Cooperative Institute in the Northern Gulf of America (CINGA)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), under its Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the establishment of a Cooperative Institute in the Northern Gulf of America (CINGA). NOAA is a scientific agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce tasked with understanding and predicting changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts, and with conserving and managing coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. This funding opportunity supports NOAA's mission by fostering collaborative, interdisciplinary scientific research with academic institutions in the Gulf region. The institute will play a central role in addressing high-priority research needs aligned with NOAA’s mission through long-term partnerships and research collaborations. The purpose of this NOFO is to solicit proposals for a consortium of non-federal academic institutions to establish CINGA. The cooperative institute is expected to address specific scientific themes, such as ecosystem management, coastal hazards, environmental variability, and data-driven technologies. Applicants are required to submit one comprehensive application, led by a single academic institution offering accredited graduate-level programs in NOAA-related sciences. The proposed CI must be located in the Gulf of America region and may include supporting research affiliates. The consortium is encouraged to develop research mechanisms, education pathways, and outreach strategies that align with NOAA’s strategic goals and promote scientific advancement. Funded activities under this NOFO may include research on ecosystem-based management, impacts of extreme weather on coastal development, harmful algal blooms, storm surge and sea-level rise, and fisheries management. The institute is expected to develop advanced technologies and data stewardship methods to support NOAA’s operational and scientific needs. Additionally, the institute should integrate physical sciences with social sciences, such as economics, legal studies, risk communication, and community engagement, to ensure holistic research outcomes. Applicants are encouraged to partner with NOAA initiatives and other federal and regional organizations to extend the impact and reach of the proposed institute. The total federal funding available for the initial five-year award is up to $100,000,000. The funding instrument will be a cooperative agreement, which implies substantial involvement from NOAA in managing the research direction and performance of the CI. The award may be renewed for an additional five years following a thorough review of scientific and administrative performance conducted in the fourth year. Matching funds are not required, but cost sharing is encouraged and will be factored into the evaluation criteria. Allowable match contributions may include reduced indirect rates, waivers for facility use, and partial salary support for key personnel. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by May 18, 2026, and then validated through eRA Commons. Submissions require completion of registrations with SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons, all of which may take 4–6 weeks. Required application components include a research plan, detailed budget and justification, list of personnel, monitoring and outreach plans, strategic and business plans, and a data management plan. Applicants must also submit a societal impact statement and may need to address environmental compliance via the NEPA Questionnaire, depending on project specifics. Evaluation of applications will consider scientific merit, alignment with NOAA priorities, outreach and education capabilities, socioeconomic relevance, and the qualifications and experience of the applicant institutions. Each proposal will be reviewed by a panel of at least three subject-matter experts. Following panel review and ranking, the NOAA Selecting Official will make final award recommendations. Notification of award is expected by June 2026, with a performance start date of October 1, 2026. If successful, the selected institution will submit additional project-level applications over the award period for funding consideration.

Proposals must remain high-level and focus on establishing the CI, not detailed projects. Avoid formatting errors; follow Grants.gov and eRA Commons instructions precisely.