021

American Lobster Research Program

This program will support research to address critical gaps in knowledge about how the American Lobster and its fishery are being impacted by environmental change. Applications are sought from research teams and encourage research partnerships between state agencies, academia, and/or industry stakeholders that address life-history parameters, including but not limited to impacts of ocean acidification; distribution and abundance, including but not limited to ecosystem shifts; species interactions; and/or bait alternatives in the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and/or southern New England.

Pending appropriation of funds, Sea Grant anticipates awarding between five to ten research projects totaling between $1 million and $2 million dollars in FY2021. Projects must have a maximum duration of two years.

Eligible applicants are 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.

Read formal announcement on Grants.gov NOAA-OAR-SG-2021-2006808

Application due date: April 20, 2021

Special Project G: Sea Grant Reef Fish Extension Program

This competition seeks to establish a regional extension initiative to facilitate delivery of fisheries science concerning reef fish stocks to end users. The focus must be on the Gulf of Mexico; however, because of ecological connections with adjacent fisheries, the project should also involve the South Atlantic and Caribbean. Furthermore, the project should seek to share knowledge and best practices relevant to the management of reef fish stocks in the U.S. Pacific Islands.

Due date:  April 15, 2021

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Please carefully read the competition description (PDF) for complete details and instructions on applying.

Special Project E: FY2021 Addressing COVID-19 Impacts to Seafood Resources

This special projects funding opportunity will provide support to address ongoing and long term impacts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic on seafood resources, including aquaculture or the connection between aquaculture and wild-caught fisheries.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Please carefully read the competition description (PDF) for complete details and instructions on applying.

Due date: April 6, 2021

Greater Amberjack Funding Opportunity

The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (MASGC) is accepting proposal submissions to estimate the abundance of greater amberjack in the U.S. waters in the Gulf of Mexico (GoMEX) and South Atlantic (SA) regions. This funding opportunity is to develop additional data sources, assessment approaches and knowledge to improve agency and agency-independent estimates of the abundance of greater amberjack throughout the greater amberjack’s range. The successful applicant(s) will determine the absolute abundance of the greater amberjack by habitat type, including artificial reefs, natural reefs and unclassified habitats.

MASGC anticipates funding one or more proposal(s). The total funding available for the competition is $9 million plus a non-federal match requirement of $2.7 million (30%). Funds for this research competition are provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Sea Grant College Program and NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

The principal investigator (PI) of a proposal must be located at a research university located within a coastal state extending from Virginia to Texas. Co-investigators, including state agencies, non-governmental organizations and the fishing industry, may be in any U.S. region. Federal partners may also participate as uncompensated collaborators.

Proposal instructions are available in the funding request.

Register for an informational meeting on January 15, 2021, 1-2:30 pm CT to discuss this funding opportunity

Letters of Intent due date: February 5, 2021

Full proposals due date: April 9, 2021

John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program

Applications must be submitted to the state Sea Grant program by February 19, 2021. 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. Grant announcement: NOAA-OAR-SG-2022-2006631

State programs: please submit the full Knauss packages through Grants.gov by April 02, 2021 at 11:59 PM EDT

Aquaculture: Addressing the Impacts of Multiple Stressors on Shellfish Aquaculture through Research/Industry Partnerships

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) and the Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) are funding a joint competition to fund proposals that seek to establish, continue, and/or expand collaborations between researchers and the shellfish aquaculture industry. Specifically, applications to this competition should utilize new or existing research/industry partnerships to study how ocean and coastal acidification in combination with other stressors impacts shellfish aquaculture. Applications must include at least one researcher and one shellfish grower acting as co-Principal Investigators (co-PIs), and the proposed work must utilize a co-production of knowledge framework.

Eligible applicants are United States institutions of higher education; other nonprofits; commercial organizations; state, local, and tribal governments.

Total funding for this competition includes up to $2,000,000 in federal funds to support 2-6 projects. Each project will be funded at the approximate level of $100,000 – $300,000 per year for 1-3 years.

Read formal announcement on Grants.gov NOAA-OAR-SG-2021-2006704

Read answers to frequently asked questions (PDF)

See slides from the Nov. 9 informational webinar (PDF)

Letters of Intent due date: December 15, 2020

Full proposals due date: March 16, 2021

Special Project D: Marine Debris

This competition seeks projects that prevent the introduction of marine debris into the marine and coastal environment. Competitive projects will actively engage and educate a target audience in programs designed to raise awareness, reduce barriers to marine debris prevention (e.g., lack of access to waste receptacles or alternatives to single-use items), and encourage and support changes in behaviors to ensure long-term prevention of marine debris.

competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Please carefully read the competition description (PDF) for complete details and instructions on applying.

