FY16 Coral Reef Conservation Program, Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants | NOAA NOS OCM 2016 2004574

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NOS OCM 2016 2004574

The FY16 Coral Reef Conservation Program, Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants opportunity is a NOAA grant program under the Department of Commerce (CFDA 11.482) that provides matching financial assistance for on-the-ground coral reef conservation work in U.S. coral reef ecosystems. The program is authorized by the Coral Reef Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 6401-6409) and is designed to fund practical projects that address key threats to coral reefs while supporting NOAA's broader Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) strategy and jurisdiction-specific management priorities.

Projects funded through this competition are meant to support conservation in shallow-water coral reef ecosystems, including mesophotic reefs (deeper light-dependent reefs). NOAA identifies primary focus areas as American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and coral-dominated banks in U.S. portions of the Gulf of Mexico. Applicants can propose work in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and the U.S. Pacific Remote Island Areas, but those locations are explicitly not treated as geographic priorities for this particular announcement. NOAA also notes that, consistent with the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, funding is intended to maintain a balanced portfolio across the U.S. Pacific and Atlantic regions.

To be eligible, proposals have to fit within at least one of four required topical categories: (1) Fishing Impacts, (2) Land-Based Sources of Pollution, (3) Climate Change, and (4) Local and Emerging Management Issues. While the announcement points to the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) for the detailed definitions of each category, the overall intent is to fund projects that reduce stressors on reefs, improve reef management, and respond to current or emerging local challenges. In addition, all proposed work must align with NOAA CRCP National Goals and Objectives (2010-2015) and/or the relevant Jurisdictional Coral Reef Management Priorities developed for each state and territory covered by the program. In practice, this means applicants are expected to show a clear line of sight between their project activities and NOAA's stated management outcomes and priorities for the jurisdiction where the work will take place.

Funding is provided as a discretionary grant, contingent on the availability of FY 2016 congressional appropriations. NOAA anticipated a total program funding range of roughly $800,000 to $1,000,000 for the competition, with an estimated 15 awards. Individual projects were expected to request between $30,000 and $80,000 in federal funds, with an average award of about $50,000. Projects were designed to be relatively short and implementation-focused, with project periods of 12 or 18 months. The published award ceiling for a single award is $80,000, and the original application closing date for this FY16 round was January 6, 2016.

A major feature of this opportunity is the required cost share: awards require a 1:1 match of non-federal funds (meaning applicants must provide an equal amount from non-federal sources to match the federal request). NOAA is clear that federal agencies and employees cannot receive funds under the program, and federal in-kind services cannot be counted toward the applicant's match requirement. However, federal partners can still participate as collaborators, for example by serving in review roles, joining task teams or working groups, supporting leadership teams, or assisting with coordination. If federal agencies are involved as collaborators, applicants are expected to describe the anticipated level and nature of that engagement in the application.

Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, and local and Indian tribal government agencies. At the same time, several entities are specifically not eligible to apply as the lead applicant under this announcement: U.S. federal agencies, state governments, territory and commonwealth governments, and Regional Fishery Management Councils. NOAA notes that those entities are supported through separate NOAA funding mechanisms, but they may still participate as project partners, contribute allowable non-federal cost share, help secure permits and approvals, and otherwise collaborate. Finally, NOAA emphasizes that the lead applicant is accountable for proper use of the award and for ensuring that any funds passed through to sub-awardees are managed in a way that remains fully consistent with the program's requirements and purposes.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY16 Coral Reef Conservation Program, Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.482.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2015-10-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-01-06. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $80,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for NOAA NOS OCM 2016 2004574

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