Citizen Science for Improved Stock Assessments and Climate-Ready Fisheries Management

Citizen Science for Improved Stock Assessments and Climate-Ready Fisheries Management is sponsored by NOAA Fisheries. Seeks proposals for citizen science projects that address data gaps in stock assessments and support climate-ready fisheries management.

Citizen Science for Improved Stock Assessments and Climate-Ready Fisheries Management | NOAA Fisheries NOAA Fisheries is seeking proposals to support citizen science projects that can improve federal fishery stock assessments and climate-ready fisheries management.

Funding will prioritize projects that provide information for use in stock assessments and increase understanding of current and/or future impacts of climate change on fish stocks and/or fishing communities. We will hold a webinar on Tuesday, August 13 from 3–4 p. m.

Eastern Time for potential applicants to learn about the funding opportunity and ask questions. Biden-Harris Administration, NOAA to Provide $600,000 for Citizen Science Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Eligible applicants are individuals, institutions of higher education, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and state, local and tribal governments.

Federal agencies and their personnel are not permitted to receive funding under this competition; however, federal scientists can serve as uncompensated partners on proposals. Projects are encouraged—but not required—to have at least one partner from NOAA Fisheries, who could be a staff member from a headquarters office or program, regional office, or science centers. How Much Funding Is Available?

Total federal funding available under this notice is approximately $600,000. These funds will support three to eight different citizen science projects at about $75,000 to $200,000 per project year from Fiscal Year 2025 to FY 2026. There is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to grant awards for all qualified projects.

Applicants should apply through www. Grants. gov .

A complete standard NOAA financial assistance application package should be submitted in accordance with the guidelines in the Notice of Funding Opportunity announcement posted to www. Grants. gov .

Each application must include the application forms from the SF-424 form family. The deadline for proposals is November 4, 2024 at 11:59 p. m.

Eastern Time. Optional Letters of Intent (LOIs) must be received by the Program Manager via email ( Laura. Oremland@noaa.

gov ) by September 5, 2024 at 11:59 p. m. Eastern Time.

What Is the Project Award Period? Funds will be available from Fiscal Year 2025 to FY 2026. Applicants should propose a 1-year (12-month) or 2-year (24-month) period of performance.

Projects can be up to 2 years (24 months) in duration. The requested start date must begin on the first day of the month and the end date must be the last day of a month. Projects should not be expected to begin before April 1, 2025.

Who is Eligible for This Funding Opportunity? Eligible applicants are individuals, institutions of higher education, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and state, local and Indian tribal governments. Federal agencies and their personnel are not permitted to receive funding under this competition; however, federal scientists can serve as uncompensated partners on proposals.

Projects are encouraged—but not required—to have at least one partner from NOAA Fisheries, who could be a staff member from a headquarters office or program, regional office, or science centers. What Types of Projects Will Be Prioritized for This Funding Opportunity?

NOAA Fisheries seeks to fund projects in three high-priority areas: Improve federal fishery stock assessments Increase understanding of current and future impacts of climate change on fish stocks Increase understanding of current and future impacts of climate change on fishing communities The priority that your project is designed to meet must be identified in the proposal.

Regardless of the priority selected, projects are encouraged—but not required—to do one or more of the following: Involve the fishing community (recreational and/or commercial) Use a co-created project design Address or involve underserved and/or highly vulnerable communities Projects are also strongly encouraged to partner with fishery management entities such as regional fishery management councils, state agencies, or interstate fisheries commissions.

Projects should employ approaches and partnerships that are appropriate for the communities that will be engaged in the citizen science activities, which ideally includes underserved and/or highly vulnerable communities. Is There a Cost Share or Matching Requirement? Applicants may include cost sharing, but it is not required and is not part of the evaluation criteria for this program.

Is a Grants. gov and Sam. gov Registration Required to Apply for This Grant?

Yes. Applicant organizations must complete and maintain three registrations to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. These registrations include SAM.

gov, Grants. gov, and eRA Commons. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted.

The complete registration process for all three systems can take 4 to 6 weeks, so applicants should begin this activity as soon as possible. If an eligible applicant does not have access to the internet, please contact the Agency Contacts listed in Section VII of the Notice of Funding Opportunity in the Federal Register for submission instructions. August 5, 2024: Publication of Notice of Funding Opportunity.

August 13, 2024: Informational webinar for potential applicants. September 5, 2024: Optional Letters of Intent (LOIs) must be sent to Laura. Oremland@noaa.

gov by 11:59 p. m. ET.

November 4, 2024: Full proposal submissions due by 11:59 p. m. ET.

April 1, 2025: Earliest start date for projects. For assistance with the funding opportunity, contact Kathy Mitchell at Kathy. Mitchell@noaa.

gov . For questions about citizen science, contact Laura Oremland at Laura. Oremland@noaa.

gov .