GrantExec

FY 2025 Opportunity for the Development of Sea Grant Projects

FY 2025 Opportunity for the Development of Sea Grant Projects aims to fund the creation of two new Sea Grant projects in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, focusing on research, education, and outreach to support sustainable coastal and marine resource management.

$1,200,000
Closed
Nationwide
Grant Description

The NOAA FY 2025 Sea Grant Funding Opportunity is aimed at developing new Sea Grant projects in underrepresented areas, specifically the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI). The Sea Grant Program, established by Congress in 1966, facilitates partnerships between federal and state entities to promote the sustainable use and conservation of coastal, marine, and Great Lakes resources. This funding opportunity supports the creation of two Sea Grant projects, one in each of the geographic areas mentioned. Approximately $2.4 million in federal funding is available for this initiative, with each project receiving up to $1.2 million over four years. The funding is intended to support research, education, and extension activities that align with the national Sea Grant focus areas as outlined in the National Sea Grant College Program Strategic Plan. Eligibility is limited to institutions of higher education, public or private corporations, and local or tribal governments located within the USVI or CNMI. Federal agencies are not eligible to receive funding directly, but may collaborate as partners. Applicants must provide a 50% non-federal match, though waivers may be considered for specific insular areas. The projects must focus on regional priorities, which could include research, community education, and outreach initiatives that benefit coastal communities and their natural resources. Emphasis is placed on addressing regional needs through a combination of research, education, and extension activities. Furthermore, projects must be aligned with the strategic priorities of the National Sea Grant Office. Proposals are required to outline specific objectives, a clear timeline, and detailed methods for achieving the intended outcomes. Successful projects will demonstrate how they can contribute to the long-term development of a Sea Grant program in the region. Proposals must include a budget narrative, with detailed explanations of both federal and non-federal funding. Key dates for this opportunity include a full proposal submission deadline of October 11, 2024, and project start dates as early as February 1, 2025. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals early and ensure all necessary registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons) are complete well in advance. The selection process will evaluate proposals based on relevance to program goals, technical and scientific merit, qualifications of the applicants, and project costs. NOAA will engage in substantial involvement with selected projects, guiding research directions and overseeing project progress. This opportunity emphasizes diversity and inclusion, encouraging applications from institutions serving underrepresented communities. NOAA expects transparency in data management, requiring funded projects to include a plan for public data sharing. Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is mandatory, and selected projects may need to assist NOAA in completing environmental assessments. Lastly, applicants should ensure that public-facing project outputs comply with the accessibility requirements under Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Funding Details

Award Range

$300,000 - $1,200,000

Total Program Funding

$2,400,000

Number of Awards

2

Matching Requirement

Yes - There is a required 50% non-federal match for all Sea Grant federal funding. Waivers to non-federal match will be considered during the federal financial assistance application process, where applicable.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Private institutions of higher education
State governments
City or township governments
County governments

Additional Requirements

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. 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.To be eligible to apply or receive an award, applicant organizations must complete and maintain three registrations; SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. For each, the complete registration process can take 4 to 6 weeks, so applicants must begin this activity as soon as possible and well before the proposal due date. For more information on how to meet these registration and application submission requirements without errors, we advise all to carefully review relevant Applicant and Grantee Training modules: https://www.commerce.gov/ocio/programs/gems/applicant-and-grantee-training. Additionally, we advise that all carefully read Additional Application Package Forms within the Full Proposal Required Elements section below.The National Sea Grant College Program champions diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by recruiting, retaining and preparing a diverse workforce, and proactively engaging and serving the diverse populations of coastal communities. Sea Grant is committed to building inclusive research, extension, communication and education programs that serve people with unique backgrounds, circumstances, needs, perspectives and ways of thinking. We encourage applicants of all ages, races, ethnicities, national origins, gender identities, sexual orientations, disabilities, cultures, religions, citizenship types, marital statuses, education levels, job classifications, veteran status types, income, and socioeconomic status types to apply for this opportunity.

Geographic Eligibility

All

Key Dates

Application Opens

August 7, 2024

Application Closes

November 22, 2024

Contact Information

Grantor

U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC NOAA - ERA Production)

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