National Sea Grant College Program 2020-2021 Special Projects | NOAA OAR SG 2020 2006435

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA OAR SG 2020 2006435

The National Sea Grant College Program 2020-2021 Special Projects funding opportunity (NOAA OAR SG 2020 2006435) is a discretionary federal grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Commerce through NOAA. It supports the long-standing Sea Grant program, originally created by Congress in 1966 and later amended in 2008 (Public Law 110-394), with the broader mission of strengthening federal state partnerships that use the expertise of universities and research institutions to solve real world problems and create economic and environmental opportunities in coastal communities. The emphasis is on projects that align with the Sea Grant strategic plan focus areas and that advance practical, science based outcomes for coasts, oceans, Great Lakes, and related communities and industries.

This particular notice is designed as an umbrella announcement for "special projects," meaning it is meant to encourage work that does not typically fit within Sea Grant national competitions. In practice, it functions as a mechanism NOAA can use to solicit and fund targeted research, extension, education, communications, or other applied efforts when emerging needs arise or when there is interest in piloting approaches outside the usual Sea Grant funding pathways. The activity areas are broadly framed under environment, natural resources, and science and technology research and development, consistent with Sea Grant's applied mission and its connection to coastal resilience, sustainable economies, and stewardship.

Eligibility is limited to Sea Grant Programs only, rather than open to the general public, universities at large, nonprofits, or private entities. The notice points applicants to Section III for detailed eligibility rules, but the key takeaway is that only the designated Sea Grant programs (the network of state based Sea Grant entities) may submit. As a result, organizations that are not Sea Grant programs would generally need to partner with or work through an eligible Sea Grant program if they wanted to be involved in a project concept, rather than applying directly.

The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates NOAA expects a higher level of federal involvement during the project compared with a standard grant. That can include collaboration on project direction, coordination, deliverables, or other substantial programmatic engagement. The notice lists an award ceiling of up to 4,000,000 and anticipates approximately 30 awards, although actual award sizes and the number of awards can vary depending on the specific competition announcements issued under this umbrella NOFO and the level of funds Congress and NOAA make available.

A central feature of this opportunity is that, at the time the NOFO was issued (created March 24, 2020), funding had not yet been made available for applications under the notice, though funding could become available during the year. Instead of accepting unsolicited proposals at any time, NOAA planned to release individual competition announcements under Section II.A. to indicate when funds are available and to specify any special requirements, restrictions, or conditions such as cost share or topic priorities. Only applications that directly respond to one of those individual competition announcements would be reviewed; unsolicited applications submitted outside those parameters would not be considered.

The application window associated with the umbrella NOFO runs through September 30, 2021, but applicants must still wait for and respond to the relevant individual competition announcement to be eligible for review. Applicants are also directed to consult the Sea Grant General Application Guide for detailed preparation guidance, expectations, and tips, which is intended to standardize submissions and improve proposal quality across the Sea Grant network.

In short, this opportunity sets up a structured pathway for NOAA Sea Grant to fund targeted, strategic plan aligned special projects through cooperative agreements, but only when and as NOAA releases specific competition calls under the umbrella notice. It is not a standing open solicitation for the public; it is a Sea Grant network only mechanism intended to support timely, sometimes nontraditional projects that address pressing needs in coastal and Great Lakes communities.

• 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 "National Sea Grant College Program 2020-2021 Special Projects" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.417.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 24, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 30, 2021. (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 $4,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA OAR SG 2020 2006435

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: