Community-based Restoration Program Coastal and Marine Habitat Restoration Grants | NOAA NMFS HCPO 2017 2005156

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS HCPO 2017 2005156

The Community-based Restoration Program Coastal and Marine Habitat Restoration Grants opportunity, administered by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) through the NOAA Restoration Center, is designed to fund on-the-ground coastal and marine habitat restoration projects that directly improve fish habitat and, in turn, support species recovery and stronger fish populations. The central focus is ecosystem-based restoration, meaning projects should look beyond a single site fix and instead show how habitat actions fit within broader ecological processes and constraints that affect fish and other marine life over time.

A major driver of how proposals are scored is how clearly the applicant can connect the proposed restoration work to outcomes for NOAA-managed species. In practice, this means proposals are expected to demonstrate tangible benefits for two key groups: (1) threatened and endangered species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), referred to in the notice as Listed Species, with particular emphasis on NMFS "Species in the Spotlight," and (2) fish stocks managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Managed Species), especially where restoration can sustain, rebuild, or help stabilize those stocks. The solicitation is not just asking for general conservation value; it is asking applicants to show a credible pathway from habitat restoration actions to improved biological conditions for specific target species and their supporting ecosystems.

To be competitive, projects need to do three things well. First, they must clearly identify a habitat-based problem that is limiting the recovery or long-term sustainability of one or more target species (for example, degraded spawning habitat, blocked fish passage, loss of estuarine nursery areas, altered hydrology, impaired water quality, or the loss of structural habitat features). Second, they must lay out a detailed restoration approach that describes what will be built, removed, reconnected, replanted, regraded, or otherwise implemented on the ground, including the methods, timeline, and how the work addresses the limiting factor. Third, they must define expected outcomes in measurable terms, explaining how success will be tracked and how the restoration is expected to translate into improved habitat function and species response. In other words, the program is looking for proposals that can move from problem statement to implementation plan to measurable ecological impact without gaps in logic.

Funding is provided through cooperative agreements, which generally means NOAA anticipates being more involved than in a simple grant, potentially including substantial federal participation in oversight, coordination, or technical engagement. Awards may be structured for one year or multiple years, with project periods of up to three years. The notice also indicates that additional fund releases could be used to continue funding selected projects through FY19 without another competition, depending on congressional appropriations and NOAA budget availability across FY17 to FY19.

In terms of scale, NOAA anticipates that typical federal awards will fall between $300,000 and $1.5 million spread over one to three years, but applicants can request outside that typical range as long as they stay within the stated limits. NOAA will not accept proposals requesting less than $100,000 in federal funding, and the maximum request is $4 million total over three years. For FY17 specifically, NOAA anticipated up to $5 million available under this funding opportunity announcement, though final award levels depend on what Congress appropriates.

Eligible applicants include a wide range of non-federal entities: institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, commercial (for-profit) organizations, U.S. territories, and state, local, and Native American tribal governments. A key restriction is that applications from federal agencies or federal employees will not be considered. At the same time, the solicitation encourages federal agencies to participate by partnering with eligible applicants such as states, municipalities, counties, tribes, and NGOs, effectively positioning federal entities as collaborators rather than direct applicants.

Projects must be proposed in geographic areas that benefit species with a clear connection to NOAA management responsibilities, with more specific geographic and species nexus requirements referenced in the solicitation's Section III.C. Overall, the opportunity is aimed at well-justified, implementable habitat restoration efforts that can demonstrate direct conservation and fishery-management value, backed by clear metrics and a realistic plan for delivering ecological results within a one- to three-year window. Key administrative details from the announcement include the use of cooperative agreements as the funding instrument, an original closing date of March 23, 2017, an award ceiling of $4,000,000, and the listing under CFDA 11.463 within the Department of Commerce.

• 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 "Community-based Restoration Program Coastal and Marine Habitat Restoration Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.463.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-01-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-03-23. (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.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for NOAA NMFS HCPO 2017 2005156

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