Due date: March 5, 2021

National Marine Fisheries Service-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Program 

Students should submit applications to a Sea Grant Program and not submit information directly into grants.gov. Student applications are due to Sea Grant Programs by 5:00 pm local time on January 26, 2021. Sea Grant Programs must transmit the application via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm, Eastern Time February 17, 2021. Both portions of this competition are now under one funding number.

Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Federal Funding Opportunity – NOAA-OAR-SG-2021-2006728
The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics expects to award at least four new Ph.D. Fellowships in 2021 to students who are interested in careers related to marine ecosystem and population dynamics, with a focus on modeling and managing systems of living marine resources. The emphasis will be on the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing marine ecosystems, for assessing the status of fish, invertebrate, and other targeted species stocks and for assessing the status of marine mammals, seabirds, and other protected species.

Marine Resource Economics Federal Funding Opportunity – NOAA-OAR-SG-2021-2006728
The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Marine Resource Economics expects to award at least one new Ph.D. Fellowship in 2021 to students who are interested in careers related to the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing the economics of the conservation and management of living marine resources.

Funding Opportunity: FY 2020-21 Base Increase

Total funding for this opportunity includes up to $200,000 in federal funds and $100,000 in non-federal match per program for FY 2021-2022.

Programs are asked to submit a proposal outlining how your program will expand and/or augment work that aligns with your program’s strategic plan and builds on work proposed in your 2018-21 omnibus package. Proposals may include one or more projects and funds may be used for research, program management, extension, communication, education work, and/or program development. Applications may not include placeholder funding. All Sea Grant programs are eligible to submit one application.

FY 2020-21 Base Increase Application Guidance (PDF download)

Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page of Inside Sea Grant.

Due date: May 19, 2020 or November 3, 2020.

Please contact your program officer with any questions.

Aquaculture: Supplemental Funds

Eligible Sea Grant Programs are invited to apply for aquaculture supplemental funds to be directed to a range of possible activities including, for example, one or more aquaculture proposals from the most recent RFP cycle that were deemed fundable but not funded; aquaculture extension, education or communication activities; a joint regional aquaculture research competition; a joint regional (or topical) aquaculture extension position; competitive exploratory aquaculture Program Development funds; or a range of other activities that fall within approved strategic plans and the Aquaculture 10 year and Communications Visioning Plans.

It is a priority for the NSGO that these funds be committed to new activities. These funds are not intended to replace other support for staff so that those funds might be used for non-aquaculture activities. The funds may, though, be used to support existing staff to expand their aquaculture activities.

Aquaculture Supplemental Funds submission guidance (PDF download) 

Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page of Inside Sea Grant.

Due date: May 19, 2020 or November 3, 2020.

Please contact Mark Rath or Charles Weirich with any questions.

National Federal Partnership Liaisons Competition

In an effort to increase collaboration and effective use of federally-funded ocean, coastal and Great Lakes research, the NSGO is looking for proposals to develop National Federal Partnership Liaison positions in coordination with other federal agencies or programs whose project goals align with and support national Sea Grant focus area or vision plan goals. We expect to fund 2-3 liaisons at up to $100K of Sea Grant federal dollars annually for four years. State match of 50% of NSGO funds and ‘substantial’ federal partner funding required.

Eligible applicants: Sea Grant College Programs, Sea Grant Institutional Programs, Sea Grant Coherent Area Programs and the National Sea Grant Library

Read formal announcement on Grants.gov NOAA-OAR-SG-2020-2006316

Informational Webinars on March 18, 2020 at 2 pm Eastern (Recording available here) and May 21, 2020 at 2 pm Eastern (Recording available here)

Letters of Intent due date: June 25, 2020 via email (oar.hq.sg.competitions@noaa.gov)

Full proposals due date: September 17, 2020 via email (oar.hq.sg.competitions@noaa.gov)

Successful applicants will be asked to submit their full application packages via Grants.gov in response to this NOFO by January 26, 2021.

Learn more about Sea Grant’s liaisons at https://seagrant.noaa.gov/liaisons

Aquaculture: Addressing Economic and Market Needs of the U.S. Aquaculture Industry

Subject to the availability of funding, Sea Grant anticipates approximately $5,000,000 will be available for research projects and programs that will significantly advance the understanding of the economics of aquaculture businesses in the U.S. and address gaps regarding important market information. The overall goal is to advance business management towards development of a sustainable marine and Great Lakes aquaculture industry in the U.S. Successful proposals will address geographic and/or topical needs and will fully integrate research, extension, and education. Proposals that will support broad, non-proprietary research to address critical gaps with respect to aquaculture economics and market needs; make that information available to U.S. aquaculture businesses and management agencies; and build the capacity of Sea Grant and its partners, including Sea Grant aquaculture extension personnel and industry stakeholders, are preferred. These investments are consistent with Sea Grant’s focus area of Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture (SFA) and the Sea Grant Network’s 10-year Aquaculture Vision, both which support NOAA and Department of Commerce aquaculture goals.

All proposals to this competition must be submitted by a Sea Grant program. Other interested entities must submit proposals in partnership with and through a relevant Sea Grant Program.

Read formal announcement on Grants.gov NOAA-OAR-SG-2020-2006331

Informational Webinar February 5, 2020 at 3 pm Eastern (Register or join here)
Webinar slides (PDF)
Question and answer log from webinar discussion (PDF)

Notices of intent to submit due February 26, 2020

Full proposals due date: July 14, 2020

Funding Opportunity: FY2020 COVID-19 Related Rapid Response 

Total funding for this opportunity includes up to $100,000 in federal funds and $50,000 in non-federal match per program. This one-time investment is for projects with deliverables within 6 to 12-months from the start date.

Proposals should outline how your program will address one or more of the many challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that are having far-reaching impacts on the communities that Sea Grant serves. All Sea Grant programs are eligible to submit one application.

FY2020 COVID-19 Related Rapid Response Funding Application Guidance (PDF download)

Resources and forms, including a new application package checklist, are available on the Implementation page of Inside Sea Grant.

Due date: June 3, 2020.

Please contact Nikola Garber with any questions.

Special Projects Announcement: Support of Network Visioning Plan Implementation

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that up to $600,000 will be available to individual Sea Grant Programs to support activities that are directly in alignment with goals and actions identified in the “network visioning” plans developed in 2017-18. Overall, the goal of this funding opportunity is to increase the capacity of Sea Grant Programs to implement priority actions identified in visioning documents. Each award will be no greater than $200,000 and applications DO NOT require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Consult the NOFO NOAA-OAR-SG-2020-2006252, available at grants.gov, for eligible applicants, required elements of the application, how to submit, general programmatic priorities and selection factors, and other necessary information.

Submit your application to SPECIAL PROJECTS “G” under this Opportunity in grants.gov.

Projects should have a start date no earlier than August 1, 2020 and an end date of no longer than two years after the proposed start date.

Application due date: May 19, 2020

Read the full announcement (PDF download)

Read the FAQ (PDF download)

Special Projects Announcement: Amberjack Research Program

The goal of this research program is to develop additional data sources, assessment approaches, and knowledge to improve agency and agency-independent estimates of the abundance of Greater Amberjack throughout the Greater Amberjack’s range. The National Sea Grant Office anticipates that up to $10,000,000 in federal funding will be available to a Sea Grant Program or a partnership of Sea Grant Programs to administer a research competition regarding the Gulf and South Atlantic stocks of Greater Amberjack subsequent to conducting listening sessions or workshops to ascertain research needs.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Consult the NOFO NOAA-OAR-SG-2020-2006252, available at grants.gov, for eligible applicants, required elements of the application, how to submit, general programmatic priorities and selection factors, and other necessary information.

Submit your application to SPECIAL PROJECTS “H” under this Opportunity in grants.gov.

Projects should propose a start date no earlier than September 1, 2020 and an end date of no longer than three years after the proposed start date.

Application due date: May 15, 2020

Read the full announcement (PDF download)

Special Projects Announcement: Sea Grant Support of South Atlantic Red Snapper Stock Assessment

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that up to $1,575,000 in federal funding will be available to a Sea Grant Program, or a partnership of Sea Grant Programs to administer a research competition investigating abundance of the South Atlantic stocks of Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus). $1.5M is available for research sub-award(s) and an additional $75,000 is available to the Sea Grant program(s) for administrative costs. Applications do not require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects, as funds are provided in partnership with the NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC).

