NOAA RESTORE Science Program 2023 | NOAA NOS NCCOS 2022 2007377

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NOS NCCOS 2022 2007377

The NOAA RESTORE Science Program 2023 funding opportunity is a competitive federal grant announcement from the U.S. Department of Commerce, administered through NOAA (specifically NOAA/NOS/NCCOS). It supports applied, decision-focused science in the Gulf of Mexico by funding collaborative projects that are designed to move beyond research for research's sake and instead deliver usable products that directly inform an identified natural resource management decision. Awards are made as cooperative agreements, which generally means NOAA expects to have substantial involvement during the life of the project (for example, through coordinated planning, technical input, or oversight aligned with program goals).

At its core, this opportunity is built around partnerships. Proposals are expected to come from teams that include researchers working alongside resource managers and other stakeholders, with a clear plan for how the work will be translated into practice. Rather than asking applicants to propose entirely new exploratory studies, the announcement emphasizes executing a previously planned, collaborative research project, then developing the findings into practical products, transferring those products to a specific management body, and supporting their application to a real Gulf of Mexico management decision. In other words, a strong proposal would not only produce scientific results, but also show who will use them, what decision they will support, and how the project team will ensure the science is delivered in a form that fits the manager's workflow, timelines, and decision context.

The program is funded through the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund, so awards are explicitly contingent on the availability of those funds. NOAA anticipated making final funding recommendations around June 2023, with funded projects expected to start on October 1, 2023. The overall scale of the competition is substantial: total funding was projected at roughly $15 million spread across five years, with an expectation of about 10 awards. Individual projects could last up to five years, and the maximum award amount was approximately $2,000,000 per project for the full project period. The focus areas align broadly with environment, natural resources, and science and technology research and development, consistent with the program's mission of supporting Gulf restoration and management needs using strong, actionable science.

Eligibility is broad and includes many common public, academic, nonprofit, and private-sector entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than universities); and for-profit organizations (excluding small businesses as specified in the listing). This wide eligibility reflects the program's emphasis on partnerships that can combine scientific expertise with on-the-ground management authority and practical stakeholder engagement.

The application process had two required steps and firm deadlines. A letter of intent (LOI) was required and needed to be submitted by email to noaarestorescience@noaa.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 16, 2022. Full proposals were due later, by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 15, 2022, and had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. The announcement made clear that late LOIs or late full proposals would not be reviewed or considered, so the timeline and submission method were non-negotiable components of eligibility for consideration.

For applicants looking for supporting materials, NOAA pointed prospective teams to the RESTORE Science Program website for the full funding opportunity details, including any webinars and background resources intended to clarify expectations and help teams align projects with program priorities. The funding opportunity is identified as NOAA NOS NCCOS 2022 2007377 and is listed under CFDA 11.451, which can help applicants and grants offices match the program to internal tracking systems and compliance requirements.

• The Department of Commerce in the energy, environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NOAA RESTORE Science Program 2023" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.451.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 28, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 16, 2022 A letter of intent (LOI) is required for this Announcement. The deadline for receipt of LOIs is 1159 p.m., Eastern Time on August 16, 2022. LOIs should be submitted to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) RESTORE Science Program by email (noaarestorescience@noaa.gov).The deadline for receipt of full proposals is 1159 p.m., Eastern Time on November 15, 2022. Full proposals should be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov). LOIs and full proposals received after their respective deadlines will not be reviewed or considered.. (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 $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses.

Apply for NOAA NOS NCCOS 2022 2007377

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