FY21-22 CRCP State and Territorial Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreements | NOAA NOS OCM 2021 2006566

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NOS OCM 2021 2006566

The FY21-22 CRCP State and Territorial Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreements opportunity is a NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) funding announcement under the Department of Commerce that supports on-the-ground coral reef management, monitoring, and conservation work in key U.S. reef jurisdictions. The program operates under the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 and is designed to strengthen jurisdiction-led efforts that measurably improve the condition of coral reef ecosystem resources. Rather than a simple pass-through grant, these awards are structured as cooperative agreements, meaning NOAA expects to be actively involved in planning and implementing the funded work alongside recipients.

Only certain government resource management agencies are eligible: the state, territorial, and commonwealth agencies formally designated by their Governors as the primary point-of-contact for coral reef conservation in their jurisdictions. The eligible jurisdictions named in the announcement are American Samoa, Florida, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The announcement anticipates making about seven awards, aligning with those seven jurisdictions.

The application process is staged with multiple deadlines and submission methods. First, applicants must submit PROJECT LISTS by email to the appropriate NOAA Coral Reef Management Liaison (referenced in the announcement) and to Craig.A.Reid@noaa.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 27, 2020. Second, PRE-APPLICATIONS are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on October 8, 2020 and must be emailed to coral.grants@noaa.gov with a copy to the applicant's NOAA Coral Reef Management Liaison. The pre-application consists of application elements 1 through 3, and notably, federal financial assistance forms are not required at that stage. Third, FINAL APPLICATIONS must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on February 11, 2021 (the opportunity record also lists an original closing date of February 22, 2021, but the narrative instructions emphasize February 11, 2021 for final submissions).

Funding is contingent on Congressional appropriations. For FY 2021, the total program funding is expected to range from roughly $3.5 million to $4.5 million. Individual applicants are generally expected to request between $300,000 and $900,000 per year, depending on their capacity to carry out the proposed work, with an anticipated average annual award around $575,000. The award ceiling listed is $900,000. Funding is described as "matching" financial assistance, indicating recipients are expected to provide some level of non-federal match consistent with CRCP requirements. Continued support into FY 2022 is not guaranteed; it depends on future funding availability as well as the recipient's ability to properly manage federal funds and their performance during the first year of the award (and performance on past awards, where applicable).

In terms of purpose and activities, NOAA indicates funds are intended to support priority coral reef management activities described in the Federal Funding Opportunity (specifically referenced as Section I.B.). While the announcement text provided does not enumerate those priorities, it is clear the program focus is practical conservation: maintaining and improving reef condition through management and monitoring programs and targeted conservation projects. The opportunity is classified as discretionary funding, uses a cooperative agreement instrument, and falls under environment, natural resources, science and technology, and other research and development activity categories. The CFDA number associated with the program is 11.482, and the opportunity number is NOAA NOS OCM 2021 2006566, with a creation date of June 16, 2020.

• 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 "FY21-22 CRCP State and Territorial Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreements" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.482.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 16, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 22, 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 $900,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA NOS OCM 2021 2006566

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