Prevention, Control, and Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms Program

The Prevention, Control, and Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms (PCMHAB) Program, administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through its National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), is a federal funding initiative focused on addressing the serious environmental and public health threats posed by harmful algal blooms (HABs). With funding authority under the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act, the program prioritizes the development and commercialization of technologies and strategies that mitigate the ecological, health, and economic impacts of HABs across U.S. coastal, estuarine, and Great Lakes waters. The initiative is a part of NCCOS’s Competitive Research Program (CRP), which has a longstanding history of supporting collaborative research designed to produce actionable outcomes that inform public policy and resource management. The PCMHAB Program invites proposals targeting two focal areas. The first supports further testing of promising control technologies that have demonstrated potential but require additional laboratory or mesocosm-level validation. The second area targets proven technologies that are ready for large-scale field testing or that have been successful in non-marine environments (such as freshwater HABs or oil spill response) and may be transferable to marine contexts. All proposals must clearly outline an application scenario suited to the proposed technology’s characteristics and scalability, and for projects in the second focal area, a commercialization pathway must also be detailed. Priority will be given to proposals demonstrating potential for practical field deployment and those engaging private sector principal investigators. The funding scope includes research, development, demonstration, and technology transfer activities. Awards are structured based on the focal area: up to $500,000 per year for three years for focal area 1, and up to $1,000,000 per year for five years for focal area 2. The total anticipated federal funding is approximately $2.5 million for the first year of projects, supporting an estimated three to five awards. The program does not require cost sharing or matching funds. While most HAB technologies require federal or state regulatory approvals for field testing, applicants are expected to address necessary permitting within their proposals. Award start dates are expected to begin March 1, 2027. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based institutions of higher education, non-profits, for-profits, tribal governments, state and local governments, U.S. Territories, and U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands institutions. Federal applicants may also apply if they have legal authority to receive funds. Letters of intent (LOIs) are mandatory and must be submitted by April 14, 2026. Full proposals are due via Grants.gov by May 14, 2026. Only applicants with responsive LOIs will be encouraged to submit full proposals, although final submission remains at the applicant's discretion. All applicants must be registered in SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons prior to submission. Proposals must include 14 required elements, including an SF-424, a summary title page, an abstract, a detailed project description, data management plan, and budget narrative. The project narrative must explain how the proposed technology will address program goals and translate into management applications. Coordination with end users is critical, and proposals may include a Management Transition Advisory Group (MTAG) to ensure relevance and facilitate adoption of outcomes. Additional letters from collaborators and MTAG members may be submitted to strengthen the application. The review process includes both mail and panel peer review based on scientific merit, program relevance, team qualifications, and outreach strategy. Final selection will be made by the Director of NCCOS or a designee, based on panel rankings and other factors such as geographic balance, past performance, and funding availability. Successful applicants will be notified by March 2027, with awards issued thereafter. Funded projects are expected to yield technologies that reduce the impact of HABs and enhance public and environmental health, contributing to NOAA’s mission of science-based coastal stewardship.

Clearly describe application scenario and commercialization path; form an MTAG to engage end-users early.