Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS HCPO 2024 28122
Apply for NOAA NMFS HCPO 2024 28122
- The DOC NOAA - ERA Production in the environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NOAA Great Lakes Fish Habitat Restoration Partnership 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 2024-08-27.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-09-16. (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 $30,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NOAA Great Lakes Fish Habitat Restoration Partnership Grants program is a discretionary federal funding opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Commerce through NOAA, focused on getting on-the-ground habitat restoration projects built and implemented across the Great Lakes basin. The overall purpose is to provide both financial support and technical assistance for efforts that fit NOAA's coastal habitat restoration mission while directly advancing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) priorities. In practical terms, the program is designed to improve and rebuild habitats that native Great Lakes fish depend on, with the larger goal of sustaining healthier fish populations and stronger recreational and commercial fisheries across the region.
Projects are judged heavily on how well they line up with two specific GLRI focus areas. First, the program prioritizes work that supports GLRI Focus Area 1, which targets Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern (AOCs). That means proposals that help implement management actions inside officially designated AOCs, where historical industrial pollution and habitat damage have caused long-running ecological problems, are especially relevant. Second, NOAA is also looking for projects that advance GLRI Focus Area 4, Habitats and Species, by restoring habitat that native fish species need and that has been degraded or lost over time. The solicitation makes clear that habitat degradation and fragmentation are central issues this funding is meant to address, so proposals that clearly connect restoration actions to measurable ecological outcomes for fish populations are likely to be more competitive.
A key feature of this competition is that NOAA intends to prioritize a subset of restoration projects that have already been identified as Environmental Priorities by the Great Lakes Lake Committees. These Lake Committees are made up of senior leaders from state, provincial, and U.S. intertribal fishery agencies and are convened through the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. Their role is to coordinate fishery management across the Great Lakes and develop science-based plans and guidance to meet fish community objectives. By leaning on the committees' priority lists, the grant program is signaling that it wants investments to track closely with basinwide, multi-agency fishery strategies rather than isolated projects that are not tied into broader fish community objectives.
Funding is offered through cooperative agreements, which generally means NOAA expects an ongoing level of involvement from the federal side during project implementation (as opposed to a more hands-off grant). The opportunity lists an award ceiling of up to $30,000,000, indicating that large, complex restoration efforts may be eligible, though the actual number of expected awards is not specified in the posted information. The opportunity is associated with CFDA (Assistance Listing) number 11.463 and is categorized under Environment and Natural Resources.
Eligibility is broad and includes institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, for-profit (commercial) organizations, U.S. territories, and state, local, and Native American tribal governments. Federal agencies and federal employees cannot apply directly, but NOAA strongly encourages federal partners to participate by collaborating with eligible applicants such as states, municipalities, counties, tribes, and nongovernmental organizations. Applicants can be located anywhere geographically, but the work that is funded must take place within the Great Lakes basin and specifically within one of the eight U.S. Great Lakes states: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, or Minnesota.
From an application mechanics standpoint, one notable instruction is that the Project Abstract Summary Form is not required for this solicitation. The opportunity is identified as NOAA NMFS HCPO 2024 28122, and the listed closing date is September 16, 2026. Overall, the program is best suited to organizations that can deliver well-scoped habitat restoration actions in the Great Lakes basin, demonstrate strong alignment with GLRI Focus Areas 1 and/or 4, and ideally show clear ties to Lake Committee-identified environmental priorities and fish community objectives.
NOAA Great Lakes Fish Habitat Restoration Partnership Grants: FAQs
What is the NOAA Great Lakes Fish Habitat Restoration Partnership Grants program?
It is a discretionary federal funding opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Commerce through NOAA to support on-the-ground fish habitat restoration projects across the Great Lakes basin. The program emphasizes getting restoration projects built and implemented and pairs financial support with technical assistance.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The purpose is to fund and support habitat restoration efforts that fit NOAA's coastal habitat restoration mission while directly advancing Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) priorities. The program is aimed at improving and rebuilding habitats that native Great Lakes fish depend on, with the broader goal of supporting healthier fish populations and stronger recreational and commercial fisheries.
What types of projects is NOAA looking to fund?
The program is focused on habitat restoration actions that address habitat degradation and fragmentation and that can be tied to measurable ecological outcomes for native Great Lakes fish populations. Competitive projects clearly connect proposed restoration actions to benefits for fish habitat and fish community objectives.
