Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA OAR SG 2027 32433
Apply for NOAA OAR SG 2027 32433
- The DOC NOAA - ERA Production in the natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2027 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship" 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 2026-03-02.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-07-22. (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 $97,200.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 35 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Fiscal Year 2027 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship (NOAA-OAR-SG-2027-32433) is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, run through the National Sea Grant College Program (CFDA 11.417). Sea Grant was originally established by Congress in 1966 and later amended in 2020 (Public Law 116-221) to strengthen federal-state partnerships that use university and research expertise to address real-world challenges and opportunities in coastal communities. This particular competition supports the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, a well-known program designed to place highly qualified graduate students into policy-focused positions connected to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes issues, helping build the next generation of marine policy leaders who can bridge science and decision-making.
Funding is expected to support not less than 35 fellowship applications, assuming federal funds are available. Each application package is expected to propose a total budget of $97,200 (the notice indicates a more detailed cost breakdown is provided elsewhere in the formal announcement, specifically in Sections II.A and III.F). Awards are made as cooperative agreements, reflecting NOAA involvement and oversight consistent with how Sea Grant typically manages fellowship and partnership programs. The published award ceiling is also $97,200 per application package, aligning with the per-fellow funding level described.
A key point is that graduate students do not submit full proposals directly to Grants.gov. Instead, students apply through the Sea Grant program in the state or territory where they are earning their degree, and that Sea Grant program is the entity that ultimately submits the official application package to NOAA via Grants.gov. If a student is in a state without a Sea Grant program, NOAA will assign the student to an appropriate eligible Sea Grant program; in that case, the student must include a written referral statement from the National Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program Manager with their materials to the state Sea Grant program handling the application. Students are also encouraged to contact their state or territory Sea Grant office at least one to two months before the state-level deadline to get guidance, confirm local requirements, and signal intent to apply, and they should plan for an interview if the Sea Grant program requests one after submission.
Student eligibility is narrowly defined and focused on ensuring fellows are able to work in U.S. policy settings and are at the right stage of graduate education. To be eligible, a student must be a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident, or a dual national with U.S. citizenship; must be enrolled in a graduate degree program at some point between the start of the Fall 2025 term and June 3, 2026; must be pursuing a degree that will be awarded by an accredited U.S. or U.S. territory institution of higher education; and must demonstrate interest in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and the national policy decisions that affect them.
On the applicant side, only specific Sea Grant entities can submit the final, full proposal package to NOAA: Sea Grant College Programs, Sea Grant Institutional Programs, and Sea Grant Coherent Area Programs. These organizations must have active registrations in three federal systems to be eligible to submit or receive an award: SAM.gov (including obtaining or confirming a Unique Entity Identifier, or UEI), Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. NOAA emphasizes that the combined registration timeline can take 4 to 6 weeks, so organizations are expected to start early and ensure all accounts are active well before the deadline. eRA Commons has its own role-based requirements as well: the organization must designate at least one Signing Official (SO) and maintain at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit. NOAA also references an eRA formatting guide and points applicants to Commerce grants training modules to reduce submission errors, and notes that organizations without internet access should contact the agency representatives listed in the opportunity for alternative submission instructions.
The federal closing date listed for this opportunity is July 22, 2026. In practice, prospective fellows should pay close attention to their state Sea Grant program deadlines and internal processes, since those often come earlier than the federal closing date to allow time for review, interviews, selection, and assembly of the final package that the Sea Grant program submits to NOAA.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1) What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the Fiscal Year 2027 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship (NOAA-OAR-SG-2027-32433). It is a discretionary federal funding opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, through the National Sea Grant College Program (CFDA 11.417).
2) What is the purpose of the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship?
The competition supports the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, a program designed to place highly qualified graduate students into policy-focused positions related to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes issues. The fellowship aims to help build the next generation of marine policy leaders who can bridge science and decision-making.
3) How many fellowship applications does NOAA expect to support?