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Consult the NOFO NOAA-OAR-SG-2020-2006252, available at grants.gov, for eligible applicants, required elements of the application, how to submit, general programmatic priorities and selection factors, and other necessary information.

Submit your application to SPECIAL PROJECTS “J” under this Opportunity in grants.gov.

Projects should propose a start date no earlier than September 1, 2020 and an end date of no longer than three years after the proposed start date.

Deadline to apply: May 12, 2020

Read the full announcement (PDF download)

Special Projects Announcement: Sea Grant Support of Regional Coral Disease Response Coordinator

This project would provide support for a Regional Coral Disease Response Coordinator position to be established at a Sea Grant program with Federal FY 20 funding from NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program. The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that up to $660,000 in federal funding over a 4-year period will be available to a Sea Grant Program to coordinate a regional level response to the recent outbreak of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease in Florida and the U.S. Caribbean.

This competition is open to all Sea Grant programs.

Consult the NOFO NOAA-OAR-SG-2020-2006252, available at grants.gov, for eligible applicants, required elements of the application, how to submit, general programmatic priorities and selection factors, and other necessary information.

Submit your application to SPECIAL PROJECTS “I” under this Opportunity in grants.gov.

Projects should propose a start date no earlier than September 1, 2020 and an end date of no longer than four years after the proposed start date.

Deadline to apply: April 30, 2020

Read the full announcement (PDF download)

Special Projects Announcement: Undergraduate Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Workshop

The National Sea Grant Office anticipates that up to $140,000 in Sea Grant funding will be available to support the development of the 2021 Undergraduate Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Workshop. It is anticipated that no more than one application will be selected.

Application due date: April 30, 2020

Read the Full Announcement (PDF download)
Direct link to Special Projects NOFO on Grants.gov
Informational resources from previous opportunities: 2019 Webinar (download webinar slides – PDF); Frequently Asked Questions, updated November 19, 2018 (PDF download)

Special Projects Announcement: Sea Grant Support of Workshops and Meetings

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that up to $60,000 in FY 2020 Federal Funds will be available to individual Sea Grant Programs in order to support activities at workshops, conferences or professional meetings that are directly in support of each Program’s 2018-21 strategic plan and/or in alignment with goals and actions identified in the “network visioning” plans developed in 2017-18./inside-sea-grant/network-visioning/

Application due date: December 18, 2019; February 17, 2020; April 28, 2020

Read the full announcement (PDF download)
Direct link to Special Projects NOFO on Grants.gov

American Lobster Research Program

This program will support research to address critical gaps in knowledge about how the American Lobster and its fishery is being impacted by environmental change. It is informed by listening sessions with regional fishing industry stakeholders, state and federal fisheries managers, and university, state and federal fisheries researchers.

Informational webinar: February 11, 2020 at 1:30 pm Eastern (register here)

Read formal Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on Grants.gov

Application due date: April 21, 2020

John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program

Applications must be submitted to the state Sea Grant program by February 21, 2020. 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. Grant announcement: NOAA-OAR-SG-2021-2006204

State programs: please submit the full Knauss packages through Grants.gov by April 17, 2020 at 11:59 PM EDT

National Marine Fisheries Service-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Program 

Students should submit applications to a Sea Grant Program and not submit information directly into grants.gov. Only U.S. citizens are eligible to apply. Foreign Nationals are not eligible. Student applications are due to Sea Grant Programs by 5:00 pm local time on January 30, 2020. Sea Grant Programs must transmit the application via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm, Eastern Time February 27, 2020. There are two separate funding numbers for the two portions of this competition.

Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Federal Funding Opportunity – NOAA-OAR-SG-2020-2006263
The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics expects to award at least three new Ph.D. Fellowships in 2020 to students who are interested in careers related to marine ecosystem and population dynamics, with a focus on modeling and managing systems of living marine resources. These fellowships can provide support for up to three years. The emphasis will be on the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing marine ecosystems, for assessing the status of fish, invertebrate, and other targeted species stocks and for assessing the status of marine mammals, seabirds, and other protected species.

Marine Resource Economics Federal Funding Opportunity – NOAA-OAR-SG-2020-2006261
The 2020 NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Marine Resource Economics expects to award one new Ph.D. Fellowship each year to students who are interested in careers related to the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing the economics of the conservation and management of living marine resources. This fellowship can provide support for up to three years.