How are projects evaluated or prioritized under this program?
Projects are judged heavily on alignment with two GLRI focus areas: GLRI Focus Area 1 (Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern) and GLRI Focus Area 4 (Habitats and Species). NOAA also intends to prioritize a subset of restoration projects that have already been identified as Environmental Priorities by the Great Lakes Lake Committees.
What GLRI focus areas does this opportunity emphasize?
The opportunity emphasizes GLRI Focus Area 1, Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern (AOCs), and GLRI Focus Area 4, Habitats and Species.
What does GLRI Focus Area 1 mean in the context of this program?
GLRI Focus Area 1 targets Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern (AOCs). In this solicitation, NOAA is especially interested in proposals that help implement management actions inside officially designated AOCs where historical industrial pollution and habitat damage have contributed to long-running ecological problems.
What does GLRI Focus Area 4 mean in the context of this program?
GLRI Focus Area 4, Habitats and Species, relates to restoring habitat that native fish species need and that has been degraded or lost over time. Projects that address habitat degradation and fragmentation and that demonstrate ecological benefits for fish are particularly relevant.
What are Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs), and why do they matter for this grant?
AOCs are officially designated locations in the Great Lakes region where historic industrial pollution and habitat impacts have created persistent ecological issues. The program prioritizes projects that help implement management actions within AOCs as part of GLRI Focus Area 1.
What are the Great Lakes Lake Committees mentioned in the opportunity?
The Great Lakes Lake Committees are made up of senior leaders from state, provincial, and U.S. intertribal fishery agencies. They are convened through the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to coordinate fishery management across the Great Lakes and to develop science-based plans and guidance to meet fish community objectives.
How do Lake Committee Environmental Priorities affect competitiveness?
NOAA intends to prioritize a subset of restoration projects that have already been identified as Environmental Priorities by the Great Lakes Lake Committees. This indicates that proposals tied to these priority lists and to broader basinwide fishery strategies may be more competitive than stand-alone efforts not connected to fish community objectives.
What is the geographic area where funded work must take place?
The funded work must take place within the Great Lakes basin and specifically within one of the eight U.S. Great Lakes states: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, or Minnesota.
Can applicants be located outside the Great Lakes states?
Yes. Applicants can be located anywhere geographically, but the project work that is funded must occur within the Great Lakes basin within one of the eight listed U.S. Great Lakes states.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, for-profit (commercial) organizations, U.S. territories, and state, local, and Native American tribal governments.
Are federal agencies or federal employees eligible to apply directly?
No. Federal agencies and federal employees cannot apply directly under this opportunity.
Can federal partners still be involved in projects?
Yes. NOAA strongly encourages federal partners to participate by collaborating with eligible applicants such as states, municipalities, counties, tribes, and nongovernmental organizations.
What type of federal award instrument is used for this opportunity?
Funding is offered through cooperative agreements. This generally means NOAA expects an ongoing level of involvement from the federal side during project implementation compared to a more hands-off grant.
What is the maximum award amount?
The opportunity lists an award ceiling of up to $30,000,000, indicating that large, complex restoration efforts may be eligible.
How many awards will be made?
The posted information does not specify the expected number of awards.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA (Assistance Listing) number 11.463.
How is this opportunity categorized?
It is categorized under Environment and Natural Resources.
What is the opportunity identifier?
The opportunity is identified as NOAA NMFS HCPO 2024 28122.
What is the application deadline?
The listed closing date is September 16, 2026.
Is the Project Abstract Summary Form required?
No. The solicitation specifically notes that the Project Abstract Summary Form is not required for this opportunity.
What is the overarching goal for fisheries in the Great Lakes region?
The program seeks to sustain healthier fish populations and strengthen recreational and commercial fisheries by restoring and improving habitat that native Great Lakes fish depend on.
What kind of proposal positioning seems most aligned with NOAA's stated intent?
Based on the posted description, the strongest alignment would be a well-scoped habitat restoration project in the Great Lakes basin that clearly advances GLRI Focus Area 1 and/or 4, demonstrates measurable ecological outcomes for native fish, and shows ties to Lake Committee-identified Environmental Priorities and basinwide fish community objectives.
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