NOAA expects to support not less than 35 fellowship applications, assuming federal funds are available.
4) What is the expected funding amount per fellowship application package?
Each application package is expected to propose a total budget of $97,200. The published award ceiling is also $97,200 per application package.
5) Where can I find the detailed cost breakdown for the $97,200 budget?
The notice indicates that a more detailed cost breakdown is provided elsewhere in the formal announcement, specifically in Sections II.A and III.F.
6) What type of federal award is used for this opportunity?
Awards are made as cooperative agreements, reflecting NOAA involvement and oversight consistent with how Sea Grant typically manages fellowship and partnership programs.
7) Do graduate students submit their full proposals directly to Grants.gov?
No. Graduate students do not submit full proposals directly to Grants.gov. Students apply through the Sea Grant program in the state or territory where they are earning their degree. That Sea Grant program is the entity that submits the official application package to NOAA via Grants.gov.
8) Who is allowed to submit the final application package to NOAA?
Only specific Sea Grant entities can submit the final, full proposal package to NOAA: Sea Grant College Programs, Sea Grant Institutional Programs, and Sea Grant Coherent Area Programs.
9) What should a student do if they are in a state without a Sea Grant program?
If a student is in a state without a Sea Grant program, NOAA will assign the student to an appropriate eligible Sea Grant program. In that case, the student must include a written referral statement from the National Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program Manager with their materials to the state Sea Grant program handling the application.
10) When should students contact their state or territory Sea Grant office?
Students are encouraged to contact their state or territory Sea Grant office at least one to two months before the state-level deadline to get guidance, confirm local requirements, and signal intent to apply.
11) Should students expect an interview as part of the process?
Students should plan for an interview if the Sea Grant program requests one after submission.
12) What are the student citizenship requirements?
To be eligible, a student must be a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident, or a dual national with U.S. citizenship.
13) What graduate enrollment timeframe is required for student eligibility?
To be eligible, a student must be enrolled in a graduate degree program at some point between the start of the Fall 2025 term and June 3, 2026.
14) What kind of institution must award the student degree?
The student must be pursuing a degree that will be awarded by an accredited U.S. or U.S. territory institution of higher education.
15) What subject-matter interest must students demonstrate to be eligible?
Students must demonstrate interest in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and the national policy decisions that affect them.
16) What federal registrations must the submitting Sea Grant organization have?
Submitting organizations must have active registrations in SAM.gov (including obtaining or confirming a Unique Entity Identifier, or UEI), Grants.gov, and eRA Commons.
17) How long can federal registrations take, and when should organizations start?
NOAA emphasizes that the combined registration timeline can take 4 to 6 weeks, so organizations are expected to start early and ensure all accounts are active well before the deadline.
18) Are there specific eRA Commons account roles required for submission?
Yes. The organization must designate at least one Signing Official (SO) and maintain at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit.
19) Does NOAA provide guidance to reduce submission errors?
Yes. NOAA references an eRA formatting guide and points applicants to Commerce grants training modules to reduce submission errors.
20) What if the submitting organization does not have internet access?
Organizations without internet access should contact the agency representatives listed in the opportunity for alternative submission instructions.
21) What is the federal closing date for this opportunity?
The federal closing date listed for this opportunity is July 22, 2026.
22) Are state Sea Grant deadlines different from the federal deadline?
They can be. Prospective fellows are told to pay close attention to their state Sea Grant program deadlines and internal processes, since those often come earlier than the federal closing date to allow time for review, interviews, selection, and assembly of the final package submitted to NOAA.
23) What laws are referenced as background for Sea Grant?
Sea Grant was originally established by Congress in 1966 and later amended in 2020 (Public Law 116-221) to strengthen federal-state partnerships that use university and research expertise to address real-world challenges and opportunities in coastal communities.
24) What does CFDA 11.417 refer to in this notice?
The opportunity is run through the National Sea Grant College Program and is identified in the notice with CFDA 11.417.
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