DHS ST Coastal Resilience Center of Excellence Center Lead | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this DHS funding opportunity for?

This opportunity is a competitive grant for a single U.S. college or university to serve as the lead institution for a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Coastal Resilience Center of Excellence (COE). The intent is to stand up and run a DHS COE focused on research, education, and workforce development that strengthens the nation's ability to anticipate, withstand, and recover from coastal hazards and disasters.

Who is offering this opportunity?

The opportunity is announced by the DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), through its Office of University Programs.

Is this solicitation for the entire Center of Excellence or for individual projects?

This specific funding opportunity is for the Center Lead (the institution that will operate and manage the full COE). DHS also released a separate companion solicitation for universities that want to participate as individual project partners rather than lead the full center (FOA DHS 14 ST 061 COE 001B, CFDA 97.061).

Can universities apply as partners instead of as the Center Lead?

Yes. DHS released a companion solicitation specifically for universities seeking to participate as individual project partners rather than serving as the lead institution (FOA DHS 14 ST 061 COE 001B, CFDA 97.061).

Can the final COE team include partners selected from multiple solicitations?

Yes. DHS notes it may select and add partner projects from proposals submitted under either solicitation. That means the final COE team could be built from a mix of submissions across the Center Lead solicitation and the companion partner-project solicitation.

How many awards does DHS expect to make under this Center Lead solicitation?

DHS expected to make one award under this Center Lead solicitation.

What is the overall goal of the Coastal Resilience COE?

The goal is to establish and operate a coordinated DHS COE that advances research, education, and workforce development supporting coastal resilience and homeland security-relevant needs, with a focus on strengthening national capability to anticipate, withstand, and recover from coastal hazards and disasters.

What research areas does DHS expect the Center Lead to address?

The FOA emphasizes three major topical areas the center should address:

• Coastal Infrastructure Resilience: Protecting and rapidly restoring critical systems and built assets in coastal environments.
• Building Resilient Communities: Improving preparedness, mitigation, response coordination, and long-term recovery at the community level.
• Disaster Dynamics: Understanding hazard behavior, cascading impacts, and how disasters unfold over time across physical, social, and operational systems.

Does the application need to align with DHS priorities and a stated vision?

Yes. Applicants proposing to be the Center Lead are expected to align their plans with DHS's stated vision and the specific research themes laid out in the solicitation.

Is education and workforce development part of what DHS expects from the COE?

Yes. Beyond conducting strong technical research, the lead institution is expected to propose a credible education and workforce development program to help build the next generation of professionals and researchers in coastal resilience and homeland security-relevant disciplines.

What management responsibilities are expected from the Center Lead institution?

A major expectation is that the lead institution will manage and administer the COE effectively. The application must address governance, organization, coordination of research portfolios, partner engagement, and the day-to-day mechanics of running a multi-project research center under a cooperative agreement. DHS emphasizes that the COE should be an enduring, coordinated program rather than a loose collection of unrelated projects.

What will DHS evaluate besides the technical research agenda?

DHS explicitly signals it will evaluate both the quality and relevance of the research agenda and the competence of the management approach, recognizing that the COE lead must integrate research outputs, ensure accountability, and maintain alignment with DHS priorities over time.

What is the award mechanism for this opportunity?

The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement.

What does a cooperative agreement imply for how the work will be carried out?

The notice indicates that a cooperative agreement typically involves substantial federal involvement during performance. In this context, it may include active DHS participation in shaping priorities, reviewing progress, and coordinating transition of results to operational users.

How much funding is associated with this opportunity?

The estimated total funding shown for the opportunity is $20,000,000.

What are the award floor and ceiling listed for this opportunity?

The award floor is listed as $4,000,000, and the award ceiling is also listed as $4,000,000.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

Who is eligible to apply as the Center Lead?

Eligible applicants are U.S. public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education.

What is the CFDA number associated with this program?

The CFDA number associated with the program is 97.061 (Centers for Homeland Security).

How is the funding activity categorized?

The funding activity is categorized under science and technology and other research and development.

When was this opportunity posted and when was the application due?

Key dates included a posting date of April 4, 2014, and an application deadline of July 3, 2014.

What is the archive date listed for the opportunity?

The archive date is listed as August 2, 2014.

Was there an informational webinar for prospective applicants?

Yes. DHS scheduled an informational webinar for May 5, 2014 at 2:00 PM EDT to walk through the FOA and answer questions.

Where could applicants find webinar access details and confirmation?

The announcement stated that access details were provided in the notice, and that additional confirmation was available through Grants.gov and the DHS University Programs website.

Who was the listed contact for application access issues or administrative questions?

The notice lists a DHS grants specialist contact: Shareef Prater, with phone and email information provided in the announcement.