Special Projects Announcement: Sea Grant Academy

The National Sea Grant Office anticipates that up to $75,000 in Sea Grant funding will be available to develop, conduct, and evaluate the 8th National Sea Grant Academy, to be held in 2021.Non-federal matching funds are not required for this competition. It is anticipated that no more than one application will be selected.

Read the full announcement (PDF download) 
Direct link to Special Projects NOFO on Grants.gov

Special Projects Announcement: Sea Grant-Marine Debris Competition

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) and the Marine Debris Program (MDP) anticipate that approximately $300,000.00 will be available over the next two years for projects that support the goals and objectives identified within the Marine Debris Program’s Strategic Plan (FY 2016-2020), regional or state Marine Debris Action Plans or align with the program components identified in the Marine Debris Act.

Due Date: January 9, 2020
Read the full announcement (PDF download)
Direct link to Special Projects NOFO on Grants.gov

Highly Migratory Species Research Initiative

Full announcement on grants.gov

Informational webinar May 7, 2019 at 2 pm Eastern, Webinar slides (PDF), webinar Q and A log (PDF)

Letters of Intent due to the National Sea Grant Office on May 15, 2019.

Full proposals due in grants.gov June 19, 2019.

Sea Grant Programs Only: Network Visioning Implementation

Only Sea Grant Programs are eligible for this funding opportunity. Proposals are due in grants.gov on May 23, 2019. (Grants.gov announcement)

Guidance (Word document)

Project Narrative Template (Word document)

Sea Grant Community-Engaged Undergraduate Internship Program: A Proposal (Word document, updated with corrected budget language 4-26-2019)

Informational webinar: May 9, 2019 at 2 pm Eastern Register or join here, Webinar slides (PDF), Webinar Q and A log (PDF)

National Sea Grant Aquaculture Initiatives

Advanced Aquaculture Collaborative Programs – 2019, NOAA-OAR-SG-2019-2005963
Sea Grant anticipates at least $9,000,000 will be available to support the establishment of collaborative programs to build the capacity of Sea Grant and its partners to advance aquaculture in areas where a foundation of knowledge and activity currently exists but where significant barriers to sustainable domestic marine and Great Lakes aquaculture remain. These collaborative programs will serve as geographic or topic-based hubs for fully integrated, transdisciplinary research, outreach, and education that will provide broad, non-proprietary support and investment for building and/or enhancing an aquaculture industry.

Letters of Intent are due April 15, 2019 (see formal announcement for details).
Full proposals are due May 15, 2019 (see formal announcement for details).

Exploring New Aquaculture Opportunities – 2019, NOAA-OAR-SG-2019-2005960
Sea Grant anticipates $1,500,000 will be available to support Sea Grant-led aquaculture projects to catalyze work in a range of topics or geographies. This competition will fund diverse, and at times, high-risk, developmental projects that will envision, explore and advance aquaculture opportunities where a minimal foundation currently exists.

Letters of intent are due March 26, 2019 (see formal announcement for details).
Full proposals are due April 24, 2019 (see formal announcement for details).

Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research Needs in Aquaculture – 2019,  NOAA-OAR-SG-2019-2005953
The National Sea Grant Office anticipates around $3,000,000 will be available to support research to address critical gaps in social, behavioral, and economic knowledge as it relates to U.S. aquaculture and the communities impacted and served by it. The initiative is informed by the National Strategic Plan for Federal Aquaculture Research; the Sea Grant 10-Year NOAA Sea Grant Aquaculture Vision; and previous research from federal, state, and university scientists.

Letters of intent are due April 2, 2019 (see formal announcement for details).
Full proposals are due May 1, 2019 (see formal announcement for details).

Informational Webinar: The National Sea Grant Office hosted an informational webinar about the three aquaculture-related funding opportunities on Monday, March 4 at 3 pm Eastern. View presentation slides (pdf) View questions and answers log from webinar (pdf)

National Sea Grant American Lobster Research Program

Sea Grant is currently seeking research proposals to address critical gaps in knowledge about how the American Lobster and its fishery is being impacted by environmental change. It is informed by listening sessions with regional fishing industry stakeholders, state and federal fisheries managers, and university, state and federal fisheries researchers. Pending appropriation of funds, Sea Grant anticipates awarding between 5-10 research projects totaling between $1 million and $2 million in FY2019. Projects must have a maximum duration of two years. Proposals are due to grants.gov by April 11, 2019. NOAA-OAR-SG-2019-2005917

John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program

Applications must be submitted to the state Sea Grant program by February 22, 2019. 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. Grant announcement: NOAA-OAR-SG-2020-2005911

National Marine Fisheries Service-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Program 

DEADLINE EXTENDED – Students should submit applications to a Sea Grant Program and not submit information directly into grants.gov. Only U.S. citizens are eligible to apply. Foreign Nationals are not eligible. Student applications are due to Sea Grant Programs by 5:00 pm local time on February 28, 2019. Sea Grant Programs must transmit the application via Grants.gov by 5:00 pm, Eastern Time March 28, 2019. There are two separate funding numbers for the two portions of this competition.

Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Federal Funding Opportunity – NOAA-OAR-SG-2019-2005907
The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics expects to award at least three new Ph.D. Fellowships in 2019 to students who are interested in careers related to marine ecosystem and population dynamics, with a focus on modeling and managing systems of living marine resources. These fellowships can provide support for up to three years. The emphasis will be on the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing marine ecosystems, for assessing the status of fish, invertebrate, and other targeted species stocks and for assessing the status of marine mammals, seabirds, and other protected species.

Marine Resource Economics Federal Funding Opportunity – NOAA-OAR-SG-2019-2005909 

The 2019 NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Marine Resource Economics expects to award one new Ph.D. Fellowship each year to students who are interested in careers related to the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing the economics of the conservation and management of living marine resources. This fellowship can provide support for up to three years.

Past Special Projects Announcements

Special Projects Announcement: Sea Grant Northeast Regional Lobster Extension Program

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) anticipates that approximately $600,000.00 will be available over the next four years to support a cooperative agreement to develop, staff, and implement a Sea Grant Northeast Regional Lobster Extension Program.

Due Date: February 5, 2019
Read the full announcement (PDF download)

Special Projects Announcement: Undergraduate Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Workshop

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the NOAA Office of Education (OEd) anticipate that up to $140,000 will be available to fund a cooperative agreement to develop, conduct, and evaluate one to several Undergraduate Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Workshops, to be held between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020.

Due date: January 23, 2019
Informational webinar (download webinar slides – PDF): Tuesday, December 18, 2018 at 3 pm Eastern (Registration link)
Read the full announcement (PDF download)

Frequently Asked Questions, update November 19, 2018 (PDF download)

Sea Grant Law Center Small Grants Program

The National Sea Grant Law Center is currently seeking proposals from Sea Grant programs for one-year projects to promote the growth and development of Sea Grant legal programming and build the capacity of individual Sea Grant programs to address legal issues in their states. Approximately $68,000 in federal funds is expected for 2018. A funding request of $10,000 – $20,000 per project is suggested. Matching funds are not required. Letters of intent are due September 14, 2018. Full proposals are due October 26, 2018.

Request for Proposals link

National Sea Grant College Program 2018 Ocean, Coastal and Great Lakes National Aquaculture Initiative

FFO link: Funding opportunity number NOAA-OAR-SG-2018-2005489 (FFO and application package available via grants.gov)

Proposal FAQ (PDF download) *UPDATED MARCH 14, 2018

Forms

Proposals are due to Sea Grant programs by March 2, 2018; Sea Grant programs must then submit proposals to grants.gov by March 30, 2018.

Depending on appropriations, NOAA National Sea Grant College Program (NOAA Sea Grant) expects to have available a total of $7,000,000 to $11,500,000 across fiscal years 2018, 2019 and 2020 as part of the Sea Grant National Aquaculture Initiative (NAI). As part of the NAI, this competition is designed to foster the expansion of a sustainable U.S. ocean, coastal and Great Lakes aquaculture sector by addressing one or more of the following priorities:

• (a) supporting the development of emerging systems or technologies that will advance aquaculture in the U.S., including projects that will help stimulate aquaculture production by nascent industries;
• (b) developing and implementing actionable methods of communicating accurate, science based messages and information about the benefits and risks of U.S. marine aquaculture to the public; and
• (c) increasing the resiliency of aquaculture systems to natural hazards and changing conditions.

Eligibility: The following entities are eligible and encouraged to participate in this funding opportunity, in conjunction with a Sea Grant program: 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. Federal agencies and their personnel are not permitted to receive federal funding under this competition; however, federal scientists and other employees can serve as uncompensated partners or co-Principal Investigators on applications. Federal labs and offices can also make available specialized expertise, facilities or equipment to applicants but cannot be compensated under this competition for their use, nor can the value of such assets be used as match.

More information on Sea Grant’s work on and support of aquaculture 

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